Immigration Waterloo Region Weekly
December 14, 2020

Stay healthy, Waterloo Region. We are in this together.


Immigration Partnership Updates
Five Years Ago - Waterloo Region Welcomed Over 1,800 Syrian Refugees Fleeing Civil War
This December marks the fifth anniversary of the commencement of Operation Syrian Refugees. This operation was Canada’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria aimed to resettle more than 25,000 Syrians in just 100 days, between November 4, 2015 and February 29, 2016. The first families arrived in Canada on December 10 and 10 days later on December 20 the first families arrived in Waterloo Region. Since then, over 70,000 Syrian refugees have settled into communities across Canada. 

As a designated refugee resettlement community, Waterloo Region eagerly joined this national project, welcoming more than 1,800 Syrian refugees fleeing civil war. Community members, private sponsors, resettlement service providers, community agencies, municipal governments, health providers, the education system, employment services, interpreters, landlords, the Immigration Partnership and many more worked together under intense pressure and with incredible passion to find creative ways to welcome hundreds of new neighbours to the Region. The following are a few memories of that life-altering time that brought everyone in the community together in a historic effort to make this happen:

  • The region welcomed more refugees, per capita, than almost anywhere else in the country: 4.6% of the Syrian refugees brought to Canada.
  • Agencies working with refugees and immigrants were inundated with generous offers of clothing, household goods, aid and money from the community.
  • The Immigration Partnership Council Fund for Syrian Newcomer collected dis dispersed over $800,000 in local donations to local programs. The fund was administered by Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation and the Region of Waterloo, and overseen by a subcommittee of the Immigration Partnership Council.  
  • A thank-you celebration was held in March 2017 to celebrate Waterloo Region’s 1,800 newest residents and everyone who helped them started their live in the region.
  • In 2017, the Immigration Partnership Fund for Immigrant and Refugee Initiatives was established at the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation as a legacy and tribute to the Immigration Partnership Council Fund for Syrian Newcomers to continue to support local services for immigrants and refugees in Waterloo Region.

Celebrate International Migrant’s Day with the Final Screenings of
the 2020 Global Migration Film Festival
There is one more week to enjoy the stories of 2020 Global Migration Film Festival! Our partners, KW Art Gallery and International Migration Research Centre, and the Immigration Partnership's Belong Steering Group are hosting the last three film screenings and post-screening discussion where participants will delve into the vicissitudes of refugees and newcomers when trying to build a new life in Canada.
Lisa Molomot and Alison Mountz, directors and producers of "Safe Haven," and Maya Bastian, director of "Arrival Archives," will share their  top moments from making the films. The festival will close on Dec 18, International Migrant’s Day, with guest Oussayma Canbarieh, director of Dima's Game and award-winning journalist and producer with extensive experience in production, research and interviewing. 
Dec 15, 7pm
Dec 17, 7pm
Dec 18, 1pm
Stay tuned to our social media channels as there will be some exciting announcements on the festival: Twitter/Fb
Our Partners in bringing the 2020 Global Migration Film Festival to Waterloo Region:
Community Partner Updates 
Immigrant Services and Interpretation Open

Responses from this survey, promoted by the Immigration Partnership and other community organizations, will be used by the Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin to provide a report to the community on what the workforce will look like in the future and the new skills and potentials changes in the way people work today. The survey contains 15 questions and takes 15 minutes.
Funding and support to Woman-Identifying and/or Non-Binary Founders
Communitech’s Fierce Founders Uplift provides funding and support to woman-identifying and/or non-binary founders from underrepresented groups to grow their business. Successful applicants will receive $10,000 in non-matching funds and one-on-one counsel from Communitech growth coaches. Applications close on Jan 10, 2021.

Have your Say: The Region of Waterloo Seeks Resident Input on the 2021 Regional Budget
The Region of Waterloo seeks input from input from its residents on the 2021 Budget Plan: Beyond COVID-19 at the virtual public meeting on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 6pm, or through an online survey open until December 20, 2020.
How to help
The Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation is Asking Residents
to Celebrate Season of Giving by Donating
If you find yourself in a position to give, consider donating to the foundation as they will invest that gift into a permanent endowment fund, which generates income that is then distributed through various grants that are made out to charitable causes that operate in the region. Read the full Kitchener Today article here.
Federal, Provincial and Local Updates
COVID-19 Information and Resources
This Statistics Canada article explores the impacts these businesses are experiencing during the pandemic. For example, they were more likely to experience a decrease in revenue, have less liquidity, be unable to take on more debt & be approved for funding or credit.
In consultation with the McConnell Foundation, PwC Canada has solicited the views of 548 social sector leaders from coast to coast to better understand the longer term impacts of the pandemic on Canada’s social sector and the opportunities they have to upskill and build organizational resilience in the new world of work.
(Available in English and French). 
Wellbeing Waterloo Region and the Psychosocial Pandemic Response Group have compiled a two-page document with some of the top resources being accessed in Waterloo Region during the pandemic for anyone who is looking to be connected with supports.
In this article, BBC surveyed dozens of global thought leaders, doers and thinkers on how the virus will continue to test our mental strength and relationships, aggravate existing inequalities in society, push for greater sustainability and demand new ways for us to thrive in 2021 and beyond.
Please refer to this document for a list of shelters and meal pickup and drop-off locations in Kitchener, Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich, North Dumfries and Cambridge.
Watch this recording of Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants webinar presented on Nov 20, 2020, about the impact of COVID-19 on migration globally and in Canada, and future possibilities for Canada and Ontario.
Other Information and Resources
Laurier Campus magazine brings the story of two Wilfrid Laurier professors on how they have been advocating for improving the living conditions of agricultural workers before government officials. Collective efforts like this have resulted in numerous government funding announcements, including a $58.6-million pledge from the federal government in July.
This consultation from the Government of Canada seeks feedback on proposed federal accommodations requirements for the TFW program, including potential impacts and considerations for transitioning to new requirements. Deadline: Dec 22, 2020.
Eight in 10 Canadians say temporary foreign workers should be entitled to the same benefits and protection as any other workers in this country, according to a Nanos Research poll. The survey was commissioned by senators Ratna Omidvar and Rob Black as they introduce motion for change.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) invites settlement, social and health service providers to put their name on the email list to be notified of when registration opens for the Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health online course which is a free and self-directed training.
Virtual Events and Webinars
Porch Chats Exploring the Impact of Migration on Families (Kurdish), Dec 15,
7-9pm
This porch chat which will be in Kurdish focuses on how family relationships, mental health, and stress levels change for newcomers and how that is connected to covid 19 situation. It will present signs of abusive relationships and discuss what we can do as part of the Keep Families Safe campaign.
Resisting Burnout and Building Resilience During COVID-19, Dec 15, 12-1:15 pm
CLEO Connect is hosting a free workshop recognizing the hard work of frontline workers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline workers have continued to provide support to clients and communities, many of whom have been thrown into crisis. This workshop will explore the impact of these changes on our health and our ability to work effectively on the frontlines during COVID-19.
Newcomer Healthcare Webinar,
Dec 16, 1 pm
National Newcomer Navigation Network (NNNN) is hosting this webinar that will feature perspectives from front-line staff, a physician and nurse practitioners across Canada in the health sector who have developed multidisciplinary models to deliver care to newcomers with complex needs.
Improv for Winter Wellbeing, Dec 22
and 30
Wellbeing Waterloo Region brings this joyful free digital event. A team from YesUnlimited will work with groups to create a safe space to explore the creativity and fun of improv. Participants will not need to perform or prepare for this event, it is just for fun and connection during these uncertain and sometimes lonely times.
An Evening With Giller Winner Souvankham Thammavongsa, Jan 7,
7-8 pm
Waterloo Public Library is arranging a free virtual meeting with Giller Winner author Souvankham Thammavongsa. There will be a reading as well as a candid discussion on her writing. Professor Vinh Nguyen from the University of Waterloo will be the host, who specializes in critical refugee studies, Asian diasporic literature and culture, and critical race studies.
A New Home In Canada, Jan 14,
7-8:30pm
Syrian Canadian Foundation will hold a virtual celebration for Newcomer Syrians in honor of the 5th anniversary of the arrival of Syrians in Canada. There will be a virtual celebration with speakers, musical performances, and touching stories from the Syrian community and from the many segments of Canadian society who participated in the warm welcome of newcomers.
COVID 19 Coverage and other News

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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