CERIS - The Ontario Metropolis Centre, is a consortium of Toronto-area universities and community partners. It is one of five such research centres across Canada established under the Metropolis Project. Core funding for CERIS is provided by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) as well as the following federal departments: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Canada Border Services Agency, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Canadian Heritage, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, Human Resources and Social Development Canada, Justice Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, Public Safety Canada, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Rural And Cooperatives Secretariats of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Statistics Canada.

The Centre’s Governance Board is responsible for its overall direction, and is accountable to the sponsors, institutions and partner organizations. The Governance Board includes representation from Ryerson University, the University of Toronto, and York University, as well as the the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto, and the United Way of Greater Toronto.

The Centre’s administrative structures also include the Partnership Advisory Council (PAC), Standing Committees (Management, Data, Communications and Fundraising), and Adjudication Panels in each of the research domains.

1. Promoting research about the impact of immigration on the Greater Toronto Area and on the integration of immigrants into Canadian society;
2. Providing training opportunities;
3. Disseminating policy and program relevant research information.

Immigration creates an ongoing challenge for Canadian societal institutions. Immigration and resettlement also challenge the more than 200,000 men, women and children admitted to Canada each year. Challenge is not, however, synonymous with problem. While failure to meet the challenges may result in problems for society and for individuals, effective responses will stimulate growth and create opportunity. Information about individual adaptation and the societal impact of immigration are equally important. In recognition of this, the Centre has defined six domains of emphasis - citizenship and social, cultural and civic integration; economic and labour market integration; family, children and youth; health and well-being; policing, security and justice; welcoming communities - within each of which it intends to stimulate and support macro- and micro-level research.

The complexity of immigration issues transcends institutional, disciplinary and methodological boundaries. The Centre will foster research collaboration among universities, between universities and community agencies, and across disciplinary boundaries. The Centre will emphasize interdisciplinary research and recognize the contribution of different methodologies including archival study, ethnographic investigation, statistical analysis of existing data sets, case studies, epidemiology and community surveys.