News Release - Government of Canada announces support for the Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society to help newcomers settle in the community

Toronto, April 11, 2008 — Ed Komarnicki, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced funding to help the Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society (CUIAS) deliver settlement services to nearly 3,000 immigrants in Toronto.

The funding of more than $2.7 million is expected to help newcomers to Canada access settlement services in the city such as referrals to community resources, advice and guidance, translation and interpretation, and group workshops on the Canadian legal, social, health and economic system. This investment will help the Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society deliver specialty language training for seniors and higher level language training, with a focus on writing skills.

The contribution will also support a pilot youth program which will include sporting, social, and recreational activities. This will include a new Youth Outreach Worker to provide social services to youth who have been harder to reach, such as Government Assisted Refugees and young people with mental or physical health challenges.

“The Government of Canada is committed to helping new families to Canada succeed,” said Mr. Komarnicki. “With this funding, newcomers including youth and senior citizens will have access to specialty services that support their distinct needs. These services will ease their transition to life in Canada and strengthen Toronto and the community as a whole.”

“The new funding will allow our centre to help newcomer families settle in Toronto,” said Eugen Duvalko, President of the Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society. “With support from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), we can continue to provide a friendly and welcoming environment, while delivering essential settlement services, so that newcomers feel they made the right choice in selecting Canada as their new home. Our agency is proud to be part of the longstanding Canadian tradition of local community initiatives assisting newcomers.”

Settlement services are an essential part of the federal government’s immigration program. Through the COIA, the Government of Canada has increased settlement funding for Ontario by a total of $920 million over five years. Under the COIA, CIC works with the province and immigrant-serving agencies to make a real difference in the lives of immigrants. In 2006, the Government of Canada began investing an additional $1.4 billion over five years in settlement funding across the country.

Newcomers to Canada can also turn 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. Established in 2007, the FCRO provides information, path-finding and referral services to help internationally trained individuals use their skills in Canada. There are now 320 Service Canada centres across the country offering in-person foreign credential referral 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 services, advice and guidance; 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 website 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

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