The Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society of Prince George, which provides services in Williams Lake, and Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy (CCPL) in 100 Mile House are each receiving $67,000 in WelcomeBC funds, as part of the Welcoming Communities Program (WCP) under the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training umbrella.
The funding will be used for local settlement services to support the integration of immigrants in British Columbia.
The WCP funds projects that "build welcoming and inclusive communities" through "diverse partnerships," which include business, local government, post-secondary institutions and community sectors.
A community’s ability to receive immigrants is a critical factor in successful integration, which is integral to addressing B.C.’s labour market and demographic challenges over the next decade, says Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett.
“Immigration has always been key to keeping the British Columbia economy driving forward. We are lucky to have many new Canadians bring their skills to our province.
“However, it is not always easy to integrate into the community without assistance. The Welcoming Communities Program facilitates this transition through English classes, counselling services and assistance searching for a job."
The program is certainly being welcomed in 100 Mile House.
Noting it doesn't tie directly to the Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy’s work, CCPL executive director Shelly Joyner says the action plan is in the final stages of approval.
"The reason we took the lead on this is because we do the English as a Second Language (ESL) Settlement Assistance program, which is the only really structured program to support immigrants in our community.
“We were the obvious ones to take the lead on the Welcoming Communities Program, but it is a unique program because we were granted the funding without having deliverables really set out at the time of funding."
Joyner notes there was a research team through the South Cariboo Planning Community Council (SCPCC) that gathered community input to determine what activities will come out of the program.
She says the SCPCC did interviews and surveys, looked at the CCPL data, looked at what other communities have done, and communicated with Quesnel and Williams Lake to see what they're doing and what they’re looking at.
It's completely community driven, Joyner adds, so it based on what 100 Mile House has, where the most significant gaps are and what can be addressed for something sustainable.
"It's going to be based on our communities most pressing needs are to be welcoming and more inclusive to new immigrants – both ESL and English speaking – so it goes further than our other programs."
The program will run until March 31, 2014.
Funding is provided by the federal government through the Agreement for Canada-British Columbia Co-operation on Immigration.