Collaboration Between IRCC And Francophone Service Provider Organizations -Regional Success Stories
Appearance Before OLLO on Francophone Immigration to Minority Communities February 6, 2023
In Manitoba
As part of IRCC’s Resettlement Assistance Program, the Société de la francophone manitobaine (SFM) offers a wide range of direct services to government-assisted refugees, including temporary housing, support to secure permanent housing, needs assessment and referral to other settlement or mainstream essential services, financial literacy and other support services such as child care, interpretation and translation.
The SFM has successfully raised their targets from 175 government-assisted refugees (GARs) in 2019-2020 to 350 in 2020-2021 and to 554 GARs in fiscal year 2022-2023.
This service provider organization has also successfully arranged the landing of two charter flights of Afghan clients in the city of Winnipeg.
The SFM was the first service provider to effectively plan and execute a domestic charter flight to other smaller cities in December of 2022.
At the present time, the organization is actively searching to accommodate more clients by expanding its temporary accommodation capacities and has multiple agreements with hotels in the city of Winnipeg. In doing so, they have also been actively engaging local small Francophone businesses when it pertains to serving clients.
In New Brunswick
Over the past few years, the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) has continued to provide Francophone language training for eligible newcomers in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland.
The organization offers an extensive service coverage across the Atlantic region. In instances where clients are located in regions of NB where there are no CCNB campuses or other Atlantic provinces, services are offered virtually.
While the number of clients served had remained constant from 2020-2022 (with 54 new clients a year), all indications point toward CCNB exceeding its previous levels (65 new clients as of December 2022).
In Ontario
IRCC has been funding the Centre francophone du Grand Toronto (CFGT) for more than 10 years. The organization has been continuously responsive and adaptive to the changing needs of newcomers throughout its working relationship with IRCC.
CFGT offers newcomer information services at Terminal 1 and 3 at Pearson International Airport, as well as settlement services in Toronto, Peel, York, and Durham regions.
Effective August 1, 2021, CFGT started providing information services in both official languages at Toronto Pearson International Airport. These services include general information and kiosk presence at both terminals for all arriving permanent residents.
It is of note that CFGT had already been providing the following services for arriving Francophone newcomers since March 2019:
Liaison support for those transiting through Pearson to other Canadian provinces provided, with newcomers receiving Francophone immigrant support network kits.
During fiscal year 2022-2023, CFGT has served over 3,000 Francophone newcomer arrivals at Pearson International Airport with an estimated 5,000 by fiscal year end.
