News Release - Government of Canada announces funding to help newcomers settle in the city of Toronto

Toronto, February 8, 2008 — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), today announced funding to help 16 organizations deliver settlement services to an estimated 10,000 immigrants in Toronto.

The funding of over $30 million is expected to help newcomers to Canada access settlement services in the city including language training, translation and interpretation, referrals to community resources, and counseling.

“The Government of Canada is committed to helping newcomers succeed,” said Minister Finley. “Toronto has long been an important destination for immigrants. With this funding, thousands of new immigrants, particularly internationally trained immigrants, will have access to language training, community services, and help with finding a job. Their success is good for Toronto and good for Canada as a whole.”

“Thanks to the support from CIC, through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement we are able to provide internationally trained newcomers with real employment options for their future,” said Jane Cullingworth, Executive Director of Skills for Change. “This new funding allows us to offer increased services for those newcomers who choose the Toronto area as their new home.”

Settlement services are an essential part of the federal government’s 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 COIA, Citizenship and Immigration Canada works with the province and immigrant-serving agencies to make a real difference in the lives of immigrants.

Newcomers to Canada can also look to the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), which helps internationally trained individuals find the information they need to get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly. The FCRO was established in 2007 to provide information, path-finding and referral services to help internationally trained individuals use their skills in Canada. There are now 320 Service Canada Centres across Canada offering in-person services to newcomers.

CIC funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt, and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories and service-providing organizations and include the Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program, which provides orientation, referral and counseling services; Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada, which provides basic language training for adults; 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 more information on CIC’s programs, consult our Web site at: www.cic.gc.ca.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Tim Vail
Press Secretary
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064

Lonny Kates
Spokesperson, Media Relations
Communications Branch Ontario
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
416-954-7868

Backgrounder

• Settlement funding to help newcomers settle in Toronto