Toronto / May 2026
OCASI made a written submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, for its annual pre-budget consultation.
Canada’s immigrant and refugee serving sector is a vital part of the immigration system. The sector helps newly-arrived individuals to settle and integrate, benefitting the economy, social fabric and civic life – a role that has positive recognition and support among governments and other interested sectors. Federal support for settlement services is essential to achieving the economic goals of immigration and supporting the full integration of new Canadians.
Despite rising economic insecurity, homelessness and food insecurity, our sector has faced severe funding cuts, resulting in massive job losses among frontline and other workers. At the same time, we are helping people navigate major immigration system changes.
These cuts and program restrictions have led to lost services, experienced staff, and instability for non-profit service providers. Those hit hardest will be vulnerable, isolated, and marginalized communities—including racialized people, women, 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and survivors of gender-based violence. The loss of services will also increase pressure on more expensive systems.
This budget is an opportunity for government to strengthen social infrastructure – including immigrant services – reduce poverty, and invest in a Canada where everyone can thrive.
List of OCASI Recommendations
1. Invest in immigration
a. Invest in long-term, sustainable funding for the immigrant and refugee-serving sector.
b. Remove all eligibility restrictions to settlement services and language training, and reverse funding cuts to intermediate language training.
c. Invest in French-language settlement and language services outside Quebec.
d. Reverse cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP).
e. Enact Bill C-274 - An Act to amend the Citizenship Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
f. Introduce a comprehensive immigration status regularization program.
2. Renew funding for initiatives to counter gender-based violence and intimate partner violence
a. Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
b. National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence
3. Expand Canada Child Benefit
a. Expand the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) to all children residing in Canada, regardless of immigration status.
4. Invest in affordable childcare a. Urgently renew, expand and enhance the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) agreement with Ontario.