Canada announces funding for settlement of newcomers and enhancement of online services, content and tools

To help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), in partnership with provinces, territories and settlement providers, has been delivering programs and services to migrants of more than 40 nationalities for over 16 years, and providing stakeholders necessary funding to support these initiatives.

Recently, a settlement funding of $38 million for 15 partner agencies in the Halton and Peel regions of Ontario has been announced to assist delivery of settlement and integration services for immigrants in the community. This funding, which is provided under the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), will cover the period of October 2007 through March 2010, and expected to help more than 150,000 migrants who have settled in Ontario’s two of the fastest growing immigrant communities. The services will include helping migrants find jobs and assisting them in getting general orientation, translation and interpretation services. The funding will also help migrants with referrals to community resources and counseling services.

Under the COIA, another funding of $2.2 million over two and a half years was provided to a Newcomer Information Center in Ottawa, which is expected to support settlement and employment support services and language training, accreditation and qualifications assistance to more than 2,800 newcomers in its first year of operation. This center will be managed by National Capital Region YMCA-YWCA.

Across Ontario, school boards received $219 million for English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.

These fundings for settlement and language training to Ontario are provided under the $920 million COIA over five years and are part of $1.3 billion package over five years to provinces and territories other than Quebec, which was committed by the Canadian federal government in budget 2006.

Under a separate funding package of $18.8 million, announced earlier this year, enhancement of online information about settling and working across the country and to help immigrants integrate into Canadian society is being provided to several provinces and territories other than Quebec. This funding will enable partner provinces to develop tools and services that will help promote the province as a destination for immigrants, as well as establish programs for social and economic integration of newcomers.

Under this project, the Alberta government has launched a new web portal (www.alberta-canada.com/immigration) that will give potential immigrants to the province a single site for all the information they need to live and work in Alberta. The new portal is an offshoot of a three-year, $1.2-million federal funding from CIC.

Over four years, Prince Edward Island (PEI) will receive $808,000 to promote the province as an immigration destination through the development of online services, content, and tools for prospective immigrants as well as those who have already arrived. The funds can also be used for consultation and outreach. PEI may also choose to provide funding to municipalities to help enhance information at the local level.

Funding of up to $660,000 will be provided to Saskatchewan over a three-year period. This will go toward enhancing online content, tools and services that will promote the province as a destination and help immigrants integrate once they arrive. The funding can also be used for consultation and outreach. As the project develops, Saskatchewan will consider how best to work with municipalities to help improve information at the local level.

Contribution agreements have also been signed with Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Under existing federal-provincial immigration agreements, British Columbia and Manitoba will also receive funding to help them improve the provision of online information for prospective immigrants and newcomers.

Provincial and territorial portals will link to the government’s existing Going to Canada Immigration Portal (http://www.goingtocanada.gc.ca/), which provides online information and services to help immigrants make informed decisions about coming to Canada, and assists them in their integration and settlement once they arrive.