They’re important resources for newcomers to Canada, but now immigrant service organizations say they’re being stretched alarmingly thin.
A new survey conducted in part by United Way and the City of Toronto found that of 48 agencies across the GTA, 44 per cent expect to see program closures in the near future, while 56 per cent expect program disruptions. The reason? Federal funding cuts.
“In this current funding cycle that we’re in, we’ve already seen a round of reduction because of the reduction of federal immigration targets by the federal government. So that’s sort of the first wave that hit us,” says Alfred Lam, board chair of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants.
Lam says a second wave of cuts is expected since all federal departments have been told to find 15 per cent savings over the next three years. Newcomer service organizations can provide a range of assistance, including housing and employment support, support navigating the school system, and even mental health assistance.
“An example of a program that is being cut is language training at a more advanced level,” explains Lam. “We’re particularly concerned about those cuts simply because those classes have a very strong component of preparing newcomers for the workforce.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the City of Toronto noted that council voted to request the federal government restore funding to the settlement program last year, adding, “Without consistent and stable federal funding, many of the programs and community organizations that provide settlement services, critical to supporting newcomers to integrate successfully in their communities, are in jeopardy. The City will continue to work with community partners serving newcomers to monitor impacts of the funding cuts and identify opportunities to support the sector.”
Meanwhile, Lam says he expects to learn more about a potential second wave of cuts by the end of the week.
“What we’re looking for and what we’re looking to work with the government on are possible flexibilities that we can give organizations to manage those cuts, and so that we can maybe lessen the immediate impact by spreading them out.”