Continually striving to be a more attractive destination for Canadian immigrants, Canadian provinces are investing heavily in immigrant services. Ontario just opened the first of a set of five new Welcome Centres and Manitoba recently announced a new immigrant settlement strategy.

The new Manitoba Settlement Strategy, unveiled by Manitoba Labour and Immigration Minister Nancy Allan, aims to increase the attraction and retention rate of immigrants to Manitoba. The new program involves increased pre-arrival information and orientation about Manitoba. It also encourages the development of centralized information and assessment services to ensure that immigrants have access to them upon arrival. Additionally, the program will ensure access to community services, including specialized programs to help new families adjust and connect them with neighbourhood support groups. English training services will be improved both in the metropolis of Winnipeg as well as in outlying areas. The program has been funded by a $17 million investment from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which represents an increase in immigrant support funding in Manitoba of over $9 million from 2005-2006.

The first of five new Welcome Centres was opened today in the city of Vaughan, in the York Region of Ontario. Managed by a partnership of five community associations and representing 35 participating community organizations, the centre will offer a full range of services for newcomers. Employment support services, accreditation and qualifications assistance, as well as language training will be provided to over 3,500 individuals in the centre’s first year of operation. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has provided $4.1 million to fund the centre.