A geospatial agent-based model of the spatial urban dynamics of immigrant population: A study of the island of Montreal, Canada

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 24;14(7):e0219188. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219188. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Residential segregation into spatial neighborhoods and boroughs is a well-known spatial dynamic process that characterise complex urban environments. Existing models of segregation, including the pioneering Schelling ones, often do not consider all the factors that can contribute to this process. Segregation as well as aggregation emerges from local interactions among individuals, and is rooted in the complexity of social, economic and environmental interactions. The main objective of this study is to develop and implement a geospatial agent-based model to simulate the decision-making process of location of new household for incoming immigrant populations. Particularly this study aims to simulate and analyse the dynamics of the new immigrant populations arriving in the bilingual cities and boroughs of the island of Montreal. The model was implemented in NetLogo software, using real geospatial datasets. The obtained simulation results indicate realistic spatial patterns of spatial composition of the ethnographic fabric on the island of Montreal. The proposed model has the potential to be used as part of the city planning purposes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Canada
  • Cities
  • Computer Simulation
  • Decision Making
  • Emigrants and Immigrants*
  • Geography
  • Humans
  • Islands*
  • Systems Analysis*
  • Urban Population*

Grants and funding

This study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada Discovery Grants awarded to LP and SD, and partially by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Small Grant awarded to SD. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.