Applying to be a new Local Immigration Partnership

Applicants without an existing Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) in a community

These applicants can now apply to:

1. Establish a new LIP

2. Establish a Zonal Immigration Partnership (ZIP)

Applicants from a small community are encouraged to consider applying with other small communities in the vicinity to form a ZIP.

• A ZIP cconsists of two or more communities, allowing more local service delivery partners to pool their resources and expertise by participating in a regional partnership.
• A ZIP can be made up of two or more small centres (population under 30,000 as per Statistics Canada), one small centre with one or smaller census sub-divisions e.g. township etc.

This model is best suited to small centres but IRCC may consider ZIP proposals from centres that have few immigrant-serving agencies.

Assessment criteria for new LIPs and ZIPs

Applications to establish new LIPs and ZIPs must demonstrate community readiness in their application and through supporting documents:

Evidence of multi-sector support

• signatures of local service delivery partners from such sectors as settlement, health, education, emergency services and representatives of the private sector;
• and/or individual letters of support;
• and/or evidence of multi-sectoral community meetings.

Municipal support

• a letter of support from a single (or multi-tier) municipality that details how the municipality will support the LIP/ZIP such as:
  • commitment to participate in the partnership as an observer,
  • commitment to participate as a member,
  •  Municipality’s willingness to stay informed.

Community Size

Applicants are to include the latest publically available statistics on the overall size of the population in the catchment area of the LIP/ZIP, as well as an estimate of the newcomer population. Depending on the size of the community and how well the applicant fulfils the first two criteria, IRCC may recommend the inclusion of other small centres in order to create a ZIP.

3. LIP/ZIP Feasibility funding

Communities unable to fulfill the above three criteria can apply for LIP/ZIP Feasibility Funding - short-term research funding to determine whether a LIP/ZIP in a given community would be possible and would thrive. Key components of the study would include but are not limited to: assessing municipal and local multi-sector support to establish a LIP/ZIP; providing a community profile of newcomers and their needs; and settlement service offerings and gaps; convening service delivery partners to determine community priorities; providing an estimate of financial resources the partnership will be able to leverage. A feasibility study with positive conclusions is required before a LIP/ZIP can be established.