Welcoming Communities
Introduction and Background
Welcoming Communities Vernon is a program to support and attract new immigrants and make our community welcoming and inclusive. There is an understanding that immigrants provide important cultural diversity to local communities as well as skills, investment and an entrepreneurial spirit. Canada has an aging demographic with a declining birth rate and will need to depend on immigration for social and economic growth in the upcoming decades.
In January 2013, over 30 participants attended a community consultation in Vernon and provided feedback for the creation of the Welcoming Communities Action Plan. Funded by the Province of BC, seven projects were identified for implementation, and partnerships were developed to deliver the projects within the community. The input and results gathered through this first phase of Welcoming Communities will inform the next step of the program.
The second phase of Welcoming Communities is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and focuses on a locally driven, broad-based strategic planning process. The Welcoming Communities Steering Committee will act as the Local Immigration Partnerships Council (LIPC), helping to engage existing and new stakeholders, and providing input into the planning process through quarterly meetings. The goal is to develop a Strategy to Attract and Retain Immigrants (see Immigration and Settlement Strategy), with key priorities for action and a corresponding implementation plan.
Social Planning Council for the North Okanagan continues to be the umbrella host agency. See the links below for further details.
Welcoming Communities Links:
- Welcoming Communities Background Paper
- Welcoming Communities Vernon Action Plan
- Welcoming Communities Overview of Results - April 2014
- Multicultural Place - Feasibility Study - March 2014
- Final Report - NexusBC - Diversity Training
- Final Report - Public Spaces Audit
