Canada welcomes immigrants at record rates, and we need to help them settle and thrive in their new communities to retain their talent. With most of the programming, services, and supports available in larger metropolises, how can we expand our reach to help newcomers as they settle into communities throughout Canada? The NewToBC team is participating in a panel presentation at the 25th Metropolis Canada Conference to examine online delivery to rural and more remote communities.
How Can We Best Respond to the Emerging Needs of Immigrants?
The Honourable Sean Fraser’s conference welcome statement says, “at a time when Canada needs immigration more than ever, we must examine how to modernize our system to serve Canadians and newcomers best. While Canada’s immigration system is considered world-class, migration trends and international challenges are continually changing. We must reflect on what the future holds and how we can best respond to emerging needs and remain a global leader.” We are recruiting record numbers of immigrants to Canada; however, we’re seeing the percentage of permanent residents obtaining Canadian citizenship dropping, according to new Statistics Canada data. We can do better.
25 Years of Conversation on Migration, Our Legacy, Our Future
As this conference marks its 25th year, the conversations cover a wide range of topics on immigration, integration, inclusion, and identities. Immigrant service providers, policymakers and researchers and other key stakeholders from across Canada will have in-depth conversations about emerging policies and best practices, and will share data and research findings so we can all leverage the vast knowledge that has been cultivated from the Metropolis networks to move the immigration conversation forward, says Jack Jedwab, President and CEO, ACS and Metropolis Institute.
We at NewToBC are looking forward to contributing to this conversation in our panel discussion: Province-Wide Service Delivery in an Increasingly Digital World: Successes and Challenges.
Province-Wide Service Delivery in an Increasingly Digital World
Our panel presentation will share some successes and challenges three B.C.-based organizations have experienced remotely delivering services across the province.
“Ever-increasing use of online platforms has addressed service gaps for newcomers living in communities across B.C. Organizations can deliver services remotely to complement existing local programs, offering a more robust settlement and integration experience for newcomers outside urban centres. Successful distance delivery requires collaboration with partners to ensure the community and clients’ needs are understood and met and that adequate community support for recruitment and referral is in place. This session is presented by three organizations delivering across B.C. who will share strategies for delivery, approaches to resolve challenges, adjustments to ensure success, and the outcomes achieved.”
- Session moderator: Jody Johnson, PEERs Employment & Educational Resources
- Jennifer Kuenzig, Douglas College, “Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants”
- Reena Didi, NewToBC, Public Libraries InterLINK, “Library Champions Program”
- Patrick MacKenzie, Conference Co-chair- CEO, Immigrant Employment Council of B.C. (IECBC), “FAST, BC JobConnect, ASCEND”
We are excited to participate in the discussion and exchange of ideas and strategies about immigration, integration, and settlement. As we continue to work through new ways of service delivery afforded to us through new technologies, we are excited about the possibilities ahead. Our work will continue to connect immigrants to their new communities and help them contribute to the prosperity of Canada.