The ACTEW Blog

Most service providers know that the LMDA was not the only agreement signed between Ontario and Canada in November 2005. The Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement will be injecting a substantial amount of new funding into Ontario’s settlement sector to support newcomers through increased language training and settlement services.

The Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) states that:

“Over the next five years, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) plans to invest $920 million in new funding (subject to parliamentary appropriations) for settlement and language training programs and services in Ontario. The overall goal of these strategies is to support the successful social and economic integration of immigrants in Ontario.”

While employment and training are not the focus of this new agreement, a series of CIC community consultations report that newcomer women are particularly concerned about employment and related issues:

“financial independence is a priority for newcomer families and for women thus making it extremely important for them to find appropriate employment commensurate with their skills and experience.”

The LMDA does focus on employment and training issues, and names newcomers as a group experiencing “more complex needs.”

Given the overall goal of economic integration, these two new agreements will have a broad impact on the continuum of services to newcomers, women and men.

Labels: Issues_and_Trends