Canada announces increased funding for language training for newcomers in Ontario

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.

Language training is one of several settlement services funded by the federal government to help immigrants integrate into their new communities. To recognize the importance of language skills in successful settlement of a newcomer, government has announced to increase funding for language training from $143 million to $150 million for new immigrants in Ontario. Over the coming year, $150 million will be invested in two key language training programs: the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada program (LINC) and the Enhanced Language Training program (ELT).

This was announced by the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada during a keynote address delivered at a conference entitled “Moving Forward Together: Higher Level Language Learning.” Funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), this is the first conference planned jointly with the Province of Ontario to discuss language training programs and how they can be improved. The conference brings together service providers, professionals, and federal and provincial officials.

Few days earlier, a new funding of $3.2 million was announced under LINC to Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge area, which will go towards developing and delivering brand new English-language training services to meet the increasingly diverse needs of more than 250 newcomers.

Similarly, Flexibility Learning Systems of Lethbridge, Ontario will also receive a funding of $1.3 million under LINC, which will go towards developing and delivering more flexible language training and literacy programs, over the next three years, to meet the increasingly diverse needs of newcomers.

These settlement funding for two key language training programs and support services are provided under the $920 million COIA over five years and are part of $1.4 billion package over five years to provinces and territories other than Quebec, which was committed by the Canadian federal government in budget 2006.