Canada looking to improve settlement services

Canada is actively working with many partners to improve the accessibility and quality of settlement services delivered to newcomers across Canada, and help them integrate into Canadian communities.

One of these partners, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), is launching a new project focusing on breaking down barriers faced by newcomers. This includes linguistic and cultural hurdles to accessing health care, as well as helping newcomers learn about Canada’s universal health-care system.

CHEO’s Newcomer Navigator program helps newcomers navigate the paediatric health-care system. The hospital has also created a toolkit for other newcomer-serving organisations to use to support clients who want to access health care.

As part of this new project, CHEO plans to create a nationwide Newcomer Navigator Network. This will ensure standardised service delivery by organisations across the country that deliver health care to both children and adults, as well as those in the settlement sector. The National Newcomer Navigator Network will be developed through outreach and needs assessment activities with the provinces.

“CHEO has a proven track record of providing high-quality settlement services for newcomers,” said Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Immigration Minister. “Working with them on a National Newcomer Navigator Network is a new and better way to help newcomers succeed in their new country and benefits all Canadians”.

The Government has a dedicated Service Delivery Improvements fund to improve, innovate and experiment to find better ways to deliver services to and meet the needs of newcomers and support their integration into Canada. Service Delivery Improvements (SDI) funding is a dedicated stream within the Settlement Program of almost CDN$150 million over five years.

Following the first expression of interest process for SDI launched in fall 2017, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is now funding more than 100 projects across the country.

Article published 31st May 2019