Immigration Waterloo Region Weekly
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Immigration Partnership News | |
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The results of the 2021 census place Waterloo Region among the top five big urban areas in the country when it comes to immigration. We welcomed 27,840 immigrants between 2016 and 2021, twice as many as we welcomed in the previous five years, according to the census.
This increase in immigration, along with the new Canada’s 2023–2025 Immigration Levels Plan which aims to bring in 1,450,000 immigrants, comes with many changes in population demographics, as well as benefits and challenges to our communities.
"Growing immigration brings many, many benefits to this community that we see by way of greater diversity, contributions to arts, contributions to culture, immigrants are employed across businesses in this region, they own businesses and employ other people and contribute to our community in many, many ways," said our executive director, Tara Bedard, in conversation with Mike Farwell on CityNews 570 last Tuesday, Nov 1.
"As we all know, we here in Waterloo Region and across the country are experiencing challenges when it comes to having enough housing for everybody, overall, and especially housing that is affordable and appropriate to changing populations," Bedard said. "And we also see, when we look across our healthcare settings, they are really stretched beyond capacity and quickly growing the population, it adds to that pressure."
Listen to the full conversation here to learn how we are responding to these challenges to build community through immigration.
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Webinar for Employers: Business Growth Series: Is your Team Quietly Quitting?
Sponsored by the Immigration Partnership and MNP, the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce is hosting a webinar series for employers to help them grow their businesses. The next webinar, taking place on Dec 1 at 11am to 12pm, will feature Frank Newman, founder and CEO of Newman Human Resources Consulting Inc., who will discuss what is happening in the workforce landscape having to deal with employees quietly quitting, plus hybrid work arrangements, 4-day work weeks, work from anywhere, wage inflation, acute skill shortage of workers.
The speaker will share insights, so employers will know when staff are "quietly quitting" and provide solutions on how to keep their teams productive and engaged. Register here.
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For more details on these events and other immigration, anti-racism and community initiatives, follow us on our social media accounts! | |
Community Partner Highlights
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Immigrant Services and Interpretation Open
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The KW Multicultural Centre (KWMC) is offering in-person services at its new location: 715 Fischer Hallman Rd, Suite 401, Kitchener.
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YMCA Immigrant Services is providing in-person and remote settlement services.
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The YMCA language assessment centre is doing online and in-person language assessments.
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In Kitchener-Waterloo and area, KWMC is providing interpretation services remotely (phone or videoconferencing) in over 50 languages. Visit https://kwmulticultural.ca/interpreters or email [email protected] if you require an interpreter.
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In Cambridge, the YMCA is providing interpretation services (phone or video conferencing) remotely. Languages include: Arabic, Armenian, Farsi, Persian, Dari, Pashto, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish. If you require an interpreter email [email protected].
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Reception House Waterloo Region is serving government-assisted refugees in person and remotely. Refugee arrivals are ongoing in Waterloo Region.
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COMPASS Refugee Centre (formerly MCRS) is serving refugee claimants virtually and in person for claim and settlement supports. Virtual Ready Tours in preparation for hearings are now available through COMPASS. They also provide safe, in-office access to virtual hearings for claimants who need I.T. support and confidential space.
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Sanctuary Refugee Health Centre continues to meet the health needs of refugees. Call ahead.
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Carizon’s Newcomer Mental Health and Well-Being Program: A Promise of Partnership is currently offering both online and in-person supports to refugees living in Waterloo Region. For more information on current groups, trauma counselling, supports for connecting to mental health resources and workshops, call 519 743-6333 or email [email protected].
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St. Louis LINC and ESL classes offered morning and afternoon, both online and in-person this year. Evening and Saturday classes are not offered at this time. Please contact the YMCA first to get an English Language Assessments. Please email at [email protected] to make an appointment.
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Conestoga LINC language classes. Classes are currently held both on campus and online. When you register for class, a LINC technician will meet with you to help you get started.
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Refugee Integration Updates | |
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Supporting Afghan and Other Refugee Resettlement in Waterloo Region
Community members can support Afghan and other refugees arriving in the region in many ways: Providing affordable housing or primary care, making monetary donations to the Immigration Partnership Fund or Reception House Waterloo Region, donating clothing and other items, sponsoring refugee families, supporting family reunification efforts,etc. Visit http://immigrationwaterlooregion.ca/afghanresettlement for more information on the Afghan Resettlement in Waterloo Region!
$50,000 donation in support of Ukrainians fleeing war in Waterloo Region In a conversation with Mike Farwell, host of CityNews 570, Tara Bedard, Executive Director of the Immigration Partnership, and Alex Bielak, Vice President of the Cloverleaf Foundation and Chair of the Granting Committee, shared how the generous contribution of 50,000 will make a difference in the lives of many Ukrainians arriving in the region. Alex also shared the history behind the creation of the Cloverleaf Foundation and its amazing purpose.
Growing wave of unaccompanied minors among Ukrainians fleeing to Canada. Volunteer groups and child welfare agencies in Canada say they're seeing a growing number of teenagers from Ukraine arriving alone.
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In Solidarity with Ukraine
Visit www.immigrationwaterlooregion.ca/ukraine to learn how residents of Waterloo Region can support the Ukrainians coming to Canada. In addition, visitors will find helpful information and tools shared by the federal government specifically for Ukrainian individuals and families such as service access instructions, welcome to Canada checklist, SIN for Newcomers, etc.
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Information and Resources | |
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Canada Reveals Plan to Welcome 500,000 Immigrants Per Year by 2025
To ensure Canada's economic prosperity, the federal government is planning a big increase in the number of immigrants entering Canada, with a goal of bringing in nearly 1.5 million people by 2025. Last year Canada welcomed over 405,000 newcomers - the most we’ve ever welcomed in a single year. The Government is continuing that ambition by setting targets in the new levels plan of 465,000 permanent residents in 2023, 485,000 in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025.
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Statistics Canada invites Canadians to participate in this engagement initiative to identify the appropriate terminology and categories to describe the visible minority and properly address data needs in health, education, justice, and employment equity. Individuals who wish to obtain more information, please email at [email protected].
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The Canadian government recently launched initiatives to promote immigrant settlement outside of traditional gateway cities, in small towns and rural areas. These initiatives attempt to mitigate socio-economic impacts of population decline, and address barriers to successful integration in urban areas. Drawing on the geographies of hope, CERC Migration senior researcher Ahika Niraula examines how newcomers navigate hopes as they imagine rural resettlement in Ontario.
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La Semaine nationale de l'immigration francophone, Du 6 au 12 novembre 2022 | |
Du 6 au 12 novembre 2022, célébrons la Semaine nationale de l’immigration francophone et contribuons à mettre en valeur nos communautés francophones plurielles et inclusives. Cette 10e édition consacrée à « Nos traditions et notre avenir » proposera une multitude d’activités rassembleuses pour apprécier les différentes traditions francophones et réfléchir à un meilleur avenir pour chacune et chacun. Impliquez-vous à la célébration de la Semaine pour souligner les traditions et réfléchir ensemble sur l'avenir et le comment mieux vivre demain! | |
Creating Traditionally Inspired Dishes, Nov 7 and 14, 1-3pm | |
Join SOAHAC in creating traditionally inspired dishes from ingredients sourced from their community harvests. November 7th and 14th from 1-3pm at the Kinbridge Community Association in Cambridge. To register, email [email protected] or call/text 519-239-7430. | |
WRCF Do More Good Dialogues - Conversations in Communities, Nov 8-18 | |
Waterloo Region Community Foundation wants to hear from people across our region. They have scheduled community drop-in conversations during November called “WRCF Do More Good Dialogues - Conversations in Communities”. President & CEO, Eric Avner, along with members of its Board and Team will be on-site at libraries around Waterloo Region to chat and answer any questions attendees have about their community foundation, and to get their input on issues of importance in their neighbourhood, city and/or township. | |
The Words and Things of Migration, Nov 10, 10am-3:15pm EST | |
This CERC in Migration and Integration workshop will foster a dialogue between studies concerned with the systems of meanings and discourses of migration, on the one hand, and studies that investigate the objects, technical assemblages and materiality of migration on the other. | |
Ethical and Legal Considerations of Consent and Privacy, Nov 16, 1-3pm EST | |
Newcomer families and subsequent patients have some differences in their understanding of consent laws and ethical considerations that exist in Canada. Join CHEO Bioethicist, Dr. Michelle Mullen for an in-depth presentation and active discussion on the ethical and legal considerations of Canada’s consent and privacy laws. | |
Migration, Governance and Gender, Nov 22, 10am-4pm EST | |
Join CERC Migration for our upcoming Migration Working Group: Scholars of Excellence Edition. The November meeting investigates migration, governance and gender: how women migrants are impacted by policy, but also how, through agency and resilience, they confront and reshape policies. | |
Addressing Inequities within Environmental Sustainability, Nov 22, 11- 1pm | |
Join Sustainable Waterloo Region and speaker Colleen James, founder of Divonify, for a talk on Addressing Inequities within Environmental Sustainability. Colleen will lead a discussion in creating a more equitable and inclusive workforce and community. She will outline what this looks like when we factor in sustainability and the work to create a more environmentally sustainable region. | |
Towards Equity and Anti-Racism in Canada's Immigration System, Nov 24-26 | |
This Canadian Council for Refugees Consultation will address key challenges in our refugee and immigration system. Participants will learn, brainstorm, hear from and give input to government officials and share resources and strategies to respond to these issues in a series of workshops, caucuses, and meetings. | |
ExtravArtganza, Nov 26, 10am-4pm | |
Join Family & Children's Services Foundation for a free, family-friendly event to celebrate our community of artists, and the art of community at the Family centre. The event will include a holiday maker's market, performances by youth and community groups, yummy treats for sale, family photographer on side for mini sessions, art activities for the whole family and more. For more information, email at [email protected]. | |
Discussing Labour Shortages: Working Towards Solutions, Nov 30, 8:30am-12pm | |
The Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin holds a session each year to discuss workforce challenges and, this year, we are returning to in-person sessions. In this session, they will share some information about the labour market and some ideas as to where the people are, why recruitment may be a challenge as well as what could affect retention. Then participants will answer some questions such as: What are your biggest challenges now? What will they be in six months? How will that impact your business or organization? What do we do, or promote if it already exists, in the next year to move the needle towards meeting needs? What requires longer and how can we get started now? | |
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Greenbelt housing needed due to rising immigration: Premier Ford CP24, Nov 7, 2022
A Ukrainian refugee finds a new life in the GTA with the help of the local auto industry The Star, Nov 6, 2022
Record immigration is a yawn in Canada, and that's a good thing The Toronto Star Nov 5, 2022
Canada's new immigration plan under scrutiny amid housing supply shortage CTV News, Nov 5, 2022
Number of Mexican asylum seekers in Canada has increased dramatically CTV News, Nov 5, 2022
$50,000 donation in support of Ukrainians fleeing war in Waterloo Region The Mike Farwell Show, Nov 3
Region now among top 5 big urban areas in Canada for immigration CityNews Everywhere, Nov 02, 2022
Racial diversity surges in Waterloo Region as immigration doubles in past five years The Record, Nov 02, 2022
Census reveals immigrants nearly a quarter of Canada’s population, and fanning outside of the Big 3 cities The Star, Oct 28, 2022
Seeking a new perspective from newcomers Greg Bisch, Nov 2, 022
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Feel free to send suggestions or relevant events/resources to include to the Immigration Waterlooo Region weekly by emailing Dan Vandebelt ([email protected]) and Alejandra Amezquita Gutierrez ([email protected])
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