Cities in Canada are extraordinarily diverse places. Even small towns have distinct communities living in particular areas and networks of people who share a common culture. The definition of the word "community" is often debated by generally it suggests a group of people who share a common cultural heritage, religion, or language. People in a community share similar interests or aspirations. Community is also used as a label to assert difference between groups. We also use the word "community" to talk about people who live in the same locality or area in a town or city. We call these gathering places "neighbourhoods" if they have their own ambiance, cultural activities and styles.
Ethnic neighbourhoods are one of the most obvious of these areas. Little Italies, India Bazaars, Chinatowns, Greektowns, ghettos, are just a few of the neighbourhoods linked to ethnicity that come to mind. We observe some of these enclaves around us in the styles of homes and the products in and signage on storefronts. We read about them in novels and short stories. We see images of them depicted in movies and on television. Even though we use these terms everyday as quick labels to describe a locality in many ways they obscure more than they reveal about a people living these neighbourhoods. For example these ethnic enclaves such as Little Italies, Chinatowns or Greektowns are very rarely made up of just one ethnic group.
Ethnic neighbourhoods are sometimes seen as safe places for people of a common background to meet family and friends, to find jobs, to eat or buy special foods and to maintain and express their own cultural practices and ideas. Another view of ethnic neighborhoods is more critical. This view holds that these neighbourhoods are isolated from the rest of society either because the host society is hostile or members of these neighbourhoods find it difficult to access the broader society because of limited language skills, education, discrimination or other factors.