Immigration Waterloo Region Weekly
May 25, 2021


We are in this together but impacted unequally.
Let’s help everyone stay healthy, Waterloo Region.
Immigration Partnership Updates
At Immigration Partnership, we are very excited to announce that the 2021 Immigrant Survey will launch on June 1st!

The Immigrant Survey is a bi-annual, multilingual survey which invites immigrants, refugees, claimants, international students, temporary workers and their families to share their experiences of accessing services and living in Waterloo Region in 11 languages: English, Arabic, Amharic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Serbian, Somali, Spanish, Tigrinya and Turkish. The results will inform policy, program and service priorities and planning across the Waterloo Region.

Save the Date! We invite you to be a #ImmigrantSurvey ambassador and help promote the survey from June 1 to June 21 to immigrants in your place of work, your neighbourhood, through your networks and social media. More information on how to get involved is coming!

Learn more about the survey here: www.immigrationwaterlooregion.ca/immigrantsurvey
Immigration Partnership Has Updated its Governance Through an Anti-Racism Lens
Earlier this year, the Immigration Partnership Council approved an update to Immigration Partnership governance policies. The changes were the result of an anti-racist governance review and grounded in Immigration Partnership’s Anti-Racism Commitment.

A territorial acknowledgment was included as an act of reconciliation with our local First Nations, Metis and Inuit neighbours. IPs Anti-Racism Commitment was embedded as a foundation of our governing principles and processes. Clear intentions with respect to the involvement and leadership of immigrant and racialized individuals in our leadership Council and Steering Groups were articulated. You can check out our governance document online.
May 26: COVID-questions: Mandatory Vaccinations, Rapid Testing, Screening,
Record Retention and the Law
The next virtual session of the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce’s Manulife Business Success Series on May 26 at 1pm will cover COVID-questions on rapid testing, screening, vaccinations and workplace health and safety practices that can help businesses to re-open, or remain open, during these difficult times. To register, click here.
June 3: Waterloo Region Virtual Multicultural Connections 2021: Social Isolation and Belonging 
As we’re engaged in a process of mutual learning with established and emerging ethno-cultural and faith groups in Waterloo Region, the Immigration Partnership’s Social Inclusion Working Group invites their members and leaders to participate in the Virtual Multicultural Connections on June 3 at 6pm to talk about social isolation and belonging.

During the meeting, Fidelia Ukueje, Vice President of Nigerians in the Region of Waterloo (NIROW), and Wafa Agha, Board of Directors Member of the Women Empowerment Society of Waterloo Region and Guelph City, will share with attendees what belonging in Waterloo Region has meant to them and their communities and how they have been connected and successful during the past year. Registration is open.
Follow us on our social media platforms for more immigration events and news!
Community Partner Updates 
Immigrant Services and Interpretation Open
A Survey for Youth in Waterloo Region Between the Ages 9 and 18
Diverse Youth in Waterloo Region between the ages 9 and 18 are invited to participate in the Youth Impact Survey. The Youth Impact Survey was developed in partnership WITH young people in Waterloo Region and asks well-being questions on a variety of topics.  

Available in English and French, this 20-30 minute survey is totally voluntary and anonymous. Youth who fill it out will receive volunteer hours and a chance to win prizes and the data collected will help inform future experiences for children and youth in Waterloo Region. Please share widely and encourage youth of all backgrounds to participate.
Federal, Provincial and Local Updates
Immigration
Measures
To learn more about other measures or changes on Immigration legislation,
visit the


The Government of Canada is extending the temporary travel measures restricting entry into Canada by foreign nationals until June 21, 2021. 
Municipal Government
To learn more about the latest information, measures and changes to legislation due to COVID-19 Outbreak across the region, visit the Region of Waterloo website.


During the virtual COVID-19 community update, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang expressed that she is glad the province's three-step roadmap to safely reopen is slow and cautious because it is exactly what we need, however, the region is still at a critical moment. 
Provincial
Government
To learn more about the latest information, measures and changes to legislation due to COVID-19 Outbreak across Ontario, visit the
Federal
Government
To learn more about the government support for individuals, businesses and industries during the COVID-19 Outbreak, visit the Government of Canada Website.
COVID-19 Information and Resources

Roadmap to Reopen is a cautious three-step plan that will guide a safe and gradual reopening of the province and the lifting of public health measures based on the provincewide vaccination rate and improvements in key public health and health system indicators. It is expected that Step 1 of the plan will start on or around June 14. Check out this Covid-19 Roadmap to Reopen- Key Highlights Infographic.
Other Information and Resources

"Last year we had our very first online Festival (...) and it allowed people to interact with some of our artisans, enjoy story-telling, participate in hands-on activities, and engage with local performers on YouTube. This year we're doing even more online. Stay tuned for more information," said Lucia Harrison, CEO of the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre in this Kitchener Today article.

This report presents the findings of the evaluation of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Language Training Services. The evaluation was conducted to provide an in-depth assessment of this major program and considered issues of program effectiveness, covering the period from 2015 to 2018.

Microaggressions can be more damaging and greatly affect a person's self-confidence and self-esteem. In this Waterloo Chronicle article, experts explain how microaggressions can turn into a form of harassment and the importance of setting a language to describe them.

In Fall 2020, CERC Migration invited graduate students from across Canada to submit proposals to be part of an exciting opportunity to capture their creative reflection in a three-minute video exploring their sense of identity and belonging or not belonging.  Works are now complete and will be unveiled at a premiere on the 50th anniversary of Canada’s Multiculturalism Act, June 10, 2021.  Event details can be found here.
Covid-19 and Community Virtual Events and Webinars
Post-Arrival Assurance Activities: What Groups of Five and Community Sponsors Need to Know, May 25, 6-8pm
This Refugee Sponsorship and Resettlement Program webinar will focus on the IRCC Post-Arrival Assurance Activities within the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program: what program assurance means, why IRCC conducts assurance activities, the types of monitoring, how sponsors can best prepare and much more.
Ensuring No-One is Left Behind: The Critical Role of Employers in Hiring and Retaining Newcomers May 25, 3:30-4:30pm
Three Canadian employers will join World Education Services’ Shamira Madhany to discuss strategies to attract top internationally trained professionals to fuel growth and recovery and explore the necessary collaboration between employers, policymakers, and practitioners in order to leverage newcomer talent to meet the needs of business and community.
Immigrant Families: A Source of Resilience? May 26, 12:15pm
Join this webinar featuring experts from the York University, Ottawa University, Windsor University and Ryerson University who will talk about their research on Immigrant families: A source of resilience? This event is part of the "Migrant Resilience in canadian Cities: People, Institutions and Policies" webinar series hosted by the Building Migrant Resilience in Cities Network. For more information, email bmrcirmu@yorku.ca.
WRPS Community Engagement Night, May 31, 7-8pm
Join the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) on Monday, May 31, for a discussion about their new body-worn and in-car video pilot project. Learn more about WRPS's commitment to transparency and accountability, and participate in a Q&A session. The session will be streamed on Instagram, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. No registration is required. 
UPstream Speaker's Series, June 10, 15, 17 and 21
The Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council is launching an ongoing virtual series starting with the first of four introductory events: "(Re)Think "Crime" …because it's not real" on June 10 to learn about the injustices of the concept of "crime," particularly how it affects Black, Indigenous, and racialized people, and those of low or no income. Register for this event here.
Connecting to Abilities Virtual Job Fair,
June 3, 11am-2pm
Job seekers, join The Making Cent$ of Abilities Coalition on June 3, 11:00-2:00 for the Connecting to Abilities Virtual Job Fair focused on individuality, diversity and abilities, an insightful 3 hours spent empowering us all.
Work From Home: Supporting Employers and Jobseekers to Make it Work From Home, June 9, 11am-12pm
The Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin is hosting a Work From Home series. The first session will focus on addressing some of the challenges that employers and employees are having as workforces shift to models where the workforce spends part, or all their time, working from home.
COVID-19’s Impact on Migration and Borders in Canada, the USA and Mexico Forum, June 28-29
From June 28-29, 2021, The Metropolis North America (MNA) Migration Policy Annual Forum will hold a virtual forum in partnership with the University of Manitoba and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) aimed at showcasing the research from the CIHR funded project on the differential impacts of COVID-19 on immigrants, Indigenous peoples and vulnerable communities in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
O2O (L’Ontario c'est chez Moi) workshop for Francophone immigrants, June 22-29, 2-4pm
Vous êtes nouveau, nouvelle en Ontario? À Kitchener- Waterloo? Vous aimeriez mieux connaître les services disponibles dans votre communauté? Venez trouver les ressources et les informations nécessaires à votre établissement grâce à l’atelier ‘L’ONTARIO C’EST CHEZ MOI. Information: 519 451 5194 - 7129.
COVID 19 Coverage and other News





Region surpasses 250,000 vaccinations Kitchener Today, May 19, 2021





The Immigration Waterloo Region calendar has information about local programs and events for newcomers. Subscribe for a digest of events coming up in the next week or add your own events to share.
Feel free to send suggestions or relevant events/resources to include to the Immigration Waterlooo Region weekly by emailing Dan Vandebelt (dvandebelt@regionofwaterloo.ca) and Alejandra Amezquita Gutierrez (AAmez@regionofwaterloo.ca)
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