André Langlois

Metropolitan Characteristics and Entrepreneurship among Immigrants and Ethnic Groups in Canada

This study assesses the influence of metropolitan characteristics on self-employment among immigrant groups and ethnic minorities in Canada. It compares self-employment among 65 immigrant and ethnic groups in Canadas 25 metropolitan areas and is based on a special tabulation from the 1991 Census of Canada. Results show that locational variations in self-employment among groups that are clearly distinguished from Canadas mainstream population, and among the more entrepreneurial groups, differ markedly from locational variations among the rest of the population. These groups gravitate to self-employment, particularly in peripheral metropolitan areas where entrepreneurial opportunities are few. Neither does a large local community of co-ethnics positively influence the propensity to become self-employed. However, immigrants and minorities in peripheral metropolitan areas cluster in relatively narrow entrepreneurial niches. While benefiting from less competition by co-ethnics, the immigrants are probably constrained there to self-employment due to the lack of alternative opportunities.

Self‐employment among French‐Canadians: The role of the regional milieu

Abstract This article examines the relationship between self‐employment among French‐Canadians and the regional milieu. Our main argument is that self‐employment among French‐Canadians depends on the specific regional milieu. The empirical analysis is based on the public use file on individuals of the 1986 Census of Canada. Self‐employment is related to mother tongue, region, industry, occupation, income and language spoken at home. Then, the association of socio‐economic and socio‐demographic attributes with self‐employment and mother tongue in different French‐Canadian communities is examined. The relation between self‐employment, regional milieus and French‐Canadian communities is further explored using the correspondence analysis method. Results show that in addition to variations in class resources and local opportunities, a majority or minority setting influences the economic niches utilized by French entrepreneurs. Among francophone minorities, small and relatively assimilated communities are usual...