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Toolkit for
Inclusive Municipalities
in Canada and Beyond
Welcoming
Immigrants and
Refugees to
Canada: The Role
of Municipalities
International Coalition
of Inclusive and
Sustainable Cities – ICCAR
With the support of the
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
2
Written for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO
(CCUNESCO) by:
Paul Holley, Association for Canadian Studies (ACS)
Jack Jedwab, Association for Canadian Studies (ACS)
Project coordination
Cynthia Lacasse, Program Ofcer,
Social and Human Sciences,
Canadian Commission for UNESCO
In collaboration with
Esteban Benavides, Coordinator,
International Observatory of Mayors Living Together
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the
International Observatory of Mayors Living Together
would like to thank the people who have agreed
to contribute their knowledge and expertise to the
development of this document:
• Ayman Al-Yassini, RSD Senior Expert
• Meghan Brooks, Chair, Advisory Committee
to the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities
• Caitlin Downie, Supervisor, Regional Municipality
of Wood Buffalo, AB
• Bushra Ebadi, Chair, CCUNESCO Youth Advisory Group
• Jeremiah Ellis, member, CCUNESCO Youth Advisory
Group
• Sylvie Fournier, Director, Social Development
Department, and Karine Crépaut, Advisor, Social and
Community Development Division, City of Québec
• Tracey Jones, Director, Diversity and Inclusion Ofce,
Halifax Regional Municipality
• Anne Nickerson, Director, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion,
City of Vancouver, BC
• Howard Ramos, Associate Dean of Research, Faculty
of Arts and Social Sciences, Professor, Department
of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie
University
• Darren Reedy, Manager of Welcoming and Inclusive
Communities, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association
(AUMA)
• Tymmarah Sheculski, Human Resource Specialist-
Diversity and Inclusion, City of Lethbridge, AB
• Azadeh Tamjeedi, Protection Ofcer, UNHCR Canada
• Thilak Tennekone, Chair, Diversity and Inclusion
Committee, Town of Stratford, PEI
• Linda Tinio, Assistant Programme Specialist, Section for
Inclusion and Rights, Social and Human Sciences Sector,
United Educational, Scientic and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)
• Kim Turner, Program Manager, Cities of Migration and
Senior Research Associate, Global Diversity Exchange,
Ryerson University
• Resource persons from the City of Montreal,
in particular Véronique Lamontagne, Advisor on
International Relations, International Relations Ofce;
Cédric Mathieu, Planning Advisor, and Alain Lavoie,
Community Development Advisor, Diversity and Social
Inclusion Department; Gentil Pich, Advisor, Libraries and
Culture Department; Marie-Christine Ladouceur-Girard,
Director, Montreal Ofce on Newcomer’s Integration,
Diversity and Social Inclusion Department
We also wish to extend our sincere appreciation to staff
members and elected ofcials from various municipalities
or organisations who have agreed to review certain sections
of this document to ensure its quality and accuracy.
Canadian Commission for UNESCO
ISBN: K34-8/2019E-PDF
978-0-660-31372-6
All rights reserved. This publication may be reproduced
in whole or in part for private and/or non-commercial use,
provided that the source is acknowledged. This document
is available online at
en.ccunesco.ca
© Canadian Commission for UNESCO, July 2019
Canadian Commission for UNESCO
150 Elgin Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5V8
en.ccunesco.ca
Phone: 613 566-4414
Toll-Free: 1 800 263-5588
Email: ccunesco@ccunesco.ca
The Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO)
helps Canadians share knowledge locally and globally to
create better societies and build peace in the minds of
men and women. To do so, the Commission facilitates
cooperation in the elds of education, science, culture,
communication and information to address some of the
most complex challenges facing the world today. With its
initiatives and networks, CCUNESCO supports the United
Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and
other UNESCO priorities. The Commission operates under
the authority of the Canada Council for the Arts. Website:
en.ccunesco.ca
Launched in 2016, the International Observatory of
Mayors on Living Together is a platform for the exchange
of experiences, knowledge and innovative practices related
to social cohesiveness, inclusion and community safety in
cities. Created at the request of mayors at the rst Living
Together Summit (Montreal, 2015), its network includes
close to 50 global cities in 25 countries. The Observatory
encourages collaboration between cities and universities
in order to document innovative practices related to social
cohesion in cities. The Observatory central Secretariat is
located within the International Relations Ofce of the City
of Montréal. Website: observatoirevivreensemble.org/en
Table of Contents
Foreword
Background
International Context
Newcomers and Refugees in Canada
Barriers Faced by Newcomers
The Role of Municipalities in Welcoming
and Including Newcomers
Welcoming Newcomers in Rural and/or Smaller Municipalities
Strategies and Tips for Municipalities
Promising Practices
Education, Training and Employment
Integration and Social Cohesion
Safety & Security
Health
Transportation
Housing & Utilities
Case Studies
Montreal
Saskatoon
References
02
04
04
06
09
12
14
18
26
26
29
31
32
33
34
39
39
42
44
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
2
Foreword
The movement of peoples in Canada and elsewhere in
the world has sparked debate on how to best engage
and mobilize actors at all levels to provide safe and
inclusive environments for newcomers. Municipalities
are at the frontline of this action. Their proximity to
citizens and capacity to act rapidly are signicant
assets to achieve these objectives. In response to
demographic changes, including those resulting from
migration, municipalities confront discrimination,
racism and various forms of hate crimes. Diversity
and inclusion policies, programs and initiatives at
the local level are needed to tackle these challenges
head on and create a living environment in which
all citizens, including newcomers, can live peaceful
lives, access opportunities to reach their full potential,
and contribute to the cultural, social, political and
economic life of their new home.
Urban areas are attractive to newcomers as they often
have established social, economic and community
networks; however, the popularity of smaller
municipalities and rural areas for newcomers has
grown in recent years. The shift in settlement patterns
impacts municipalities and their citizens and requires
upstream work to plan and mobilize resources to
maximize the contribution of newcomers to the local
labour market, as well to foster their inclusion in the
social fabric of the community through dierent types
of inclusion, equity and diversity initiatives.
Supporting the work of municipalities in the
development and implementation of policies,
programs and initiatives to create inclusive
communities by eliminating racism and discrimination,
is at the heart of the mandate of the Coalition of
Inclusive Municipalities (formerly the Canadian
Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and
Discrimination or CCMARD).
Signatory municipalities of the Coalition undertake
Common Commitments that cover areas of municipal
responsibility such as housing, service delivery,
employment and cultural activities. The Common
Commitments inform and guide their work in the
development of municipal policies and programs.
Moving forward on the implementation of these
commitments directly contributes to the improvement
of the lives of newcomers. As of May 2019, nearly
80municipalities in Canada have joined the Coalition.
The Coalition is a part of the International Coalition of
Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (ICCAR), an initiative
launched by the United Nations Educational, Scientic,
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2004, to
establish a network of municipalities interested in
sharing their experiences to improve their policies
against racism, discrimination, exclusion and
intolerance, and committed to enhancing social
inclusion through policies and programs.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
3
This publication highlights promising practices
that are currently being implemented in Canadian
municipalities to welcome newcomers. It focuses
on initiatives that aim to eradicate racism and
discrimination and eliminate the barriers that limit
opportunities. The publication also identies key
issues facing municipalities and the supports needed
to ensure successful and sustainable initiatives.
Examples of strategies and tips for municipalities
are included herein along with case studies of two
Canadian municipalities (Montreal and Saskatoon).
A list of resources (publications, guides, tools, and
toolkits) for municipalities is included to help inform
the development of policies, programs and initiatives
related to welcoming newcomers to Canada.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
4
People have always been on the move: to seek
economic or labour opportunities, to study, to escape
war, conicts, human rights violations or persecution,
natural disasters, etc. In recent years, however,
the number of migrants and refugees has rapidly
grown. In 2017, the number of migrants worldwide
reached 258 million, in comparison to 173 million in
2000.1 Many of these people settle in urban regions.
Such rapid globalization, urbanization and migrations
pose challenges to social cohesion, inclusion and
security. Strengthened coordination and concerted
action at the global, regional and national levels
is required, as rearmed by the Global Compact
for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the
Global Compact on Refugees, both adopted
in December 2018.
Background
International Context
Understanding these key trends and their impacts at
the local level is crucial to the implementation of the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted
by the United Nations in 2015. The 2030Agenda
recognizes the contribution of migration to
sustainable development. Eleven of the 17Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) contain targets and
indicators related to migration.2 Beyond this fact,
migration is a cross-cutting issue relevant to all
17SDGs and to acknowledge and address the mutually
supporting relationships between migration and the
Goals.3 The New Urban Agenda, adopted in 2016
at the UN-Habitat III Conference, complements the
Agenda 2030 by providing guidance for achieving
the SDGs and serves as a roadmap for building cities
that serve as engines of prosperity and centres of
cultural and social well-being while protecting the
environment.4
Local governments have the potential to contribute to
advancing the SDGs through their policies, programs
and initiatives on issues such as poverty, inequalities,
decent work, access to services, etc. They can also
do so by ensuring basic services are provided for all
citizens, that they have access to equal opportunities
and face no discrimination, regardless of their
migration status, so that “no one is left behind.”
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
5
1
3
4
5
8
10
11
13
16
17
No poverty
Good health
and well-being
Quality
education
Gender
equality
Decent work
and economic
growth
Reduced
inequalities
Sustainable
cities and
communities
Climate
action
Peace, justice
and strong
institutions
Partnerships
for the goals
Sustainable Development Goals containing
targets and indicators related to migration
Source: Migration Data Portal
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
6
29 %
15 %
12 %
8 %
6 %
4 %
11 %
3 %
2 %
1 %
1 %
Where Recent Immigrants Settle in Canada
(2011 to 2016)
Other CMA
Winnipeg
Philippines
188,805
India
147,190
China
129,020
Iran
42,070
Pakistan
41,480
United States
33,060
Syria
29,945
United Kingdom
24,445
France
24,1 55
South Korea
21,710
Newcomers and Refugees
in Canada
Canada’s population growth can be largely attributed to the arrival of newcomers. In 2017 alone, three-fourths
of Canada’s population growth stemmed from international migration. Canada is one of the most popular
destination countries for international migrants – ranking 8th among the top 25 countries in 20175 – and is the
second most desired destination for potential migrants.6 Canada is also perceived as one of the most accepting
countries in the world for immigrants – fourth highest according to a Gallup poll in April 2018.7
• 7.5 million foreign-born people have come
to Canada through the immigration process,
representing over one in ve Canadians.8
• They have arrived from more than 200 dierent
countries of origin.9
• Over 1.2 million newcomers arrived in Canada
over the past 5 years, with many arriving
from the Philippines (16%), India (12%),
and China(11%).
• Canada resettled 121,785 refugees between
January 2015 and December 2018. Three in ve
of these refugees (74,005) intended to settle
in Ontario or Québec.10
• Most newcomers settle in Canada’s large urban
centres: Toronto (29%), Montreal (15%) and
Vancouver (12%)11 where they have access to good
job opportunities with higher incomes, aordable
housing and accessible services (healthcare,
education, language, utilities, transportation).12
Did you know
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
7
What is the difference between an immigrant and a refugee?
An immigrant is someone who
chooses
to leave their country, whether for economic reasons or to search
for a better life. They are also welcome to return to their home country. A refugee is someone who is
forced
to ee their home due to persecution, war, or violence. They cannot return home until it is safe,
which may not happen for years, or even decades.15
Key Denitions
Migrant16
While there is no formal legal denition of
an international migrant, most experts agree
that an international migrant is someone who
changes his or her country of usual residence,
irrespective of the reason for migration or legal
status. Generally, a distinction is made between
short-term or temporary migration, covering
movements with duration between three
and 12months, and long-term or permanent
migration, referring to a change of country of
residence for a duration of one year or more.
Refugee17
A refugee is unable or unwilling to return to
their country of origin owing to a well-founded
fear of being persecuted for reasons of race,
religion, nationality, membership of a particular
social group, or political opinion. War and
ethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading
causes of refugees eeing their countries.
Asylum Seeker18
An asylum-seeker is someone who is seeking
international protection, but has not yet been
granted refugee status. When an individual
eeing conict or persecution arrives in a new
country, they must submit a formal claim for
refugee status. This claim is evaluated by the
host country, after which asylum seekers may
be legally recognized as refugees.
Recent Immigrant19
This term refers to landed immigrants who
came to Canada up to ve years prior to a
given census year. For the 2016 Census, recent
immigrants are landed immigrants who arrived
in Canada between January 1, 2011 and Census
Day, May 10, 2016.
• In recent years, however, an increasing number
of immigrants have established roots in prairie
cities (Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary
and Edmonton), which received 22.6% of new
immigrants in 2016/17, more than twice the
number from a decade earlier (11.2%).
• A century ago, 90% of Canadian population
lived in rural areas. Now it is 18.9%.13
• Almost half of all immigrants between the ages
of 25 and 64 held a bachelor’s degree or higher
in 2016, compared to just under one-quarter
of the Canadian-born population in the same
age group.14
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
8
The “Living Together” Approach
“‘Living Together’ refers to a dynamic process
involving various stakeholders in order to foster
inclusion and a sense of safety and belonging in the
city. Promoting ‘Living Together’ means recognizing all
forms of diversity, ghting discrimination and working
to facilitate peaceful coexistence. To implement
‘Living Together’, local stakeholders must
work
together to identify common values that contribute to
positive interactions and social cohesion.” - Standing
Committee on Living Together of the Association
internationale des maires francophones - AIMF, 2018
In 2019, the International Observatory of Mayors on
Living Together and UNESCO’s International Coalition
of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities – ICCAR launched
the publication City Policies on Living Together. Built
on a study conducted for the Standing Committee
on Living Together of the AIMF, this document
showcases existing Living Together policies and
programmes at the municipal level; conducts an
operational study on Living Together to strengthen
municipal initiatives; and oers guidelines to cities
that want to more eectively support Living Together
in their respective communities.
Dispelling myths about refugees
The Canadian Council for Refugees provides
facts about refugees and refugee claimants in
Canada in their Did you know…? Facts about
refugees and refugee claimants in Canada
factsheets. These factsheets dispel commonly
held myths about refugees related to crime
and public safety, healthcare, social assistance,
etc. The Refugees Welcome Here: Toolkit
Resources provides up-to-date facts and
information related to advocacy, myth busting,
welcoming communities and general resources
for refugees and the agencies serving them,
celebrating Refugee Rights Day (April 4), etc.
The United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) – Canada developed a
document dispelling myths about refugees
and irregular border crossings in Canada.
The UNHCR-Canada website provides key
information for asylum seekers, information
on national legislation, statistics and facts, etc.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
9
Barriers Faced by Newcomers
“Canada’s economic future is tied directly to our ability to successfully attract, settle, and retain
immigrants and refugees. Still, newcomers face signicant barriers to success and are falling
behind their non-immigrant counterparts. Welcoming communities, able to provide adequate
housing, accessible transit, employment, language and cultural supports and services are essential
to providing every opportunity for newcomers to succeed.”
– Welcoming Communities: A toolkit for local governments, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Finding an adequate job
Learning new language
Getting used to the weather
Missing support from homeland
Adapting to new culture or values
Financial constraints
Recognition of credentials/experience
Lack of social interaction
Access to professional help
Discrimination or racism
Finding good quality housing
Other
Greatest difculties new immigrants faced since arriving in Canada
(four years after arrivals)
0
10 20 30 40 50
46%
26%
16%
13%
13%
11%
11%
7%
6%
4%
4%
15%
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
10
Newcomers face a myriad of challenges that impact
their integration and sense of belonging to Canada.
Finding an adequate job can be very dicult for
recent immigrants: 46 percent cited it as the greatest
diculty they faced four years after their arrival
in Canada.20 Many recent immigrants also have
trouble getting their foreign education credentials
or experience recognized, which forces them into
lower-paying jobs outside of their eld of study and
expertise. Sometimes they are unable to nd work
at all and are unemployed. Language is another
signicant barrier for recent immigrants, especially
those with limited or no knowledge of Canada’s
ocial languages (English and French). Inability to
converse in these languages can severely limit the
immigrant’s job prospects and can hinder access
to health and social services in the community.21, 22
Lack of “Canadian experience” in the workforce can
be compounded for newcomers as most employers
seek this experience. Qualied applicants may nd
that the years of experience they bring from their
country of origin are not enough to ll in this gap.
Many even have to rely on “survival jobs” to pay the
bills. Typical survival jobs include cashier, customer
service representative, factory worker, taxi driver
or data entry operator.23 In small communities and
rural areas, newcomers may be “discounted” for
being dierent in a variety of ways such as language
accents, dierent names, personal presentation
and physical appearance, printed presentation
(e.g., résumés and letters that might not be consistent
with Canadian norms). In light of this situation,
employers are increasingly taking guidance from
Human Rights frameworks to eliminate the need
for direct Canadian experience when it represents
a barrier.
Access to health care is another concern for
newcomers. Lifestyle changes such as having fewer
family supports to raise children (which can lead to
challenges around daycare), shifts in weather, changes
in eating and exercise habits, can negatively aect
health and wellbeing of newcomers. They also face
challenges such as accessing a regular medical doctor,
lacking medical insurance coverage, accessible
transportation and/or limited family nancial resources
to follow interventions prescribed by health care
providers.24 Financial barriers to accessing health
care are even more pronounced for refugees.25
Newcomers often endure racism and discrimination
within their host communities. They can also be
victims of hate crimes or racial proling. Studies
show that one-fth of newcomers to Canada face
discrimination in various situations after they arrive.26
According to the 2013 General Social Survey, nearly
36 percent of immigrants in Canada have been
a victim of discrimination in the past ve years
compared to around 28 percent of Canadian-born
residents. A March 2017 survey conducted by the
Canadian Institute for Identities and Migration27 found
that 78 percent of respondents “often or occasionally”
hear negative comments about immigrants in Canada.
Transportation can be a roadblock for recent
immigrants. Public transit can aect where
newcomers live and work as well as their connection
to the community. For refugees, who have ed
persecution and are often suering from physical
and psychological trauma, this connection to the
community, including health care, social services
and other support networks, is crucial.28
Finding quality, adequate housing is also a
challenging issue for newcomers, who are almost
three times more likely to be in a ‘core housing need’
than non-immigrants. Recent immigrants to Canada
are also much more likely than non-immigrants to
spend more than 30 percent of their income on
housing and to live in crowded households, in part
due to their larger average family sizes and tendency
to settle in large, expensive cities.29
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
11
Intersectionality and the Immigrant
Experience
Canada is recognized internationally as one
of the safest and least discriminatory nations
in the world for immigrants of dierent ethnic
or religious backgrounds, sexual orientations
(LGBTQ2+) or disabilities. In 2015, the Legatum
Institute’s30 Prosperity Index ranked Canada
as the “freest country in the world” with its
tolerance of immigrants, minorities, freedom
of expression and beliefs.
Newcomers to Canada represent many
dierent social groups and identities.
Intersectionality is an approach to
understanding Canadian society that
acknowledges these dierences and the way
that dierent parts of an individual or group’s
identity can shape their experiences (e.g., a gay
black man who ed his home country due to
persecution or a Muslim woman living with a
physical disability).
In the context of settlement services, an
intersectional approach might be used to gain
deeper insight about clients, to better serve
clients who have experienced discrimination,
and to make services more inclusive.
Strategies that can help cities incorporate
an intersectional approach into program
and service delivery include:
building intersectional policies into
organizational structures;
forming partnerships or coalitions
with organizations that serve distinct
communities;
and/or
collecting and analyzing immigrant data
that can be broken down according to
various identity markers (e.g., Gender-
based Analysis Plus or GBA+)31
Sports and Newcomers
Access to sports and physical activity can be
a challenge for newcomers for various reasons
(nancial, logistical, cultural, etc.). Sport for Life for
All Newcomers to Canada – Creating Inclusion of
Newcomers in Sport and Physical Activity, released
in 2018, outlines the barriers that newcomers may
face in their participation of sport and physical
activity, and then provides examples of solutions
and opportunities that exist, as well as promising
practices of work being done across Canada.
1
2
3
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
12
The Role of Municipalities
in Welcoming and
Including Newcomers
“Cities are lead actors on the stage of global
migration. By organizing around success
and action instead of crisis and inaction,
local governments can succeed where many
national governments are challenged.”32
With the majority of the world’s population living in
urban areas, the role cities and municipalities play in
international migration has grown in importance
in the 21st century. The Global Compact for Safe,
Orderly and Regular Migration, adopted on 11 July
2018, breaks new ground in setting forth new forms
of municipal involvement in migration. While nation-
states have traditionally been the main actors in these
global compacts, cities are becoming increasingly
involved and have called for a consultative role in
UN discussions on the Compact. After all, “cities are
where migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers come
face-to-face with the economy, social services and law
enforcement. Most of the world’s economic migrants
live in cities, as do the majority of refugees and
internally displaced persons.”33 Networks of cities
and municipalities hosting refugees are also invited,
in The Global Compact on Refugees, to share good
practices and innovative approaches to responses
in urban settings.34
Municipalities are on the frontline when it comes
to welcoming and including newcomers. They have
a role to play in various areas, including:
Attracting and retaining immigrants.
Ensuring the integration and social cohesion of
newcomers, including refugees, asylum seekers
and other groups of immigrants.
Welcoming newcomers and familiarizing them
with the city’s culture.
Providing newcomers with an easy access to vital
urban infrastructure and services (e.g. transport,
housing).
Ensuring, in close collaboration with law
enforcement authorities, the safety and security
of both newcomers and the host community.
Establishing a cultural landscape that not only
stands against racism and discrimination, but also
addresses underlying systems of injustice and
inequity while celebrating diversity.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
13
Despite benecial local inclusion initiatives, many
municipalities remain places where unemployment,
poverty and inequality directly impact newcomers.
The pressures of changing populations and growing
diversity have resulted in exclusion, gaps in service
delivery, and threats to social harmony. Discrimination
threatens the sustainability of social, economic and
political systems, and endangers the full enjoyment of
human rights guaranteed to people living in Canada.
Racism, discrimination and other forms of exclusion
have become increasingly subtle and dicult to
identify and address. As a result, they more easily
permeate the democratic discourses and structures
that inhabitants hold dear.35
While municipalities may be at the forefront of
welcoming newcomers and refugees, there are many
other stakeholders playing a role in the integration
process. This includes provincial/territorial and federal
governments, nancial and educational institutions,
law enforcement ocials, the judicial system, cultural
associations, service provider organizations (SPOs),
civil society organizations at all levels, human rights
commissions, etc.
To be most eective, municipalities must work in
collaboration with key stakeholders to maximize
their impact and build safe, sustainable and inclusive
communities in Canada.
“Working at the municipal level
provides a collaborative opportunity for
various departments such as economic
development, planning, social services,
and tourism to work together towards
creating a welcoming community.”36
“Behind every migration statistic, there are
individuals or families starting a new life in a
new place. Local authorities, in co-ordination
with all levels of government and other
local partners, play a key role in integrating
these newcomers and empowering them
to contribute to their new communities.
Integration needs to happen where people
are: in their workplaces, their neighborhoods,
the schools to which they send their children
and the public spaces where they will spend
their free time.”37
– OECD’s Working Together for Local Integration
of Migrants and Refugees (2018)
FACT: Newcomers
(immigrants and refugees)
DO NOT increase the crime
rate in Canada.
There is a common misconception that the arrival of
newcomers and refugees to Canada creates unsafe
environments and increases the crime rate in Canada.
In fact, the opposite is true:38
“[In] just about every country, immigrants are
less likely to commit crimes than the people
who were there before them.“
– Frank Cormier, professor of criminology
University of Manitoba
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
14
Welcoming Newcomers in Rural
and/or Smaller Municipalities
Did you know
9% of recent immigrants from 2011 to 2016 chose
to settle in rural areas (non-CMAs) of Canada.
Studies show a growing number of newcomers
settling in smaller municipalities and the number
is likely to increase in coming years.39
Working with newcomers in rural and smaller urban
communities comes with its own unique set of
challenges and opportunities. Language barriers,
social isolation, a lack of adequate support services
and transportation are all common challenges for
newcomers and refugees settling in less populated
areas. Many rural communities also have demographic
challenges, such as the migration of youth to urban
areas and an aging labour force population, that can
adversely impact local economies. For these reasons,
many rural areas and small cities across Canada are
eager to attract more newcomers, who themselves
fair better nancially when they reside outside of the
country’s big cities.40
The availability of appropriate and timely social
support is critical for social inclusion. Beyond
acquiring human capital (i.e., skills, knowledge and
experience), newcomers who build social capital
(i.e. networks and relationships) in their new
communities are more likely to successfully integrate.
“When newcomers are able to build social capital,
they build increased connections to their community,
networks, and supports. Developing and providing
opportunities to cultivate social capital through
supports and services are crucial to foster social
inclusion among newcomers.”41 Municipalities and
service providers can improve the integration process
and foster more inclusive environments by preparing
in advance for the arrival of new families, rather than
“reacting” to emerging issues in these communities.
Small and rural municipalities have many unique
assets they can use to attract and retain newcomers,
such as close connections to the community and
proximity to local issues.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
15
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot
and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot
The Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot is
a ve-year pilot designed to boost smaller
communities with aging populations and labour
shortages, which often struggle to attract and
retain new immigrants. The Government of
Canada will work with local communities to
use immigration to (1) help meet local labour
market needs and support regional economic
development, (2) test a new pathway to
permanent residence in rural Canada for skilled
foreign nationals at various skill levels, and
(3) and create welcoming environments that
encourage and help new immigrants to stay
in their new communities.44
The Atlantic Immigration Pilot is a pathway
to permanent residence for skilled foreign
workers and international graduates who want
to work and live in one of Canada’s four Atlantic
provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and
Labrador). It is an employer-driven program
designed to help employers in Atlantic Canada
hire qualied candidates for jobs they have
been unable to ll locally.45
The Role of Local Organizations
Local organizations can contribute to support
your eorts to attract and retain newcomers.
For example, the Calgary Catholic Immigration
Society (CCIS) provides services to help new
immigrants settle and integrate into rural
communities in Southern Alberta. Service
delivery includes workshops, information and
orientation sessions, and direct client service
in either individual or group settings. A wide
variety of topics are covered, including
housing, employment, education, health care,
and English classes. CCIS encourages active
participation in the community and facilitates
the settlement process by bridging local
services. They also help with application forms
and documentations, and interpretations and
translations.
Partnering with other levels of governments
In the last two decades, the City of Morden
(MB) has worked with the federal and provincial
governments to substantially increase
the number of immigrants moving to the
community through the Provincial Nominee
Program. Arrangements between the three
levels of governments have allowed the Morden
Community Driven Immigration Initiative to
adapt immigration selection criteria to hand-pick
immigrants who are well-suited for small
town life and the needs of local businesses.
The initiative has also worked to ensure that
settlement, language learning and housing
services were available for immigrants when
they arrived, and to make connections between
local and new residents.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
16
Newcomers Attraction and Retention
Many small and rural municipalities start their journey to attract and retain immigrants as an economic
development strategy designed to address population decreases and the need for new people to ll jobs
in the community. Once newcomers arrive, it becomes clear that for them to stay, residents, businesses
and services in the community need to be welcoming, inclusive and equitable.
If your municipality is looking to welcome newcomers, here are a few questions to consider:
• How can you make the case for working to attract newcomers?
How will an inux of newcomers benet your community?
• Are you looking to attract economic immigrants? Refugees? Entrepreneurs?
Temporary Foreign Workers?
• Who will drive the attraction strategy? What about the retention strategy?
With which partners can you work?
• How will you ensure newcomers are not exploited by employers, or by landlords and other businesses?
What happens if they are?
• What supports are available for newcomers once they get here? Think about formal supports
like settlement services, as well as informal social networks of compatriots or non-immigrants.
• How do you think the community, as a whole, will respond to newcomers? Are there ways to build
relationships and cohesion between current residents and newcomers? Are there processes in place
if incidents of racism or discrimination happen?
Some resources to inform your work
The Ontario government created the
Community Immigrant Retention in Rural
Ontario (CIRRO) toolkit (2011) to help rural
communities attract and retain skilled
newcomers.
The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater
Victoria also developed a Toolbox of
Ideas for smaller centres to use as they
build a strategy to attract and retain new
immigrants.
The University of Guelph published
a guide for Attracting and Retaining
Newcomers in Rural Communities
and Small Towns, which introduces
rural municipalities to the principles
of attracting newcomers and helping
to ensure their success for long-term
sustainability.
Welcoming America published a best
practices tool in 2017 called Welcoming
Refugees in Rural Communities: Promising
Examples from the Field that explores four
groundbreaking community-based initiatives
in the United States that are engaging,
supporting, and welcoming refugees in
rural areas.It documents how refugees and
immigrants feel welcomed when smaller
and more rural communities have created
programs, partnerships, policies,
and opportunities that engage them.
42 Source: Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Toolkit for municipalities, 2019,
https://en.ccunesco.ca/networks/coalition-of-inclusive-municipalities.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
17
Based on a study of rural municipalities in
Ontario, researchers from the University of
Guelph created a model of promising practices
for attracting and retaining immigrants in rural
communities.43 Their research recommends
that communities seeking to attract and retain
immigrants do the following:
Work with what you have
Build and maintain relationships
Gain political will
Involve newcomers as key players
Ensure research-based decision making
Emphasize process and build capacity
Plan with a long term horizon in mind
Snapshot of a model of promising practices
to help you successfully attract and retain
immigrants in rural communities
Attracting immigrants
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Another research project based in three rural
Ontario communities focused on how to
enhance newcomer engagement and build
social capital to cultivate social inclusion.
The ndings suggest newcomers and
stakeholders will benet by focusing on four
essential areas:
Provide intentional community leadership
from municipalities and municipal leaders
Reduce system barriers in employment,
culture, transportation, housing, etc.
Build relationships between newcomers
and other community members
Develop robust support systems like
programs and services, faith communities
and networks
Source:
Newcomer Engagement and Social
Capital in Rural Communities
Retaining immigrants
1
2
3
4
Model of
Promising
Practices
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Source: Attracting and Retaining Newcomers in Rural
Communities and Small Towns, p. 8.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
18
Strategies and Tips
for Municipalities
There are several strategies municipalities can implement to become more inclusive of newcomers.
They include: celebrations of diversity and multiculturalism, engaging community members to participate
in cultural events and activities, holding diversity summits, developing anti-racism public education campaigns,
and establishing committees and/or positions that directly focus on addressing racism and discrimination
in the community, etc. The following are examples of promising practices which are viewed as initiatives
that can be adapted by other municipalities.
Strategy #1 – Centralize
information and services
• There is a growing trend in Canada and
abroad to centralize information and
integration services for newcomers in the
community (“one-stop shops”). Montreal’s
BINAM (
Bureau d’intégration des nouveaux
arrivants à Montréal
), Toronto’s Newcomers
Oce and the website of the City of Québec
provide examples of this trend. Other
examples can be found in European cities
such as Düsseldorf (Germany) and Geneva
(Switzerland).
• The Welcome Centres in the York Region, the
Newcomer Interagency Network (NIN) in
the Regional Municipality of Wood Bualo,
and Newcomer Welcome Centre in Regina
are organizations that can support the work of
municipalities by providing coordinated services to
newcomers and facilitating newcomers’ access
to, and use of, a variety of services that meet their
needs.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
19
Strategy #2 – Partner with
public libraries
• Public libraries can serve as a “go-to” place
for newcomers and can play a key role by
facilitating access to knowledge, as well as
addressing social inequalities and improving
quality of life. The mission of libraries is
to democratize access to information,
knowledge, culture and leisure. Because
of the services they provide, libraries are
uniquely positioned to foster social inclusion
and enhance the ability for newcomers and
the host society to “Live Together”.
• Public libraries in Pictou and Antigonish
counties were recognized in 2017 as
Newcomer Welcome Centres. This initiative
provides places for all newcomers to be
able to have any questions answered as they
settle into the area. It includes a website
that provides community information and
resources to newcomers. An online language
training tool called Rocket Languages, made
possible by a grant from the Municipality
of the County of Pictou, is also available.
With support from Michelin and Northern
Pulp, the Pictou-Antigonish Regional
Library (PARL) sta was also able to access
additional diversity training through the
Provincial YREACH program through YMCA
Immigration Settlement services. The initiative
was made possible through a partnership
between the Pictou County Chamber of
Commerce, the Antigonish Chamber of
Commerce, and PARL, with support from
numerous community groups and businesses.
Recently, PARL also partnered with TD Bank
to purchase a collection of books regarding
diversity.
• The Library Settlement Partnerships (LSP) oer
a unique and innovative newcomer information
service in 11 communities throughout Ontario.
Services are provided in multiple languages
and include one-on-one settlement information
and referrals, group information sessions and
community outreach. Toronto Public Library oers
many free services and programs for newcomers
and has collections in over 40 languages. The LSP
program enables local settlement agencies to work
year-round to provide information, referrals and
group activities for newcomers.
• The Liaison Ocers in Libraries project promotes
diversity and intercultural dialogue while providing
a substantial, user-oriented oer of direct services
for newcomers to Montreal (information, training,
support to learn the French language,
pre-employability in particular). This project is
tailored to meet local needs as contexts may vary
from one neighborhood to another. Liaison ocers
(librarians) are attached to one or more library in
each Montreal borough and are highly engaged
in their community: they build key relationships,
are involved in community events and create
complementary partnerships with other actors
in the area.
• The City of Québec, the Québec Library and
the Centre multiethnique de Québec joined
forces to welcome and integrate newcomers.
Bibliothèque, terre d’accueil aims to make libraries
a place of welcome for immigrants in the heart
of neighborhoods and to connect immigrants
and members of the host community early in
the integration process. The services oered
allow immigrants to obtain information on the
community and the services oered by various
organizations.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
20
Strategy #3 – Use special
international or national
dates or campaigns to raise
awareness on migration,
inclusion and diversity related
issues or to celebrate and
commemorate specic events
or groups
• Link them to an announcement, the launch
an initiative, a policy or a program; participate
in a social media campaign, etc.
• They are also a good occasion to organize
a local event and engage your community.
Ideas can include public symposiums or panel
discussions, diversity fairs, artistic or cultural
activities, friendly sports events, etc.
• The social media campaign #ItStartsWithMe
coordinated by the Canadian Commission for
UNESCO to celebrate the International Day
for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
(March 21st) can provide your municipality with
ready to use materials or key messages to
raise-awareness on issues related to racism,
inclusion, diversity, etc.
• UNHCR’s #WithRefugees campaign invites
cities and local authorities who are working
to promote inclusion and support refugees to
sign a statement of solidarity with refugees.
You could plan to sign it on World Refugee
Day (June 20)!
Examples include
- International Decade for People of African
Descent (2015–2024)
- International Decade for the Rapprochement
of Cultures (2013-2022)
- Black History Month (February)
- Asian Heritage Month (May)
- International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination (March 21)
- International Day of Living Together in Peace
(May 16)
- World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue
and Development (21 May)
- World Refugee Day (June 20)
- Canadian Multiculturalism Day (June 27)
- International Day of Peace (September 21)
- Human Rights Day (December 10)
- International Migrants Day (18 December)
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
21
Strategy #4 – Host a
welcoming event for
newcomers
• The City of Québec organizes an annual
Welcome Day for Newcomers to mark the
arrival and integration of new immigrant
families. At the event, newcomers can get
information at municipal service kiosks and
from service provider organizations.
• The City of Toronto’s annual Toronto
Newcomer Day event brings together
newcomers, community and government
agencies and other stakeholders to welcome
newcomers, help them access a range of
programs and services, and celebrate their
contributions to the city. The event promotes
Toronto as a diverse, inclusive and welcoming
city and strengthens Toronto’s reputation as
a leader in the settlement and integration
of newcomers.
Strategy #5 – Provide
opportunities to connect and
learn about other cultures,
customs and traditions
• Welcoming Ottawa Week (WOW) is an annual
series of dialogues, cultural and celebratory
events, sports activities, documentary
screenings, and other fun events designed to
convey the genuine welcome and hospitality
of Ottawa residents to newcomers, while
providing opportunities for quality interactions
between residents, old and new. WOW was
initiated by the Ottawa Local Immigration
Partnership (OLIP) and proclaimed by the
Mayor of Ottawa.
• The City of Winnipeg’s Know Your
Neighbours Guide depicts the city’s cultural
diversity. It is about Winnipeg residents -
the history, the people, relationships, building
knowledge and connections. This resource
can help individuals get to know both the
history and the current state of the city. It also
contributes to promoting open dialogue and
greater cultural awareness.
• The City of Vancouver developed First
Peoples: A Guide for Newcomers, which
introduces newcomers to three important
topics using clear accessible language: who
are the Indigenous peoples (or First Peoples)
in Vancouver and Canada; the nature of
the relationship between the Government
of Canada and First Peoples; and current
initiatives and ways for newcomers to learn
more about Indigenous peoples in the
community.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
22
Strategy #5 – Provide
opportunities to connect and
learn about other cultures,
customs and traditions (cont.)
• The City of Brooks hosts a Taste of Nations
event where several cultures within the
community are able to represent their
nation by showcasing their food, dance
and clothing. This is a well-attended event
attracting thousands of people during Alberta
Culture Days. The celebration provides a
fun opportunity for families and people of all
ages to come together and experience a wide
variety of cultures.
• The City of Burnaby and the Burnaby
Intercultural Planning Table developed
the Ways to Welcome campaign, which
involved community outreach initiatives
and the production of the 100+ Ways to
Welcome: Ideas for Residents brochure
and guide, providing residents with ideas
on how to welcome newcomers to Burnaby
(as suggested by community residents).
The City won the Safe Harbour Champion
Award in 2009 and has since been a Safe
Harbour City.
Strategy #6 – Increase
awareness of racism and
discrimination
• The City of Saskatoon launched I Am the
Bridge in 2016, a public education campaign
to increase awareness of racism in Saskatoon
and develop a better understanding of how
to authentically work towards the elimination
of racial discrimination. The goal is to spark
a dialogue by hearing community members’
experiences of racism and inspiring citizens to
be the bridge to change the racism landscape
in Saskatoon. Citizens were invited to share
their experiences of racism and ways to
eliminate it by submitting videos to OneStory,
a locally-owned online video platform. These
videos are now showcased on the City’s
website as well as their social media and
YouTube channels.
• In the Faces of Brooks program, the City of
Brooks connects with citizens and captures
their stories and quotes, which are then
displayed on the city’s social media platforms.
The objective is to exhibit that regardless of
our backgrounds, we all have goals, barriers
and challenges; yet each individual’s goals,
barriers and challenges may be dierent. With
this, we are able to see dierent perspectives
while allowing citizens to gain more insight.
• The City of St. Albert launched the It Starts
with Me campaign in 2015 to promote a
welcoming and inclusive community for
newcomers. The campaign focuses on
dispelling cultural myths and stereotypes
and creating welcoming work environments.
It includes a webpage, paid advertisements,
positive social media messages, and training
for municipal sta. Three whiteboard
animations were also created to highlight
key messages and promote St. Albert as an
inclusive and welcoming community.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
23
Strategy #7 – Strengthen
local partnerships and
coordinate efforts
• The City of Toronto’s Newcomer Services
Kiosk Program is a partnership between the
City and ve settlement agencies that brings
community-based settlement workers into
municipal facilities to provide direct services
to newcomers. The program aims to increase
newcomer access to municipal programs and
services. Newcomer Services “kiosks” act as
small hubs located in City Hall, civic centres,
employment and social services oces,
community centres, and shelters where
newcomers to Toronto can access settlement
specic supports.
• The Newcomer Interagency Network (NIN) is
a network of organizations and employers in
the Regional Municipality of Wood Bualo
committed to working together to enhance
the lives of newcomers to the community.
It was created to share expertise, enhance
collaboration between agencies, and support
projects and initiatives to better meet the
needs of newcomers to the region.
• In Alberta, the Cochrane Community
Immigrant Services (CCIS) Committee formed
in 2015 and has become a key stakeholder in
creating a more welcoming and inclusive
community for newcomers to the Town,
and provides support for agencies and
newcomers to have a voice. This committee
began before the formation of the Town’s
Social Policy (2016) but the CCIS group
has been a vital source of information and
partnership that reects the vision of the
Town itself. The municipality helped to lead
this by committing Town employees to sit
on this committee and coordinate Town
administrative functions where relevant.
• With 125 representatives from 80 organizations
spanning the government, public, private and civic
sectors, the Vancouver Immigration Partnership
(VIP) helps newcomers on their paths to becoming
Vancouver residents in many ways: by supporting
the sharing of community-based knowledge and
local strategic planning; by improving accessibility
to services; and by creating an overall Vancouver
Immigrant Settlement and Immigration Strategy.
Through VIP, the City of Vancouver,
its community partners, and immigrants
themselves are collectively addressing the
challenges faced by immigrants in the city.In
collaboration with its partners, VIP has developed
the New Start Strategy (2016-2025) that
focuses on four themes: (1) Enhancing Access to
Services; (2) Strengthening Intercultural and Civic
Engagement; (3) Building Welcoming and Inclusive
Workplaces; and (4) Government and Public
Institutions Addressing Needs.
• Local Immigration Partnerships (LIPs)
are municipal/regional coalitions aimed at
strengthening local capacity to attract newcomers
and improve integration outcomes. They include
dierent stakeholders including immigrant and
mainstream service providers, municipalities,
employer associations, school boards, and others.
The Réseaux en immigration francophone (RIFs)
are Francophone immigration networks designed
to attract, welcome integrate and retain
immigrants to Francophone minority communities.
Both initiatives can contribute to advance your
municipality’s work and are funded by Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The Pathways
to Prosperity: Canada Website oers a variety of
resources on these initiatives including a Promising
Practices Corner (tools, measures, and resources
on promising practices) and a Library (reports,
publications, PowerPoint presentations,
and more).46
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
24
Strategy #8 – Form a Coalition,
Committee or Advisory Group
• The City of Sherbrooke has launched a
Committee of Diversity and Intercultural
Relations to advise the City Council on issues
related to the city’s Policy on Welcoming
and Integrating Immigrants as well as the
implementation of its associated Action Plan,
which aims at making Sherbrooke a more
inclusive and welcoming intercultural city.
• The City of Victoria works with a community
coalition called the Community Action Plan
on Discrimination, and two Councillors sit on
its committee. The coalition meets monthly
at city hall, and brings forward action items
to eliminate discriminatory practices in the
city. The City is responsible for working
with the CAPD to resolve issues that have
been identied.
• On March 21, 2017, the City of Vancouver
launched the Historical Discrimination
Against People of Chinese Descent Advisory
Group. On April 22, 2018, Vancouver City
Council delivered a formal apology for
historical discrimination of Chinese residents
in Vancouver to an audience of more than
500 people at the Chinese Cultural Centre,
and hundreds more viewing on screens.
The apology publically acknowledged past
legislation, regulations and policies of previous
Vancouver City Councils that discriminated
against residents of Chinese descent, along
with clear references to key past events and
actions of discrimination.
Strategy #9 – Join a network
to share experiences and
promising practices
• Join the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities,
one of the regional coalitions that are part of
the International Coalition of Inclusive and
Sustainable Cities – ICCAR, led by UNESCO.
Launched in 2005, it is the largest network of
municipal governments (nearly 80 as of 2019)
working to eliminate discrimination and foster
inclusion in Canada. The Coalition, of which
knowledge and experience sharing are
cornerstones, promotes inclusion by
encouraging the integration of equity matters
into the policy, planning and programming
of a municipal government’s work in various
areas including housing, employment and
cultural activities.
• Become a member of the International
Observatory of Mayors on Living Together.
The Observatory, launched in 2016, is a
platform for the exchange of experiences,
knowledge and innovative practices related
to social cohesiveness, inclusion and
community safety in cities. Created at the
request of mayors at the inaugural “Living
Together Summit” in Montreal (June 2015),
the Observatory network includes close to
50global cities in 25 countries, including
Canada. The Observatory encourages
collaboration between cities and universities
in order to document innovative practices
related to social cohesion in cities.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
25
Understanding Your Local Reality
Municipalities must have a deep understanding
of their local context as well as the needs of
newcomers and refugees in order to make the
best decisions. To do so, municipalities are
encouraged to:
a) Identify existing service provider
organizations and programs in your
municipality.
b) Facilitate a regular and ongoing dialogue
with front-line workers and local welcoming
organizations to understand the reality and
needs of the newcomers.
c) Involve local partners acting on key issues
in the development and implementation
of new programs (“sounding board”) –
this can include civil society organizations,
but also the private sector, schools, police
authorities, etc. depending on the type of
initiative being developed.
d) Partner with local organizations to join
forces, reduce duplication of eorts in
the community, and maximize outreach
to newcomers and refugees.
e) Survey or interview municipal employees
and representatives from community-based
organizations to nd out how to better
facilitate the welcoming and integration
process.
Need support for your initiatives?
The Community Support, Multiculturalism,
and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program supports
the mandate of the Department of Canadian
Heritage by building on Canada’s strength as
a diverse and inclusive society. The Program’s
objective is to build an integrated, socially
cohesive society by: building bridges to
promote intercultural understanding; promoting
equal opportunity for individuals of all origins;
and promoting citizenship, civic engagement and
a healthy democracy. The Program has three
funding components: Events, Projects and
Community Capacity Building. It also includes
two separate initiatives: Community Support for
Black Canadian Youth and the Paul Yuzyk Youth
Initiative for Multiculturalism.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
26
Promising Practices
The promising practices presented below promote innovative ways for municipalities to welcome immigrants and
refugees and help them to integrate into their new communities in Canada. Municipalities across Canada engage
in these practices, which are organized according to the categories used in the World Economic Forum’s 2017
report Migration and Its Impact on Cities.
The promising practices presented in this section have been provided by the members of the Coalition of
Inclusive Municipalities or adapted from the various examples they shared to help develop this publication.
Members’ or partners’ websites provided additional examples of promising programs and practices that are
government-funded and/or operated by local service provider organizations in Canada.
Education, Training and Employment
Employment and Skills Development
• The City of Montreal oers an Internship Program
that helps newcomers integrate into the city’s
workforce through on-the-job training, mentoring
and coaching. With more than 25,000 employees,
the City recognized that “Canadian experience”
was a barrier preventing many bright and talented
individuals from fully participating in the local
labour force. To help newcomers and recent
graduates overcome this barrier, the City launched
the Professional Sponsorship Program.
• The City of Calgary’s Employment Forums bring
hiring managers face-to-face with immigrant job
seekers. This initiative promotes employment for
newcomers in Calgary while educating them about
the careers available with the City of Calgary.
The employment forums serve as a “one-stop
shop” for new Canadian professionals interested
in a career with the City.
• The City of Québec oers an Internship Program
for Newcomers, who are seeking a rst recognized
work experience in a eld related to their training.
Many cities in Canada have employment centres that help immigrants integrate into the workforce
through employment, job search training and support, cultural competency building and language training.
Mentorship and networking programs linking newcomers to peers in the workplace are also common.
Cities oer diversity training to their frontline workers, police and community service providers to
maximize the quality and availability of integration services for newcomers and refugees. As access
to education or training opportunities can be limited for some municipalities, in particular in smaller and
rural municipalities and those far from large urban centres, webinars or online trainings are also options
to explore.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
27
Entrepreneurship and Small Business Incubation
• In 2017, the City of Toronto implemented a
Social Procurement Policy which aims to harness
its $2.6 billion procurement power in order to
address economic disadvantage and barriers for
suppliers owned by Indigenous persons, or equity-
seeking groups which includes, but is not limited
to, women, racialized minorities, newcomers,
veterans, and persons with a disability by providing
them with equal opportunity to do business with
the City. By 2021, the City hopes that one-third of
contracts valued more than $5 million will include
a workforce development component that
includes hiring and training workers belonging
to equity-seeking groups.
Language Training for Newcomers
• A trade union in Canada’s construction industry
oers language training and certication in the
native languages of new members – including
Arabic-speaking refugees. The Laborers’
International Union of North America (LiUNA!)
local 506 in Richmond Hill recognizes that
inclusion does not mean treating everyone the
same. It means providing the dierent supports
its members need to have equal access to training
and employment. For example, oering safety
training in native language ensures that members
are prepared for safety training, re-certication
or more rigorous provincially-mandated exams.
Improving English skills remains essential to
moving into jobs in other sectors, or with other
employers – but members proceed at their
own pace.
Training for Municipal Staff
• The City of Red Deer has mandatory training for
all sta – Introduction to Diversity and Inclusion.
The City’s Diversity & Inclusion Specialist
also oers optional training on other themes
including “Newcomers and Multiculturalism in the
Workplace” and “Multifaith in the Workplace”.
• The City of Medicine Hat partners with inter-
cultural agencies to develop and oer inclusion,
diversity and inter-cultural training to organizations
and the public. The City worked with Saamis
Immigration Services to provide training aimed
at dispelling myths around the refugee process.
The City also worked with community partners
to host a public information and discussion event
at the public library as well as presentations for
educators working with school-aged refugees and
for municipal sta, health services employees
and other local professionals.
• In Wood Bualo, all municipal sta complete a
“Respectful Workplace” training that encourages
the development and maintenance of a workplace
free of racism, discrimination and harassment and
promotes respect, inclusion, and appreciation
of diversity. The training provides important
information about the rights and responsibilities
of all municipal sta and introduces new sta to
the culture of the workplace as one of inclusion
and equality.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
28
• The City of Ottawa oers various training
opportunities. The “Respectful Workplace” training
focuses on: federal and provincial legislation as
it applies to human rights in the workplace;
the City’s policies on harassment and violence
in the workplace; and on the choices we make
when we experience or witness disrespectful
behaviour. The “Leading a Diverse Workforce”
training is designed to provide managers and
supervisors with an understanding of their role
in leading a diverse workforce. The City’s “Equity
and Inclusion (EI) Lens” training is based on a
handbook to help employees understand diversity
in the community and the workplace and how to
consciously use the knowledge in all aspects of
their work. The “Intact training for teams” aims to
address issues or area of interest identied within
a department, branch, or team.
Networking and Mentorship Programs
Most highly skilled newcomers face a common
challenge when looking for work – a lack of local
connections and networks.
• The Halifax Partnership’s Connector program
facilitates networking opportunities that connect
established community, business and government
leaders with talented newcomers and help them
build their professional networks.
• The Town of Stratford (Prince Edward Island)
continues to maintain a strong relationship
with the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber
of Commerce and remains a sponsor of their
PEI Connectors Program, which aims to help
immigrant entrepreneurs establish businesses in
PEI. One-on-one support services are provided
to clients in the development and execution of
their business plans. Workshops and information
sessions are oered to familiarize clients with
the local business environment and provide
information about support services and programs
for business owners. Volunteer “connectors” are
established business and community leaders who
donate their time to help immigrant entrepreneurs
become familiar with the local business
environment, and integrate into the Island’s
business community.
• The City of Toronto collaborated with the Toronto
Region Immigrant Employment Council to oer
The Mentoring Partnership Program to newcomers
in the labour market. The partnership connects
skilled immigrants and established professionals,
working in occupation-specic mentoring
relationships. Mentors provide newcomers with
guidelines and skills to be more competitive in the
labour market.
• In 2011, the City of Vancouver joined forces
with the Immigrant Employment Council of
British Columbia, and a host of service providers,
including Immigrant Services Society of BC,
S.U.C.C.E.S.S. (United Chinese Community
Enrichment Services Society), and MOSAIC to
pilot the MentorConnect Program. The program
has proved to be a win-win strategy with City sta
sharing their knowledge, expertise and professional
networks, and providing over 200 mentor
matches to newly arrived immigrant professionals.
The program has provided the City with the
opportunity to demonstrate its leadership and core
values of livability and diversity, and to build more
culturally competent and condent sta, better
able to serve the diverse community. The City of
Vancouver has been awarded twice by IEC-BC
Employer Recognition Awards as an innovator and
leader in the employment of immigrants in B.C.
Education, Training and Employment (cont.)
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
29
• The City of Gatineau collaborates with the
Centre for Intercultural Learning to oer its sta
professional development training on intercultural
eectiveness. Service oerings include on-line
training and a pre-departure course to increase
the eectiveness of people living and working
in a cultural context dierent from their own.
Orientation to Canada is a course designed for
international partners, trainees and students
coming for short and long-term assignments
or studies in Canada.
• The Montreal Intercultural Program promotes the
development of harmonious intercultural relations
among residents to ght discrimination and racism.
It aims for better understanding and communications
between various cultural groups, and seeks to
increase Montreal citizens’ awareness of cultural
diversity. The program oers nancial support
to projects ghting exclusion, discrimination and
racism, and encourages intercultural dialogue. It
also aims to account for greater ethno-cultural
diversity in the services they provide by oering
cross-cultural training programs to municipal sta
and corporate departments.
• The City of Sherbrooke has adopted an Action
Plan on Immigration that aims to support the work
of frontline workers when tackling the challenges of
integration as well as to provide newcomers with
strategies to facilitate their harmonious and
sustainable settlement in the community.
The plan consists of ve lines of actions and
13 specic objectives.
• The objectives of the Newcomer Welcome Policy
of the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of
La Vallée-de-l’Or are to: provide the actors
concerned with support, appropriate tools
and recommended approaches for welcoming,
integrating and retaining newcomers to the region;
and mobilize the community around a concerted
action strategy that covers all newcomer-related
challenges. This strategy is intended for the
RCM’s residents, institutions, organizations,
employers and elected ocials, as well as nearby
municipalities.
• Access to services can be a challenge for
immigrant families, including summer day
camps. The City of Québec supports nearly
30organizations that oer summer activities to
children aged 5-12 in about 50 parks. In order
to facilitate the inclusion of all young people
in these activities, the City supports cultural
awareness activities and a training program
for instructors responsible for animation and
supervision of activities. These aim to prevent
discrimination and racism and make all young
people attending summer day camps aware of
cultural diversity. These initiatives ensure the
active participation of immigrant youth and
provide all young people attending day camps with
a positive experience of leisure and living together.
The participation of children with an immigrant
background in the day camp also facilitates their
learning French, their understanding of Québec
culture and transition into the school environment.
Integration and Social Cohesion
Cities are tasked with improving the overall conditions for newcomers and the host society.
Immigrant integration is visualized via a “two-way street” metaphor where there is mutual adaptation
on the part of the immigrant and the receiving community. Eliminating disparities to societal participation
and ensuring equitable access to services are fundamental to integration. The development of cross-cultural
skills within organizations is a prerequisite for making services accessible.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
30
• The Association for Canadian Studies’ Canadian
Index for Measuring Integration (CIMI) is a
measurement tool used to evaluate the state of
immigrant integration across Canadian provinces
and CMAs. The CIMI lls an existing knowledge
gap by providing a composite measure to evaluate
the relative performance of immigrants relative to
the Canadian-born in the host society under four
key dimensions of integration: economic, social,
civic and democratic participation and health.
• The My City of Migration Diagnostic Tool
(MyCOM) from Cities of Migration Building
Inclusive Cities Project is designed to help assess
the quality of inclusion in a city: at work, at school,
on election day, in health and as a new arrival.
The MyCOM tool can be used to build a prole
of a city’s strengths and weaknesses across ten
dimensions of inclusion.
• The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association
(AUMA) oers a Measuring Inclusion Tool allowing
a municipality to benchmark how inclusive
it is across numerous areas of focus such as
leadership, employee engagement, social services,
infrastructure, economic development and others.
Through periodic evaluations, the Tool helps a
municipality to track and measure its progress to
reach a culture of inclusion and includes suggested
strategies to support the process.
• The Strengthening Diversity In Your Organization:
A Self-Assessment Tool, produced by the
Regional Municipality of York, is designed to
help organizations of all types – private, public
and volunteer – better meet the needs of diverse
communities. Through a series of self-assessment
questions, the tool helps to identify potential
barriers to serving diverse communities. It also
reinforces good practices in the development
and implementation of inclusive policies,
services and programs.
• The Cities of Migration Refugee Portal proles
local solutions that are helping refugees settle
and thrive in open, resilient urban communities.
Good practices in the Living Together collection
showcase work that brings newcomers and
receiving communities together in the spaces and
places that foster shared identity and belonging.
The Municipal Leadership collection shares good
ideas about what local governments can do to
accelerate integration and build more inclusive
communities, from core services such as housing,
education and emergency services to employment,
sport and recreation, economic development
and more.
• The Government of Canada’s Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship Canada hosts a website
and search engine for newcomers to nd free
integration services across Canada. Users can
look for a job, get a language assessment and
register for language classes, nd a place to live,
learn about community services and more.
• BC Libraries partners with immigrant service
providers to develop, deliver and promote services
and resources that support immigrant settlement
and integration in communities across the province.
The online tool NewToBC - The Library Link for
Newcomers allows uses to nd immigrant service
providers in their area.
How Inclusive is Your City?
Tools for Measuring
Inclusion and Integration
Tools for Newcomers:
Locating Service Providers
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
31
• The Alberta Hate Crimes Committee is made
up of volunteers from a variety of government,
policing and community sectors who have
dedicated their time and expertise to research
and education on hate crimes in Alberta. The Hate
Motivated Crime and Incidents Provincial Strategy
Committee was formed in 2002 to develop a
province-wide framework that encourages and
supports a collaborative, integrated approach
to preventing, enforcing and responding to
hate and bias motivated activities in Alberta.
The StopHateAB.ca website was created for
Albertans to document hate incidents and help
track incidents by community.
• The City of Grande Prairie Crime Prevention
Program oers, since 2014, the Cultural Integration
Academy, a volunteer-based initiative for crime
prevention within the City. Its purpose is to
enhance the integration of newcomer youth and
families by providing education, outreach and
support. People who attend the CIA will learn
everything from how to interact with police
ocers, raising children in a new country,
and dealing with culture shock. They are also
paired with volunteer mentor families who will
assist them in their integration journey.
• The City of Vancouver’s Access to City Services
Without Fear policy addresses some key concerns
facing individuals with uncertain or no immigration
status living in the City. Vancouver residents who
are in such a situation can access City services
without fear that the City will ask for and divulge
information on the immigration status of individuals
to other public institutions or orders of government,
unless required by law. The Diversity & Indigenous
Relations Section (DIRS) in the Vancouver
Police Department (VPD) works with specic
communities that are experiencing signicant
public safety issues. The DIRS promotes
community safety through diversity in recruiting,
cultural competency training, and relationship
building with various communities. Members
of the DIRS regularly meet with community
representatives to develop programming to
enhance community safety, and to participate
in community forums, workshops, and rallies.
The VPD also publishes an internal monthly
newsletter about diversity for all sta that captures
events and educates/promotes diversity within
the VPD.
Safety & Security
Welcoming newcomers does not increase crime in Canada. Some researchers even suggest that
welcoming newcomers can actually lower the violent crime rate.47 Refugees and other seeking protection
in Canada are not threats to security – they are seeking security and protection from threats to their
own lives.48 That being said, it is important to develop and maintain relationships with law enforcement
authorities in order to build trust, ensure community policing presence, etc.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
32
• The Calgary Police Service Diversity Resource
Team actively engages with Calgary’s diverse
communities. The team’s specialized knowledge
of Calgary’s diverse cultures can help obtain
successful resolutions to investigations or any
other incidents. They assist with investigations
or incidents where specic knowledge of diverse
populations can help. This includes hate crimes or
hate incidents. The team also provides a variety of
programs and presentations within the community.
For example, the workshop “You and the Law”
aims at helping new immigrants learn about the
Canadian legal system, how police in Calgary
operate and the rights newcomers enjoy as
residents of Canada. The workshop is conducted
by specially trained police ocers and was
designed with input from immigrants and several
support organizations.
• The Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization
Leading to Violence was created in 2015 by
the City of Montreal with the support of the
Québec Government. Aimed at preventing violent
radicalization and providing support to individuals
aected by the phenomenon, the CPRLV oers
training to interested municipalities and their
partners (police authorities, frontline workers, etc.)
• The City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Local
Immigration Partnership collaborated on the
Language Learning for Health Project that
provides resources for ESL teaching and
Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada
Practitioners.52 Instructors are encouraged to
discuss priority health topics with adult learners,
providing them with activities that are fun
and engaging, while using information that is
trustworthy and reliable. Designed and reviewed
by a team of Ottawa Public Health and Ottawa-
Carleton District School Board sta, this series
focuses on three health topics: Physical Activity,
Dental Health and Mental Health.
• The Multicultural Health Brokers (MCHB)
in Edmonton contributes to enhancing the health
and well-being of families, and fostering their
eorts at building community so they could thrive,
and actively contribute to society. MCHB oers
innovative programs to help better serve the
families in our Edmonton communities.
Safety & Security (cont.)
Health
Immigrants to Canada arrive in better health than the average Canadian, but their health tends to
deteriorate over time.49 Refugee health is poorer upon arrival than other immigrants and the Canadian-
born.50 This is partly due to challenges related to accessing health care.51 Connecting with the health
care system in Canada is an important part of the settlement process. The UN Committee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights describes accessibility to health in terms of four dimensions: non-discrimination,
physical accessibility, economic accessibility and information accessibility. One should also consider
the importance of mental health and the particular challenges associated with it (stigma, cultural
understanding of mental health, lack of culturally appropriate resources, low awareness, etc.)
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
33
• An internship program at St. Michael’s Hospital
in Toronto helps hospital sta assess skilled
immigrants for jobs. Since 2004, St. Michael’s
has worked with Career Edge to participate
in its Career Bridge paid internship program
for internationally educated professionals (IEP).
The structured program includes mentoring
and coaching and is an attractive way to tap into
diverse talent in a city where almost 50% of its
population is born outside of Canada, making global
talent a priority.
• The Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS)
is a unique tool for immigrant health research
providing direct physical health measures that
address data gaps in existing information.
The CHMS gathers information related to nutrition,
smoking habits, alcohol use, medical history,
current health status, sexual behaviour, lifestyle
and physical activity, environmental and housing
characteristics, as well as demographic and
socioeconomic variables. The survey also gathers
information to help improve health programs and
services in Canada.
• Each year the City of Gatineau’s immigration and
cultural diversity program provides a bus tour that
takes participants to dierent sites across the
City. The tour stops at services and sites relevant
to newcomers’ integration such as municipal
oces, sports facilities, police station, the regional
transportation oce, libraries, etc.
• Welcomed in Halifax is an initiative by the Halifax
Regional Municipality that aims to facilitate
the social and economic integration of refugees
by providing free access to public transport
and several recreation programs during their rst
year of settlement. This initiative was developed
in consultation with local and provincial partners.
• The City of Guelph has introduced the Welcome
to Guelph program available to refugees to help
their transition into the city. The program includes
a Welcome to Guelph card that gives temporary
free access to transit, museums, public swimming/
skating in some facilities, etc.
Transportation
Transportation is an immediate need for newcomers and refugees, who are twice as likely as Canadian-
born workers to commute by public transit.53 While public transit is recognized as an immediate need,
providing free access to recreation services is also needed to facilitate social integration once immediate
settlement needs are met.
Tool for Measuring
Immigrant Health
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
34
• The Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership
(SHIP) has been working to provide safe,
permanent, aordable, appropriate and secure
housing for residents of Saskatoon since 1999.
SHIP works to bring housing to all residents,
recognizing the challenges faced by immigrants
and newcomers to Saskatoon, who are often those
most in need of aordable housing.
• The City of Lethbridge’s Social Housing in
Action (SHIA) Committee of Council is the
community-based organization dedicated to
ending homelessness through a Housing First
approach, prevention of homelessness and
provision of support services to end homelessness
in Lethbridge. SHIA represents a healthy and
collaborative cross-section of Lethbridge and
community leaders, organizations and includes
a range of partners including SHIA an integral
part of the provincial Ten-year Plan to End
Homelessness.
Housing & Utilities
Access to safe, aordable and quality housing should be viewed as a human right. Immigrants and
refugees experience several challenges in accessing and staying in adequate housing – similar to those
faced by low-income Canadians.54 They face a ‘double-burden’ because not only do they spend a lot more
on housing than do Canadian-born individuals, but they also earn much less on average.55
Resources on housing
The Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (CMHC) website provides,
in various languages, housing information
for newcomers to Canada on renting,
buying, planning and managing a
mortgage, etc.
The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness’
Homeless Hub, a non-partisan research and
policy partnership among academics, policy
and decision makers, service providers and
people with lived experience of homelessness
oers a library of over 30,000 resources on
homelessness. It also published Housing First
in Canada: Supporting Communities to End
Homelessness to help communities make the
shift to a Housing First approach, a recovery-
oriented approach to ending homelessness
that centers on quickly moving people
experiencing homelessness into independent
and permanent housing and then providing
additional supports and services as needed.
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
35
• The Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities’ Toolkit for
Municipalities (2019) was designed to be helpful
to municipalities at all stages of their involvement
in the Coalition, whether they are considering
becoming a member, developing a plan of action
or measuring their results. This resource oers
municipalities practical information, useful tools,
shares promising practices and identies additional
resources.
• The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association’s
(AUMA) Welcoming and Inclusive Communities
Toolkit walks users through the stages of
recognizing the issue, building commitment,
designing a vision and strategic plan, designating
actions and responsibilities, and celebrating
the accomplishments.
• The City of Calgary’s Creating Inclusive
Communities is a diversity booklet of tips and
resources for community groups wanting to involve
new Canadians and persons with disabilities in
municipal life. The booklet debunks common
myths about newcomers to Canada, provides tools
to measure how inclusive your city is, and things
that cities can do to create inclusive communities.
• In the context of the arrival of Syrian refugees
to Canada, the Welcoming Communities –
A Toolkit for Municipal Government developed
by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
(FCM) builds on lessons learned by over
300municipalities that have helped to welcome
the newcomers. It recognizes the cultural, social
and economic value newcomers contribute to
our communities and the essential role local
governments play in helping newcomers settle
into Canadian life by oering, for examples,
adequate housing, accessible transit, employment,
language and cultural supports and services
to help them succeed.
• Developed in partnership with the City for All
Women Initiative, the City of Ottawa and Status
of Women Canada, the Equity and Inclusion Lens
Handbook is an important tool to support the work
of City sta, management and Council in eorts to
move equity and inclusion forward. This handbook
is accompanied by an interactive training for sta.
• The Building and Sustaining Community
Collaborations for Refugee Welcome:
A Community Engagement Toolkit was created
by Welcoming America (USA) to help organizations
and community groups identify their current
strengths and consider specic new strategies
and tactics for expanding and deepening their
collaborations in order to promote welcoming
communities.
This practical guide has several facts sheets for
newcomers and brings together local partners from
the health, education and employment community,
as well as other community actors around common
actions: adapted information about services, support
for immigrants in their integration and coordination
of common integration program.
Québec City, a City for Me
City of Québec (2016)
This document is published by the City of Montreal’s
Service de la diversité sociale et des sports with the
participation of the Ministère de l’Immigration,
de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion.
Discovering and Experiencing Montreal -
Welcome Guide for New Immigrants to Montreal
City of Montreal (2016)
Toolkits to Develop
Welcoming and Inclusive
Community Initiatives
Examples of Welcome
Guides for Newcomers
and Refugees
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
36
The Guide oers useful information to newcomers
on services, housing, communications, employment,
transportation, health and safety, education, laws,
parks and sport facilities, community aid and support,
and more.
Newcomers’ Guide
Immigration Greater Moncton (City of Moncton,
City of Dieppe, Town of Riverview)
The Newcomer’s Guide to Edmonton features
63pages of essential information to help new
residents settle in the City. The Guide was produced
with the input and suggestions of many people for
whom the guide is intended, including newcomers,
settlement workers, English-language instructors,
and cultural brokers.
Newcomers Guide to Edmonton
City of Edmonton (2018)
The Newcomers Guide to Calgary provides important
information for new residents in an easy to download
and print format. It includes a map of all immigrant
serving agencies in downtown Calgary, transit
information and important phone numbers.
Newcomers Guide to Calgary
City of Calgary (2018)
The New Resident Guide oers information of interest
to newcomers on dierent sectors including services,
schools, recreation and sports, transportation, health,
safety, etc.
New Resident Guide
Town of Cochrane (2017)
Growing Roots: A Newcomer’s Guide to Vancouver
is an invitation for participation and civic engagement
for newcomers to Vancouver. This digital guide
provides information on a wide array of services,
volunteer opportunities, and important resources
in the community. Personal stories from newcomers
and long term residents tells the story of how these
community resources helped ease the settlement
process and feel more at home in their newly
adopted city.
Growing Roots: A Newcomer’s Guide
to Vancouver
City of Vancouver (2014)
Intended for new immigrants in Prince Edward Island
as well as for institutions and municipalities serving
them, the Online Guide for Newcomers to Prince
Edward Island provides comprehensive information
about the rst steps to take upon arrival, essential
Canadian documents and how to obtain them, as well
as elementary aspects of everyday living in Canada
and on the Island. The guide is designed to help
newcomers settle more quickly and easier so that
they can enjoy their new environment and participate
in society to their full potential.
Online Guide for Newcomers to Canada
PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada (2018)
This guide gives recent immigrants and their families
the information they need to settle in B.C. quickly
and easily. The guide includes information on nding
a place to live, language services and resources to
help newcomers settle; using public transportation,
registering children in school and opening a bank
account; applying for BC Services card, nding
medical services, and getting assistance for those
needing extra support.
B.C. Newcomers’ Guide – Provincial
WelcomeBC (2018)
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
37
This research paper assesses the characteristics
of the urban displacement crisis and identies
challenges and opportunities confronting cities
at a time when 60percent of all refugees and
80percent of all internally displaced persons live
in urban areas. It challenges myths associated with
the “refugee burden” in cities, oering preliminary
recommendations for stepping up international,
national and municipal cooperation.
Refugees and the City:
The 21st Century Front Line56
Centre for International Governance Innovation
(2018)
This report describes what it takes to formulate
a place-based approach to integration through
concerted eorts across levels of government as
well as between state and non-state actors. It also
presents a 12-point checklist to promote more
eective integration of migrants with partners
and stakeholders.
Working Together for Local Integration
of Migrants and Refugees57
Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD), 2018
This publication prepared by the Canadian
Commission for UNESCO in collaboration with the
UNESCO’s International Coalition of Inclusive and
Sustainable Cities presents ve successful strategies
from the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities (formerly
Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism
and Discrimination) and makes recommendations
for municipalities to address specic challenges.
Creating Inclusive & Equitable Cities58
UNESCO and Canadian Commission for
UNESCO (2016)
This report series investigates over 80 promising
municipal policies and practices across Canada and
internationally that promote a better welcome and
contribute to immigrant success. Whatever the legal
and jurisdictional framework, cities around the world
are accountable to their constituents and uniquely
positioned to share good practice – through policy
instruments (equality, inclusion, nondiscrimination),
as service providers, as employers and diversity
managers, and as drivers of the local economy.
Good Ideas from Successful Cities: Municipal
Leadership in Immigrant Integration (2012)59
et Practice to Policy: Lessons from Local
Leadership (2013)60
Cities of Migration, Maytree Foundation
This publication reviews international and national
models of indexing integration and concludes that a
multi-dimensional, mixed-method index is needed that
employs a wide range of quantitative data combined
with qualitative measures in order to capture the
context and key conditions contributing to immigrant
integration.
Indexing Integration 2nd Edition: A Review
of National and International Models61
A Canadian Index for Measuring Integration
publication (2016)
Reports, Publications and
Tools for Municipalities
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
38
The purpose of this information kit is to equip
Quebec municipalities with the tools they need to
play a leading role in ethnocultural diversity. The kit
is designed to: inform municipalities of issues related
to ethnocultural diversity; guide municipalities in
taking into account ethnocultural diversity in their
decision-making process with respect to municipal
management and service provision; share municipal
expertise in ethnocultural diversity; support
municipalities in identifying accessible means
and tools for enhancing ethnocultural diversity.
Information kit for Quebec municipalities
on issues related to immigration and cultural
diversity62
In French only
Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité
et de l’Inclusion du Québec
The study provides international mapping and
analysis of “city and migration” issues with a focus on
Europe; drawing on a survey of member cities of the
European Coalition of Cities against Racism (ECCAR),
a review of literature and perspectives of international
networks on cities and migration. It also identies an
urban governance framework agenda of principles,
policy guidelines and actions common across
city approaches.
Cities Welcoming Refugees and Migrants:
Enhancing Eective Urban Governance
in an Age of Migration63
UNESCO, M. V. Vardinoyannis Foundation and
European Coalition of Cities against Racism
(ECCAR) (2016)
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
39
Case Studies
The City of Montreal is a “ville responsable et
engagée” (
responsible and engaged city
) committed
to welcoming and integrating newcomers. A third of
Montrealers were born abroad and Montreal is home
to individuals from 120 dierent nations, who speak
nearly 200 languages and dialects.64, 65
Each year, the City of Montreal welcomes
35,000newcomers with permanent status and
68,000persons with temporary status. This equates
to nearly 280 persons arriving daily. Québec processed
24,980 asylum claims in 2017, which was nearly half
of all claims made in Canada in 2017(49,775).66
In 2016, the City of Montreal established the
Newcomer’s Integration Oce, Bureau d’intégration
des nouveaux arrivants à Montreal (BINAM), to speed
up the process of integrating newcomers to maximize
their participation in Montreal society. BINAM promotes
the mobilization of partners around the issue of
welcoming and integrating newcomers to Montreal.
It works with both government ministries and
community partners to carry out its mandates.
In doing so, it ensures that newcomers receive
an eective and meaningful welcome, and that
this experience is successful for both newcomers
and the host society.67
“Montreal Inclusive” – the City’s new Action Plan68
for the integration of newcomers from 2018 to 2021
calls for the following actions:
Montreal
Make the City of Montreal exemplary by being
open, safe and inclusive.
Develop an integrated and accessible oer
of services for newcomers.
Improve access to employment services actors
and civil society in order to improve their
reception and inclusion capacities.
Increase new immigrant participation in
economic life and reduce the gap in (un)
employment relative to Canadian born.
Improve newcomer’s access to quality
and aordable housing.
BINAM has identied six priority regions in Montreal
to develop collaborative projects with coordinated
action plans and integration activities for newcomers
and refugees:
Ahuntsic-Cartierville,
Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce,
Montreal-Nord,
Saint-Laurent/Pierrefonds-Roxboro,
Saint-Léonard/Anjou, and
Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.
Actions include hiring six regional partnership
advisors, mapping key stakeholders and initiatives
in the communities, conducting local needs
assessments, proposing collaborative projects
to meet local needs and sharing best practices.
1
2
3
4
5
6
March 21, 1989 The City formally adopted the Montreal Declaration Against Racial
Discrimination.
March 21, 2002 Montreal proclaimed March 21st as the “International Day
the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination”.
March 22, 2004 Adopted the Montreal Declaration for Cultural Diversity and Inclusion,
replacing the Montreal Declaration Against Racial Discrimination.
In the Declaration, the City commits to implementing equal opportunity
employment programs, engaging a zero-tolerance policy against
racism, and adopting measures to ensure human rights.
June 20, 2005 The City adopted the Montreal Charter of Rights and Responsibilities,
which came into force January 1, 2006 – the rst such Charter in North
America. The Charter details the principles and values of the City and
various rights, responsibilities and commitments of the City related
to democracy, economic, social and cultural life, recreation, physical
activities and sports, and environment and sustainable development.
October 31, 2006 Montreal joins the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities
(formerly Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism
and Discrimination)
June 10-11, 2015 The Living Together Summit was held in Montreal with mayors
of 23 large cities and metropolises around the world. The Montreal
Declaration on Living Together was adopted and formed the International
Observatory of Mayors on Living Together – an international network
of cities and a unique platform for the exchange of experiences,
knowledge and innovative practices related to social cohesiveness,
inclusion and safety.
September 21, 2015 The adoption of the Montreal Declaration on the Syrian
Migration Crisis (Resolution CM 15 1049).
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
40
Montreal has a policy framework in place to address migration
and integration-related challenges, which includes the following
key declarations and policies:
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
41
Resources for Newcomers and Refugees
in Montreal
BINAM oers the following innovative programs
and resources for newcomers and refugees
in Montreal:
“Mobilisation-Diversité”
The Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité
et de l’Inclusion (MIDI) and the City of
Montreal invested $24million as part
of its “
Mobilisation-Diversité
” program for
2018-2021. This investment aims to facilitate
immigrant integration into Québec society
and to support the implementation of action
plans for Montreal and borough initiatives,
in collaboration with local partners in the
domain of immigration. Areas of intervention
include: economic development, employment,
housing, living environments, accessibility
to public services, and ghting racism, social
inclusion, discrimination and xenophobia.
“Inclusive Montreal” grant program
“Inclusive Montreal” is designed to support
local projects of Montreal community
organizations that promote the full
participation of newcomers in Montreal
society, and enhance the welcoming and
inclusion skills of Montreal’s population.
Actions include developing and oering
training to Montreal’s community
organizations on how to build strong social
impact projects that welcome newcomers,
along with funding to implement these
projects and evaluate their success.
“Integration-Work-Training” Initiative
This project aims to accelerate the
employment integration path of newcomers,
while supporting Montreal’s major employers
in adopting innovative processes for
recruiting, integrating and retaining newly
arrived skilled workers. The City of Montreal
oers intercultural communication training to
mentors, mentees, managers and HR advisors.
Intercultural Training Program
The City of Montreal trains municipal sta and
corporate services to better take into account
ethnocultural diversity through its service
oerings. The City aims to increase employee
skills in intercultural communication and
diversity management. The program creates
a workplace that is open to diversity and
strengthens its employees’ anti-discrimination
and intercultural skills.
Syrian Refugee Projects
In June 2017, Montreal announced it is
providing funding to eight organizations in
Québec to implement projects that promote
the integration of around 8,500 Syrian
refugees. Project activities include: school
and labour market integration, a youth day
camp, a youth radio program and several other
integration eorts in local host communities.
“Montreal, a new beginning”
The website “Montreal, a new beginning”
provides newcomers with “the right
information at the right time” and creates
a customized path for the newcomer’s
immigration status. This bilingual website is
an adaptive and inclusive service that oers
recent immigrants a unique portal to access
vital information and public services
(e.g., housing, employment, health services)
as well as key points of contact in the
community. The intent is to create a strong
connection between immigrants and the
welcoming society.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
42
Saskatoon
Background
Historically, the majority of immigrants to Canada have settled in the largest urban centres of MTV – Montreal,
Toronto and Vancouver. In recent years, more and more immigrants have been choosing to settle in smaller
city centres such as Regina and Saskatoon, Edmonton and Winnipeg. They are lured by promising job prospects
and a lower cost of living. The share of recent immigrants in the Canadian prairie provinces has doubled
in the past 15years.69
Demographic Renewal
Saskatoon is one of Canada’s fastest growing cities70
and is the most popular destination for recent
immigrants in the province of Saskatchewan,
with 18,585 newcomers arriving in the city between
2011 to 2016 (approximately two out of ve recent
immigrants in the province).71 This accounts for the
city’s changing demographics, with the number
of visible minorities more than doubling in less than
a decade, up to 19.8 percent in 2016 from 6.4 percent
in 2006.72
Policy
In 2004, the City of Saskatoon instituted a Cultural
Diversity and Race Relations Policy73, establishing
employment equity targets to match the changing
diversity of its population, and strategies to make the
workplace more welcoming and inclusive. The City
hired a Cultural Diversity and Race Relations
Coordinator to monitor and provide advice to City
Council on issues relating to the policy. The Coordinator
oversees various events and activities with the goal
of achieving the following outcomes:
• community representation in the workforce
and community decision-making bodies,
• a zero-tolerance policy for racism
and discrimination,
• increased awareness and understanding in
Saskatoon regarding the issues facing newcomers,
and
• acceptance of the various cultures
that make up Saskatoon.
Barriers to Employment
To recruit skilled immigrants into public service,
the City of Saskatoon recognized it had to overcome
the barriers to employment as experienced by
newcomers. One of the biggest obstacles to
employment is obtaining recognition of foreign
credentials, something that must be done before
the job application process can even begin. The City
of Saskatoon helps potential applicants navigate
the pre-employment maze by providing information
that ranges from how to get credentials assessed
to what additional courses of study may be needed
for certication.74
Workforce Development
The City devoted resources to hiring an Immigration
Community Resource Coordinator and to developing
partnerships within immigrant communities,
conducting outreach and information sessions with
organizations like the Saskatchewan Intercultural
Association and the International Women
of Saskatoon. An action plan was developed to:
attract more immigrants to Saskatoon,
eectively address the diculties facing
newcomers in order to improve retention,
eectively address the challenges facing
the community, and
take full advantage of the many opportunities
and benets that increased immigration
can oer.
1
2
3
4
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
43
In 2018, the City of Saskatoon was recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for the third straight
year. Developing a diverse workforce is about more than achieving employment equity targets. Essential steps
to creating a welcoming work environment include promoting intercultural awareness, encouraging an attitude
of mutual respect and advocating for the use of inclusive language.
Saskatoon is one of three Canadian cities to have signed UNHCR’s Cities #WithRefugees pledge.
Resources for Newcomers and Refugees
in Saskatoon
Newcomer Information Centre
The mission of the Newcomer Information
Centre (NIC) in Saskatoon is to welcome and
support newcomers by providing information
and referrals to services (pre-arrival and
post-arrival) and resources in collaboration
with the community. The Centre is a Regional
Newcomer Gateway to serve newcomers
to Saskatoon and communities within a
150kilometers radius. The NIC is a partnership
initiative with the four main settlement
agencies of Saskatoon: Saskatoon Open
Door Society, Saskatchewan Intercultural
Association, Global Gathering Place,
and International Women of Saskatoon.
Government of Saskatchewan
Settlement Services
Saskatchewan has a number of services to
help newcomers to Canada settle into the
province – from welcome centres across the
province to translation services. Settlement
Advisors can advise newcomers of appropriate
services to meet their specic needs or
challenges, such as health and wellness,
workplace issues or housing. Even if they
do not speak English (or French), Settlement
Advisors can help using an interpreter through
the Over The Phone Interpretation Program.
Saskatoon Open Door Society
The Saskatoon Open Door Society is a non-
prot organization that provides programming
to meets the needs of newcomers in areas
including settlement and employment services,
language training and translation services,
and family and youth support.
Saskatchewan Intercultural Association
The Saskatchewan Intercultural Association
(SIA) is a non-prot, charitable organization
founded in 1964. It has been committed
to supporting cultural groups retain their
distinctive cultural identity, language and arts.
In the last 20 years, SIA has also focused
on providing programs and services that
empower and relieve barriers for newcomers
and Indigenous people in securing employment,
language advancement, and cultural
understanding. An integral part of SIA has
always been to provide anti-racist education
and promote intercultural understanding
to the general public through workshops,
programming and community events.
Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan
The Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan
has been raising awareness of the benets
of cultural diversity and the dangers of racism
since 1975. It currently represents 56 member
organizations, which include thousands
of volunteers committed to promoting
the benets of multiculturalism.
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
44
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Ibid
.
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The Role of Municipalities
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Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
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The Role of Municipalities
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Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
48
Welcoming Immigrants and
Refugees to Canada:
The Role of Municipalities
3
Toolkit for Inclusive
Municipalities in Canada
and Beyond
4
Design: oblik.ca
Guide pratique pour des
municipalités inclusives au
Canada et ailleurs dans le monde
Accueillir les
immigrants et les
réfugiés au Canada :
le rôle des
municipalités
Coalition internationale
Avec le soutien de la
des villes inclusives et
durables – ICCAR
Design: oblik.ca
