The long awaited 2016 census on immigration and the ethno-racial diversity of Canada has been released. The numbers tell an exciting story of a Canada becoming increasingly racially diverse, a provincial nominee program regime that is meeting its overarching goal of destining immigrants (including refugees) away from the three major immigration hubs of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, and the promise of younger immigrant and Indigenous populations. The shift in immigration numbers away from Ontario and British Columbia in the five years prior to 2016 also speak to the economic realities of the past decade where (other than the last two to three years) the extractive industries of Alberta and Saskatchewan attracted workers from the rest of Canada, including new immigrants.Farewell speech at OCASI Annual General Meeting by Ibrahim Absiye, President of OCASI. My fellow members of this Council, associate members and other colleagues, I want to take a few minutes of your time to talk about my feelings today about who we are as a sector. And let me begin with my own personal experience.
The InSight Youth Mentorship Partnership is focused on assisting youth to learn about the world of work, potential career paths and the skills they will need to successfully transition from high school to employment, post-secondary education, apprenticeship, or further training.
OCASI held a successful Annual General Meeting in Toronto on October 11, 2017. Member Agencies elected a new Board of Directors. The OCASI Board of Directors is comprised of 18 members. The Board will elect a new Executive at its first meeting in November. The Executive is comprised of President, 2 Vice Presidents, Corporate Secretary and Treasurer.
Bookmark OCASI’s website settlementatwork.org for sector event notices, training, jobs and more. See upcoming Event for Arabic-Speaking Mothers of Children with Disabilities on December 16, 2017 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm in Toronto. Conducted in Arabic, the session features a discussion about challenges and solutions in caring for a child with special needs. Facilitated by OCASI and the Arab Community Centre of Toronto.
As part of the Refugee Settlement Support Project, OCASI is hosting a webinar series, Sharing Practices to Build Bridges, for service providers and refugee sponsors to clarify roles and responsibilities, increase transparency and strengthen collaboration. Click herefor a schedule of all webinars and their registration links.
New immigration and ethocultural diversity data from the 2016 Census highlights the need for government action on several OCASI priorities. The priorities include addressing inequalities by race/ethnicity, gender and immigration status and stable investment in immigrant and refugee settlement services.
Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic is holding a free workshop on recent changes to housing, employment, immigration and citizenship law. On Friday, November 24, 2017, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm; at Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street, Toronto.
Register now for this Equity, Inclusion & Racial Justice Change-Making Conversation. Hosted by Colour of Poverty – Colour of Change, this community forum will bring together First Peoples and peoples of colour to share their respective visions, strategies and priorities on ensuring a more inclusive, equitable, and racially just environment across Ontario. November 28, 2017 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm, Toronto Central YMCA.
Register for the Cities of Migration webinar, Beyond Bricks and Mortar: Rethinking Refugees and Housing. Refugee housing is about more than bricks and mortar. It’s the foundation of the refugee’s relationship to a new home, neighbours and landlords. On November 28, 2017, 10:00 Eastern Standard Time.
Explore questions affecting refugee protection and newcomer settlement at ‘Human Rights Have No Borders’, Canadian Council for Refugees Fall Consultation, 30 November - 2 December 2017 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Register before 10 November 2017 to take advantage of reduced fees.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released Canada’s Immigration Plan for 2018-2020 on November 2, 2017. The multi-year levels plan goes from 310,000 new permanent residents in 2018 to 340,000 in 2020. IRCC also released the 2017 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration.
Metcalf Foundation is launching the 2nd Toronto Sector Skills Academy (TSSA) in partnership with Aspen Institute. The TSSA is a leadership development program focused on creating and sustaining workforce employment strategies for low-income people in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is the first of its kind in Canada. Application deadline is February 5, 2018.
