Halifax Funding Shows that Immigration is a Canadian Priority
June 30 2008 by Tabitha Holland
Halifax, Nova Scotia is the most recent city in Canada to benefit from funding that actively focuses on the settlement of newcomers.
An estimated 3 000 immigrants will benefit from this new funding that will total $10.3 million (about £5 million) over a three year period. This is according to an announcement by Defence Minister Peter MacKay, on behalf of Immigration Minister Diane Finley, at week's end.
Immigration of skilled workers is vital for Canada and the province of Nova Scotia in particular. It is for this reason that over the past few months the Canadian government is actively supporting immigration settlement services in order to attract immigration. As MacKay says, this "Funding announcement is of particular importance to Nova Scotia because immigration is vital to sustaining our province's communities, our economic growth and our future prosperity."
This money will essentially go toward helping immigrants, with particular focus on English training. "The cultural, social and language barriers should be broken down when people move to another country, therefore the funding of such services is essential," explains Leane Hurrell of www.globalvisas.com, immigration and visa specialists.
Canada's population is declining and their workforce is getting older, therefore fresh immigration has become a government priority. The government, though new immigration laws and training initiative aims to get these skilled migrants into Canada and into the labour market as quickly and possible.
This funding will go to various agencies in the Halifax Regional Municipality such as the YMCA Community Outreach & Family Services, Halifax Immigrant Learning Centre, Regional School Board, Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association and la Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse.
This money has been widely welcomed by immigrants. As Halifax Regional School Board Superintendent, Carole Olsen says, "We are happy to receive today's funding, as it will help us continue to offer our Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada programme." While Claudette Legault of Metropolitan Immigration Settlement Association added that, "This funding will help ensure that we can continue to provide immigrants with a wide range of services and support to help them in their efforts to settle in Nova Scotia."
It is clear that the Canadian government will continue to fund newcomer initiatives throughout Canada. Canada see the importance of newcomers and Canadian immigration, therefore such initiatives are bound to continue, "New Canadians are the hope of our future and they will return to us so much more than we give," emphasises Mackay.
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