Speaker: Ravi Pendakur (University of Ottawa)

Abstract
We use the 2006 and 2021 Canadian Census Data as well as the 2011 National Household Survey to explore the probability that Canadian-born young adults with Italian heritage reside with their parents. In doing so, we investigate the role of culture in explaining the living arrangements of young adults. We achieve identification by exploiting the difference in coresidence choices of young adults with Italian origins and majority origin (British French or Canadian) young adults. These two groups share the same institutional environment, while they differ in terms of cultural background. Our results show that culture has positive and robust explanatory power. Our findings are robust across time, to changes in the sample criteria, and to alternative variables used as proxies for cultural heritage. The empirical analysis also shows that Italo-Canadians have preferences for remaining with parents that span generations.  In addition, that preference transfers to non-Italians in neighbourhoods with high numbers of Italian households.