The successful integration of immigrants and refugees into a new society is based on their attainment of several basic needs, one of the most important of which is affordable, suitable and adequate housing. In recent years, there has been increasing attention paid to the role of housing in the integration process. This has prompted examinations of the links between access to affordable housing and the residential concentrations of newcomers and minorities on the one hand, and successful integration and inclusion on the other. For both individuals and families, not only the type of housing but also the neighbourhood in which it is found affects social networks, access to employment opportunities, participation in public social spaces, the nature and availability of social services, and newcomers’ general sense of security. As a result, researchers and policy-makers alike are seeking to better understand the relationships between housing, neighbourhoods and integration into Canadian society. This special issue of Canadian Issues/Themes Canadiens tackles these relationships in a number of ways by exploring the links between immigration, housing and homelessness in Canada.