Details on Transfer Payment Programs of $5 Million or More

Settlement Program

Name of transfer payment program: Settlement Program
Start date: May 15, 2008
End date: Ongoing
Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2013-14
Strategic outcome: Newcomers and citizens participate in fostering an integrated society
Link to the organization’s programs: 3.1.1 Settlement; 3.1.1.1 Language Training; 3.1.1.2 Community and Labour Market Integration Services

Description:

Settlement refers to a short period (three to five years) of adaptation by newcomers during which the Government provides support and services. Ultimately, the goal of integration is to encourage newcomers to be fully engaged in the economic, social, political and cultural life of Canada. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) Settlement Program assists immigrants and refugees to overcome barriers specific to the newcomer experience, such as a lack of official language skills, limited knowledge of Canada and the recognition of foreign credentials. The program provides language learning services for newcomers, community and employment bridging services, settlement information, and support services that facilitate access to settlement programming. Also, through the Foreign Credentials Referral Office, the program provides information, path-finding and referral services to internationally trained individuals to have their credentials assessed quickly so they can find work in the fields in which they have been trained. Most services are designed and delivered by service provider organizations (SPOs); however, certain services (such as information provision) are delivered directly by IRCC in Canada and overseas.

Results achieved:

IRCC’s Settlement Program assists immigrants and refugees to overcome barriers specific to the newcomer experience, such as a lack of official language skills, limited knowledge of Canada and the recognition of foreign credentials. In 2015-16, a total of 399,192 unique clients received at least one settlement service. Of this amount, 296,849 unique clients received information and orientation services and 106,660 unique clients received language training.

The program's ultimate outcomes are that:

  • newcomers contribute to the economic, social and cultural development needs of Canada; and
  • newcomer settlement and integration is supported in Canadian society.

Comments on variances:

The funding to implement the Government’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis was not included in the 2015-16 Planned Spending. The actual contributions spending for this initiative under the Settlement Program is $5,371,761. Actual spending was lower than planned in the amount of $15,531,509 due to activities not materializing as planned during the fiscal year and the internal reallocation of funds to the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) in order to respond to the increased demand for income support payments.

Audits completed or planned:

Audit of the Administration of Grants and Contributions – RAP and Settlement Program – Completed.

Audit of Operation Syrian Refugees Settlement and Integration will be looking at the management of the RAP and the Settlement Program delivered to Syrian refugees – Expected completion date February 2017.

Evaluations completed or planned:

Completed 2009-10: Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada.

Completed 2010-11: Host Program, Welcoming Communities Initiative, Immigration Settlement and Adaptation Program, Going to Canada Immigration Portal Initiative.

Completed 2012-13: Overseas Orientation Initiatives, Recruitment and Integration of French-speaking Immigrants to Francophone Minority Communities Initiative, Foreign Credentials Referral Office.

The next evaluation is planned for 2016-17.

Engagement of applicants and recipients:

An open and fair call for proposals (CFP) process is the principal approach the Department uses to engage applicants. A national CFP to establish contribution agreements with service providers to deliver on the new programming priorities was put on hold in 2015 due the Government’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis. IRCC will resume the process in 2016-17 with an aim of introducing new programming in 2017-18. Ongoing communications continued with the National Settlement Council in 2015-16, with a particular focus on the needs of Syrian refugees. The National Settlement Council membership includes provincial and territorial governments, settlement SPOs, umbrella organizations that represent SPO interests and other settlement stakeholders.

The terms and conditions for the Settlement Program describe eligible recipients of contribution funding. Eligible recipients (often referred to as service providers) for settlement services include:

  • provincial, territorial or municipal governments;
  • international organizations;
  • not-for-profit organizations including non-governmental organizations, non-profit corporations, community groups and umbrella organizations, and regulatory and apprenticeship authorities;
  • businesses (such as employers hiring newcomers, private language schools, conference organizers, Web or production firms for tool development);
  • educational institutions (including school boards, districts and divisions); and
  • individuals.

Eligible clients:

Only the following persons are eligible to receive settlement services:

  • permanent residents of Canada;
  • protected persons as defined in section 95 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act;
  • individuals who have been selected, inside or outside Canada, to become permanent residents (pending verifications) and who have been informed by a letter from IRCC;
  • Convention refugees and protected persons outside Canada whom IRCC has selected for resettlement in Canada; and
  • temporary foreign workers who hold or received approval of a work permit under section 112 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations or received initial approval for permanent residence under section 113 of the regulations.

Note: Eligible persons include both the principal applicant and eligible dependants (spouse and children).

Performance Information (dollars)
Contribution 2013-14
Actual spending
2014-15
Actual spending
2015-16
Planned spending
2015-16
Total authorities available for use
2015-16
Actual spending (authorities used)
Variance (2015-16 actual minus 2015-16 planned)
Total grants 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total contributions 572,212,198 575,736,723 588,597,002 598,568,669 578,437,254 (10,159,748)
Total other types of transfer payments 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total program 572,212,198 575,736,723 588,597,002 598,568,669 578,437,254 (10,159,748)

Resettlement Assistance Program

Name of transfer payment program: Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP)
Start date: 1970s (under another name; RAP in its current form implemented in 1998)
End date: Ongoing
Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2011-12
Strategic outcome: Newcomers and citizens participate in fostering an integrated society
Link to the organization’s program: 3.1.4 Resettlement Assistance Program

Description:

The RAP provides direct financial support and immediate and essential services to RAP clients, including government-assisted refugees, privately sponsored refugees in blended initiatives under the Blended Visa Office-Referred Refugees Program, and persons in refugee-like situations admitted to Canada under a public policy consideration, to meet their resettlement needs. In most cases RAP clients have undergone extreme hardship and may lack the social networks and the financial resources to assist in addressing the needs associated with becoming established in a new country. Income support is administered directly by IRCC to RAP clients for up to 12 months if the RAP client’s income is insufficient to meet his or her own needs and the needs of any accompanying dependants. In some cases, RAP clients also receive start-up allowances for expenses related to furniture and other household supplies. Immediate and essential services are supported through contributions to SPOs in all provinces in Canada except Quebec, which delivers similar settlement services through the Canada-Quebec Accord. RAP services include, but are not limited to, port of entry services, assistance with temporary accommodations, assistance opening a bank account, life skills training, orientation sessions, and links to settlement programming and mandatory federal and provincial programs. This program uses transfer payment funding from RAP.

Results achieved:

The expected outcomes for the RAP include meeting the immediate and essential needs of RAP clients and ensuring that RAP services are timely, useful and accessible, while contributing to Strategic Outcome 3: Newcomers and citizens participate in fostering an integrated society.

IRCC continues to meet the immediate and essential needs of RAP clients. In 2015-16, a total of 18,501 clients received RAP services (outside Quebec). The majority of RAP clients surveyed for the recent evaluation reported that the services provided were helpful in meeting their immediate needs upon arrival. Additionally, these clients reported that they obtained IRCC settlement and other government services they needed to progress toward their settlement goals.

Comments on variances:

The funding to implement the Government’s response to the Syrian refugee crisis was not included in the 2015-16 Planned Spending. The actual contributions spending for this initiative under the RAP is $95,245,937. In addition, the difference between planned spending and actual spending is due to internal reallocations of $4,621,673 from the Settlement Program in order to respond to the increased demand for various activities.

Audits completed or planned:

Audit of the Administration of Grants and Contributions – RAP and Settlement Program – Completed.

Audit of Operation Syrian Refugees Settlement and Integration will be looking at the management of the RAP and the Settlement Program delivered to Syrian Refugees – Expected completion date February 2017.

Evaluations completed or planned:

An evaluation of the RAP, as part of the Resettlement Programs evaluation, was completed in June 2016.

Engagement of applicants and recipients:

The RAP targets two types of recipients: (1) refugee clients and (2) service providers who provide immediate and essential services to eligible clients.

Refugee recipients undergo an intake assessment upon arrival in Canada to determine the level of support they need and what types of services they require. IRCC uses CFPs to award contribution agreements to service providers. In addition to the national CFP held in 2015, the results of which are currently on hold, a CFP in January 2016 resulted in the announcement of eight new Resettlement SPOs.

Performance Information (dollars)
Contribution 2013-14
Actual spending
2014-15
Actual spending
2015-16
Planned spending
2015-16
Total authorities available for use
2015-16
Actual spending (authorities used)
Variance (2015-16 actual minus 2015-16 planned)
Total grants 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total contributions 51,163,273 64,212,010 54,922,768 162,590,255 154,790,378 99,867,610
Total other types of transfer payments 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total program 51,163,273 64,212,010 54,922,768 162,590,255 154,790,378 99,867,610

Canada-Quebec Accord Grant

Name of transfer payment program: Canada-Quebec Accord Grant/Subvention versée en vertu de l'Accord Canada-Québec
Start date: Financial compensation to the province (in the form of a grant) is based on the Canada-Quebec Accord relating to Immigration and Temporary Admission of Aliens, which came into force on April 1, 1991.
End date: The Accord does not have an expiry date.
Fiscal year for terms and conditions: Ongoing
Strategic outcome: Newcomers and citizens participate in fostering an integrated society
Link to the organization’s program: 3.1.2 Grant to Quebec

Description:

Under the Canada-Quebec Accord, signed in 1991, Canada has devolved settlement and resettlement responsibility to Quebec, with a grant that includes reasonable compensation for costs. The compensation to Quebec covers services for reception services and linguistic, cultural and economic integration services, provided that they are equivalent to similar federal services in other parts of the country. An objective of the Accord is, among other things, the preservation of Quebec’s demographic importance within Canada and the integration of immigrants into that province in a manner that respects the distinct identity of Quebec. The Accord provides Quebec with exclusive responsibility for the selection of immigrants destined to the province (except for family reunification and asylum seekers in Canada) as well as the reception and linguistic and cultural integration of these immigrants (including resettlement of refugees). Under the Accord, Canada is responsible for defining overall immigration objectives, national levels, admissibility, selecting family category and asylum seekers in Canada, and citizenship. This program uses transfer payment funding from the grant for the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration.

Activities: Quebec has responsibility for the selection of immigrants and their reception to and integration into Quebec. In accordance with section 26 and Annex B of the Canada-Quebec Accord, Canada is required to pay compensation to Quebec for reception and integration services, where it is established that:

  • the reception and integration services (referred to in sections 24 and 25 of the Accord) offered by Quebec correspond, when considered in their entirety, to those offered by Canada in the rest of the country; and
  • those services are offered without discrimination to any permanent resident in the province, whether or not that permanent resident has been selected by Quebec.

Results achieved:

The Government of Quebec is responsible for developing and publishing its own immigration legislation and policies. It reports to the provincial National Assembly on its own expected results related to immigration.

Comments on variances:

Actual spending was higher than planned due to adjustment in the final payment. The final payment is based on a formula in the Canada-Quebec Accord on Immigration.

Audits completed or planned:

N/A

Evaluations completed or planned:

Previous evaluation was completed in 2012.

Engagement of applicants and recipients:

  • Other orders of government (Quebec)
Performance Information (dollars)
Grant 2013-14
Actual spending
2014-15
Actual spending
2015-16
Planned spending
2015-16
Total authorities available for use
2015-16
Actual spending (authorities used)
Variance (2015-16 actual minus 2015-16 planned)
Total grants 319,967,000 340,568,000 340,568,000 345,059,000 345,059,000 4,491,000
Total contributions 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total other types of transfer payments 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total program 319,967,000 340,568,000 340,568,000 345,059,000 345,059,000 4,491,000

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