News Release – The Governments of Canada and Ontario partner with the City of Guelph to help newcomers

Guelph, September 22, 2009 — Immigrants in Guelph and Wellington County will have improved access to services to help them successfully integrate into their communities as a result of a new Local Immigration Partnership initiative.

The initiative was announced by Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong, Ontario Citizenship and Immigration Minister Michael Chan and City of Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge.

The City of Guelph will receive nearly $459,000 in federal funding for the initiative, which includes the establishment of a local partnership council. This council will develop a settlement strategy to identify delivery models, initiatives and projects tailored to assist newcomers. It will be comprised of municipal representatives, employers, school boards and settlement and social service agencies. The City of Guelph has welcomed approximately 7,000 newcomers over the past 10 years.

“This initiative will enhance the communities’ ability to help newcomers integrate,” said MP Chong, on behalf of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. “Improving access to services that make the integration process easier will benefit not only newcomers, but communities across Ontario.”

The funding is being provided through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement, a partnership between Citizenship and Immigration Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. Almost $3 million will be allocated to municipalities and service provider organizations across Ontario to establish the partnerships.

“Newcomers are important to Ontario’s economic and social prosperity,” said Minister Chan. “Helping them succeed in their communities is a good investment for all Ontarians.”

“We are very pleased that, with the support of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, we will be able to develop an integrated, coordinated strategy to make Guelph and Wellington a more welcoming place for newcomers to Canada and our community,” said Guelph's Mayor, Karen Farbridge.

Settlement services are an essential part of the Government of Canada’s immigration program. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has substantially increased funding to support settlement programs and services. An additional $1.4 billion is being invested over a five-year period in all provinces and territories outside Quebec, which has responsibility for settlement services through the Canada-Quebec Accord. Increasing the uptake of immigrant settlement programs was identified as a government priority in the 2008 Speech from the Throne.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories, service-providing organizations and other stakeholders.

For more information, please visit Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s website at www.cic.gc.ca or the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration’s website at www.citizenship.gov.on.ca.

For further information (media only), please contact:

Alykhan Velshi
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Alykhan.Velshi@cic.gc.ca

Ian Darragh
Communications Branch, Ontario Region
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
416-954-7868

Coralie D’Souza
Minister’s Office
Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
416-325-6204

Barbara Powell
Manager of Integrated Services and Development
Community Services Department
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 ext. 2675
barbara.powell@guelph.ca