MONCTON, Canada, CMC – Canada’s immigration agency says it has launched over 800 projects across the country to boost settlement and integration of Caribbean and other new immigrants.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said it has selected 824 projects that will “deliver high-quality services to newcomers across the country for up to five years.”
IRCC said one such project is with the Boys and Girls Club of Moncton, New Brunswick.
It said this new service provider organization will work with youth ages 13 to 18 in the Moncton area, “bringing newcomers and locally-born youth together to form trusting relationships through a variety of activities, mentorship, career development, community, political and civic engagement, advocacy, volunteerism, shared entrepreneurial goals and leadership development.”
IRCC said the project will promote intercultural understanding, foster enduring links, and help youth – “regardless of where they were born – to develop new skills that set them up for success.”
It said other partners involved in this project include all levels of government, Atlantic Superstore, and local business leaders and corporate partners who will provide mentorship opportunities, such as the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Midland, Irving and Medavie Blue Cross.
Through IRCC’s Settlement Program, eligible newcomers receive information about life in Canada and the community in which they will settle, language training, help finding a job, and connections with established immigrants and Canadians.
“These supports and services help newcomers integrate and build a successful life in Canada, while also helping employers, schools and other organizations build welcoming communities,” IRCC said.
“The Resettlement Assistance Programme provides supports and services to address the immediate and essential needs of government-assisted refugees and other eligible clients being resettled to Canada from overseas,” it added.
IRCC said projects selected through the National Call for Proposals include language training and workplace-based language instruction that will help newcomers settle and gain relevant skills; employment services that will foster the entrepreneurial spirit of newcomers and engage private sector employers; and projects that enhance local integration and social inclusion in small-center, rural and northern areas.
The newly-chosen projects complement those selected through the Service Delivery Improvement Programme, Pre-Arrival Services Programme and Visible Minority Newcomer Women Program, IRCC said.
“Canada is a recognized international leader in settlement and integration. We firmly believe that when we invest in helping newcomers learn the language, find employment, and build a successful life, all of Canada benefits,” said Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
“The Boys and Girls Club of Moncton project is an example of innovative programming that helps newcomers make the most of their talents to fully integrate and contribute to the Canadian economy and to their communities,” he added.
On February 18, IRCC said it began accepting proposals from eligible individuals and organizations to provide direct services to newcomers.
On March 27, IRCC said it began accepting proposals for indirect settlement services, such as research and capacity building.
“After a thorough review of the proposals received, 824 projects have been selected to deliver services that are client-centered, outcomes-driven and responsive to needs and that use resources effectively,” IRCC said.
