Recreation policies and programs for new immigrants to Canada

In this thesis I explored, through document analysis and interviews, how community recreation leaders can create supportive environments for participation and address barriers that negatively impact participation in leisure based physical activity among recent immigrant adults. The document analysis revealed opportunities for ethno-cultural recreation practices may be constrained by dominant values and norms entrenched in government policies and documents. Absent from the recreation policies were recommendations to preserve and enhance the multicultural heritage of Canadians. Interviews with municipal recreation administrators indicated fiscal restraints challenge municipal recreation from attending to the specific needs and interests of ethnic minority immigrants in the community. Interviews with Spanish-speaking recent immigrant adults revealed ethno-cultural recreation traditions are favored. An analysis of the three sub-problems revealed decision makers would benefit from understanding the cultural context of immigrant groups. Programs developed need to consider the interaction between leisure constraints and leisure facilitators