CANADIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Canada's New Government Funds Ontario

Friday, 25 May 2007

Canada's New Government Funds Ontario

Canada's New Government Funds Ontario to Provide More Online Resources to Help Immigrants Integrate OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - May 24, 2007) - The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, today announced approximately $18.8 million in funding for several provinces and territories to enhance online information about settling and working across the country to help immigrants integrate into Canadian society. Ontario will receive $10 million over a four-year period, as committed to in the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement. A significant portion of that funding will go toward municipal projects to help enhance information at the local level. The funding will also be used to develop online content, tools and services that promote the province as a destination and help immigrants integrate once they arrive. The funds can also be used for consultation and outreach. "Canada's New Government recognizes the importance of helping immigrant families succeed and we are committed to helping newcomers settle and prosper in Canada," said Minister Finley. "As the Internet often serves as a primary source of information, the provision of timely, accurate and relevant information is essential. With each region of Canada having its own unique characteristics and opportunities, online resources will help immigrants as they arrive and settle in Canada." "The Ontario Government is pleased to work with CIC to implement the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement," said the Honourable Mike Colle, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. "The launch of Ontario's immigration portal, www.OntarioImmigration.ca, was a key component of this first-ever agreement. Ontario has led the initiative to secure municipal involvement in the portal development and has already successfully engaged five municipalities, including London, Ottawa, Toronto, Sudbury and Windsor/Essex. An additional eight municipalities will be added in the future." Contribution agreements have also been signed with Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Alberta, Northwest Territories and the Yukon. Under existing federal-provincial immigration agreements, British Columbia and Manitoba will also receive funding to help them improve the provision of online information for prospective immigrants and newcomers. The Ontario immigration portal links to the government's existing Going to Canada Immigration Portal (www.goingtocanada.gc.ca), which provides online information and services to help immigrants make informed decisions about coming to Canada, and assists them in their integration and settlement once they arrive. BACKGROUNDER Funding Agreements with Provinces and Territories Under the new agreements, the provinces and territories, outside of Ontario, will receive a base amount of $200,000 every year, plus a variable amount each year based on the average intake of immigrants in each province and territory over the last three-year period. For Ontario, which receives more than half of Canada's immigrants each year, funding is based on the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement. In line with this allocation, the total amounts over four fiscal years would be approximately as follows: ------------------------------------------------Province Amount------------------------------------------------Newfoundland and Labrador $820,000------------------------------------------------Nova Scotia $870,000------------------------------------------------New Brunswick $836,000------------------------------------------------(i) Ontario $10,000,000------------------------------------------------(ii)Alberta $1,200,000------------------------------------------------(ii)Northwest Territories $603,000------------------------------------------------Yukon $800,000------------------------------------------------(iii)Manitoba $1,100,000------------------------------------------------(iii)British Columbia $2,600,000------------------------------------------------ (i) Ontario's portal funding allocation is based on the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement. For more information on the agreement, consult the following link: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/policy/fed-prov/can-ont-index.html. (ii) Alberta and Northwest Territories allocations are for three fiscal years instead of four because agreements were not formally reached with these jurisdictions until the beginning of the 2007/2008 fiscal year. (iii)British Columbia and Manitoba receive portal funding under existing federal-provincial immigration agreements. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) hopes to have multi-year agreements in place with Saskatchewan and Nunavut later this year. All settlement funding for Quebec, including online resources, is covered under the Canada-Quebec Accord, signed in 1991. Going to Canada Immigration Portal The provincial and territorial portals will link to the Government of Canada's Going to Canada Immigration Portal (www.goingtocanada.gc.ca). This portal has been developed by CIC and Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) to offer comprehensive and integrated information to prospective and new immigrants. Its goal is to assist these individuals in preparing to live, work and study in Canada. The creation of the Going to Canada Immigration Portal responds to concerns raised by various stakeholders regarding the lack of specific and relevant information available to prospective and new immigrants to assist them in integrating into Canada's communities and labour market. Research conducted abroad revealed that the Internet is the primary source of information for Canada's international target audiences. Participants from a range of countries, including India, the United States, Japan and Australia, noted that the Internet is the first and most frequent source of information, regardless of the reason for seeking information on Canada. Partnerships are key to the portal's success. Ontario has an ongoing partnership with CIC to improve the effectiveness of immigration-related websites of municipalities in addressing the needs of newcomers and those considering the province as a destination. Both CIC and HRSDC will work with non-governmental immigration stakeholders on the portal to ensure that it continues to be relevant and that it meets the needs of diverse client groups. CONTACT INFORMATION Citizenship and Immigration Canada Minister's Office Philippe Mailhot Press Secretary 613-954-1064 or Citizenship and Immigration Canada Rejean Cantlon Ontario Regional Communications 416-954-7868