The Niagara Local Immigration Partnership
In 2008, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, formerly Citizenship and Immigration Canada, provided funding to establish Local Immigration Partnerships (LIPs) to better identify local newcomer population needs and service gaps, enhance local capacity and create stronger welcoming communities for newcomers.
The LIPs are community-based partnerships that aim to:
- Foster local engagement of service providers and other institutions in the newcomers’ integration process
- Support community-based knowledge-sharing and local strategic planning and
- Improve coordination of services that facilitate immigrant settlement and integration
As one of the first communities to receive funding, Niagara was successful in the development and implementation of various initiatives, putting steps into place for ensuring continued growth and sustainability of the project. By collaborating with local partners, Niagara LIP leads initiatives for the successful integration of newcomers to Niagara and the creation of a welcoming community.
Niagara LIP objectives:
- To create a culture of inclusion
- To liaise and consult with labour market networks and improve outcomes for newcomers residing in Niagara
- To attract and retain newcomers to Niagara
- To enhance Niagara’s settlement capacity, establishing linkages with other community planning initiatives
What does Niagara LIP do?
- Conducts research and data analysis on the needs of newcomers including identifying community assets and gaps
- Facilitates community partnerships to coordinate and enhance delivery of services to newcomers
- Organizes and leads partnership council and working groups while liaising with partnership members
- Promotes LIP goals and objectives
- Holds public forums to raise awareness of LIP’s work and build capacity
The Niagara LIP team includes:
Melissa Austin, Project Manager
Lisa Garlent, Project Coordinator
Amy Andrews, Project Researcher
Niagara Local Immigration Partnership Council
In order to achieve our key objectives, a partnership council was established. The Niagara LIP Council consists of enthusiastic members at the local, municipal and regional levels who are committed to enhancing settlement and integration opportunities for all newcomers and immigrants in Niagara region.
Members of the Niagara LIP Council plan their programs and services with a clear understanding of the needs of immigrants while valuing the contributions immigrants can provide to our region.
The Niagara LIP Council is currently comprised of representatives and members from a variety of community stakeholders including:
- Community and Social Services
- Settlement Sector
- Francophone
- Employment
- Business
- Education
- Housing
- Government
- Service Providers
- Health Care
- Police
- Economic & Workforce Planning Boards
Niagara LIP is a catalyst for partnerships in communities regionally, provincially and nationally. If you are interested in partnering with the Niagara LIP, contact us at lisa.garlent@niagararegion.ca.
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