OCASI created and launched Settlement.Org in 1999 and has been responsible for the ongoing development and maintenance of the website ever since. This includes web development, content development and marketing of the site.
The project receives federal and provincial funding from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration and International Trade (MCIIT).
Settlement.Org is a dynamic space where visitors can find trustworthy information that is relevant to newcomers to Ontario under the following main sections:
- Immigration & Citizenship
- Housing
- Health
- Employment
- Education
- Community & Recreation
- Legal Services
- Daily Life
A very useful and popular feature of Settlement.Org is the moderated Discussion Forum. Here users can ask questions related to their experience living in Ontario and receive an answer from either our Information and Referral specialists and/or other users of the forum.
In 2005, Settlement.Org was awarded the Merit and Diamond Award of Excellence by the Government of Ontario, a distinction given to an online service-delivery initiative that is “truly exceptional”.
Goals
Settlement.Org seeks to improve the quality of information and services provided to newcomers in Ontario. This is achieved by:
- Providing users with good, accurate, reliable and timely information
- Creating a virtual space where users can get answers to their settlement questions
- Linking newcomers to settlement agencies and in-person services in their local communities