Canada announces new funding to deliver settlement- and employment-related assistance to newcomers

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.

For this purpose, a new settlement funding of over $1.7 million has been announced to help 5 partner agencies delivering settlement and integration services to new immigrants in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador. 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.

In the North Bay and District area of Ontario, the Multicultural Centre and the Big Sisters organizations will receive $194,000 and $86,043 respectively. The funding to North Bay and District Multicultural Center will be used to deliver settlement assistance to newcomers, including help in finding a job and in accessing health and community services. The Centre will also bring newcomers and Canadian citizens together through networking events and a mentorship program during their first few months in Canada. The funding to Big Sisters of North Bay and District will be used to deliver a mentoring program that matches volunteers with newcomer youths.

Another funding of more than $597,000 has been announced for the YMCA of Brantford, Ontario to assist in delivering a variety of settlement services, including orientation, interpretation, referrals to community resources, general information and employment-related assistance. The funding is expected to serve more than 260 people.

Learning Enrichment Foundation of Toronto, Ontario will also receive a funding of more than $750,000, which will go towards delivering a variety of settlement assistance, including orientation, interpretation, citizenship preparation, job search referrals and help in accessing social services, housing, immigration and citizenship information and support.

This settlement funding to four Ontario-based organizations is being provided under the $920 million Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), which was committed by the Canadian federal government in budget 2006.

As part of $1.4 billion ‘additional settlement funding package’ to provinces and territories other than Quebec, the Association for New Canadians in St. John’s will receive a total of $111,775 to support job-specific language training and job search support for immigrants, as well as training for settlement workers to help them serve newcomers. The funding will help the Association for New Canadians to deliver a project called Taking Action: Connecting Immigrants with Opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador. The project will involve a pilot internship program for Newfoundland and Labrador employers and newcomers to help with the recognition of skills, competencies, and work experience gained abroad. The program will educate employers about the benefits of hiring immigrants and it will provide programs and services to help them hire new Canadians. An online immigrant and employer skills matching database will help Newfoundland and Labrador employers find foreign-trained workers with the experience and credentials that they need.

Funding of $19,800 has also been announced for Sharing Our Cultures project in Newfoundland and Labrador. The funding will go toward planning and staging a three-day event aimed at increasing cross-cultural awareness. The event, to take place March 16–18, 2008, is in recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and Canada’s Racism. Stop It! campaign.