CANADIAN IMMIGRATION NEWS

Sault St. Marie seeks strategies to grow and retain immigrant population

Thursday, 4 June 2009

At a recent workshop designed to gather various groups together to increase engagement and partnerships to support immigrants the director of Thunder Bay's Multicultural Association stated that if Sault Ste. Marie wants to grow its population with immigrants, it needs to be patient and develop a welcoming community.

Cathy Woodbeck was the keynote speaker the local immigration forum called Strengthening Community Partnerships.

Woodbeck said that Thunder Bay has been working on attracting secondary immigrants for five years and now boasts an average of 500 new immigrants annually.

"The attraction is the easier part. The retention is harder because if you don't have a welcoming community and if they don't feel like they fit in, they'll leave," she said in an interview with The Sault Star.

Woodbeck believes the community members must develop an immigration plan to build a welcoming environment, including efforts in neighbourhoods, the health-care system, government, educators, employers and neighbourhoods.

In line with these needs, Thunder Bay's city council passed a resolution last week declaring the city to be an inclusive one that commits to removing all racism and barriers for immigrants.

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