The provincial government will provide $250,000 to the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council (MJCC) this year to help the organization support immigrants who are new to the community.
The MJCC operates the Newcomer Welcome Centre, which serves new residents in the Moose Jaw area and provides a first-stop service to immigrants when they arrive in Saskatchewan. The centre welcomes newcomers by providing a full range of settlement services, including orientation, adaptation, integration, information and referrals, language services, and a community connections program.
The Ministry of Immigration and Career Training announced on March 6 that it would provide MJCC with a quarter-million dollars to provide opportunities for up to 300 immigrants, with the overarching goal of supporting them to make informed decisions and take independent action with their settlement and integration, according to a news release.
“Investments in settlement support programming allows newcomers to access community resources and feel accepted in their new home,” MLA Greg Lawrence (Moose Jaw Wakamow) said on behalf of Jeremy Harrison, minister of Immigration and Career Training. “The Moose Jaw Multicultural Council has a long and distinguished record of supporting people in Moose Jaw and our government is proud to continue this partnership.”
Immigration is and will continue to play an essential role in the growth and economic sustainability of Canada and Saskatchewan, Stefanie Palmer, executive director for MJCC, said in the news release. It is important for residents to welcome these newest people to the community, provide them support where needed, and set them up for a successful settlement and integration experience.
The MJCC’s services help lead immigrants new to Canada through the complexities that come with understanding a new way of life in a new country, she added. She thanked the Government of Saskatchewan for being a funding partner so MJCC could continue its work.
Investments in Saskatchewan’s regional newcomer gateways allow welcome centres to offer free settlement support services for those arriving in the province, connecting newcomers with the information, resources and services they need to make their move to Saskatchewan a success, the news release said.
The Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $2.5 million in 2020 to support settlement services and improve the lives of new immigrants.
