News Release - Minister Finley celebrates Vietnamese New Year, announces funding to the Vietnamese community in the greater Toronto area

Toronto, February 2, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced funding for three Vietnamese organizations serving newcomers in the Greater Toronto Area. The Minister made the announcement while taking part in the 23rd Annual Tet Festival celebrating the Vietnamese Lunar New Year in Toronto.

The funding, totalling more than $2.5 million, will go to the Vietnamese Association of Toronto and the Vietnamese Women’s Association of Toronto to deliver settlement services to more than 650 newcomers inToronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood and in North York, where a growing Vietnamese community has settled in the past few years. The Vietnamese Community Centre of Mississauga will also receive funding to provide language training to at least 45 immigrants in the community.

“Our government supports the Vietnamese community in Canada,” said Minister Finley. “We’re so pleased to be able to make this announcement while celebrating the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. This funding will help Vietnamese immigrants with language training and finding a job. This will help build a stronger Vietnamese community and a stronger Canada.”

Of the funding, $1,850,988 is going to the Vietnamese Association of Toronto to expand its services in North York, including orientation, translation and interpretation services, referrals to community resources, and counselling and employment-related services. The Vietnamese Women's Association of Toronto is receiving $235,683 to help provide support and counselling to newcomers. The Vietnamese Community Centre of Mississauga is receiving $454,188 to help expand its language training and child-minding services.

In addition, as announced in May 2007, the Government of Canada is also committed to facilitating the immigration of Vietnamese living in the Philippines without status since the late 1970s.

Settlement programs are part of a successful immigration program. Through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), the Government of Canada has increased settlement funding for Ontario by a total of $920 million over five years. Under the COIA, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) works with the province and immigrant-serving agencies to make a real difference in the lives of immigrants.

CIC funds a number of programs which help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories and service providers and include the Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program, which provides orientation, referral and counselling services; the Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada, which provides language training; and the Host Program, which helps newcomers connect with volunteers who help them access services, establish contacts in their field of work and participate in the community.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Matthew John
Press Secretary
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064

Madona Mokbel
Spokesperson
Communications Branch
Ontario Region
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
416-954-7868