Immigration has become the major factor in Canada’s net labour force growth. Key sectors of the economy are now entirely dependant on immigration for labour force growth. The CLBC, in partnership with Citizenship and Immigration Canada, held roundtables in five Canadian cities early in 2005, involving 225 participants and observers. A conclusion was reached that so-called 'bottom-up' initiatives are critical to many immigrant integration challenges. An equally important point was made that immigrant integration involves more than providing access to employment opportunities. The needs of immigrant families - including housing, education, health care, childcare, and financial management - are part and parcel of successful community integration.
The roundtables identified a range of issues faced by immigrants, including: difficult access to programs, lack of employment opportunities; lack of national standards and barriers to inter-provincial labour mobility; community and workplace perceptions about immigration; inadequacy of language training; lack of funding for immigrant-serving agencies; and the lack of small and medium-sized business’ internal capacity to integrate immigrants. The roundtable discussions highlighted many innovative initiatives that address these issues and may prove portable to other communities. The CLBC was encouraged by the energy and creativity of community stakeholders who are developing a constructive response to the challenges that arise from attracting and integrating immigrants in the five Canadian cities visited.
