Rural Development Institute

Immigration Settlement Services and Gaps in Ashern & Arborg, This community report is part of the “Immigration Settlement Services and Gaps in CIC’s Western Region” study.

Population (2011): Ashern 609 residents Arborg 1,152 residents Source: Statistics , 2011 Census

Permanent Resident Landings Arborg 2008-2013 Data sources: 2 Service Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada Providing Organizations (SPOs) receiving funding from CIC, provincial and other sources. • Findings validated locally

SETTLEMENT SERVICES

Top services offered Key gaps identified Barriers to access services • Information and orientation, • Transportation support • Language difficulties of needs assessment and • Recognition of foreign newcomers referral, interpretation credentials • Transportation difficulties services, language training • Inadequate ability to support • Confusion about where and support. non-Permanent residents (PR) to get help • Assistance finding housing • Lack of administrative help and job (networking and • Ineligibility for services (e.g., Permanent resident • Lack of childcare mentoring), setting up a applications and getting business. drivers licenses) • Hours of the day the services are offered • Assistance with daily life, • Several services need to computer access. expand Top services needed Services needed by newcomers ineligible for • Language training and assessment CIC funded services • Computer/internet access Language training, computer access, • Assistance with daily life information and orientation, need assessment and referral, supports from Service Canada • Assistance finding housing (SIN number and child tax). • Information and orientation PArtnerships INTEGRATION IN COMMUNITY

In Ashern and Arborg, both service providers • The perception of how easy it was for sampled were working in partnership. newcomers to settle in Ashern and Arborg was • The most commonly identified partnerships exist mixed. Housing shortage and transportation with schools/ school board, umbrella organization, difficulties were listed as the main barriers for SPOs, newcomers, health services, municipalities, newcomer settlement. businesses, the chamber of commerce, civil society • Participants agreed it was easy or somewhat groups, foundations, and labour market services. easy for newcomers to get jobs in Ashern • Welcoming, settlement and integration activities and Arborg, but usually in low skill positions. were conducted in partnership, though Language and foreign credential recognition integration activities were the least reported. are key barriers to employment. IMMIGRATION SETTLEMENT SERVICES AND GAPS IN CIC’S WESTERN REGION: Ashern & Arborg, Manitoba

Introduction manufacturing. The two participants had differing opinions regarding how easily newcomers could settle into the The purpose of this project is to better understand community. One participant felt newcomer settlement the settlement and integration services available was somewhat difficult because the large geographic to newcomers and to explore the service gaps and region and limited transportation made it challenging for opportunities in Ashern and Arborg, Manitoba and 28 newcomers to access services. The other participant felt other rural communities across Western Canada. This newcomer settlement was somewhat easy, but specifically research offers a current snapshot of Ashern and Arborg for newcomer nurses, since they are given an incentive by providing information gathered from a sample of packages to move to the area and, as part of the hiring local service providers. It is not a comprehensive review process, they are connected with settlement services. An of all settlement services in Ashern and Arborg. Data extreme housing shortage was identified (especially in were collected in October and November 2014 from 2 Ashern) as a struggle for newcomer settlement. organizations serving newcomers in Ashern and Arborg through a telephone survey completed by a representative Both participants agreed it was somewhat easy or easy from each organization. Only one of the organizations for newcomers to get jobs, but this is the case mainly received funding from the CIC. The other SPO received for low skill, entry-level employment. Foreign credential funding from provincial and other sources. A draft of the recognition and language were identified as the two main Ashern and Arborg community report was provided to barriers to getting a job in Ashern and Arborg. In fact, one the survey participants and three additional community SPO had the impression foreign credential recognition stakeholders for their feedback. The two survey was harder in Manitoba than in other provinces, such as participants provided feedback, and this feedback was Alberta. applied to the report to improve its accuracy. Available Settlement Services Background The two service providers from Ashern and Arborg Ashern and Arborg are both towns in the region offered a variety of settlement and integration services in central Manitoba. The Interlake is a large provincial over large geographic areas (see Appendix A for a list of electoral division located between Lake Manitoba and Lake possible settlement services). The SPO in Arborg offered . Both have historical connections to the railways. information and orientation, need assessment and referral, Arborg, meaning “River town,” was established in 1910 and interpretation services, assistance with daily life, help with is located 35 kilometres north of Gimli. Ashern is farther setting up a business, and occupational/business mentorship north and is in the northwest corner of the Interlake and networking. Information and orientation sessions are region. While the population of Arborg has grown 12.8% offered in Arborg, however attendance has dramatically from 2006 (1,021) to 2011 (1,152), Ashern’s population has declined since CIC’s shift to fund only permanent residents declined 4.7% during the same time period from 639 to and refugees. In Ashern, settlement services offered 609 (Statistics Canada, 2014). A large proportion (90% or included literacy support, language assistance, assistance above) of the residents in both towns speak English in the with finding a job and housing, business networking, help home and it would appear there is a fairly homogenous with daily life, and computer access. Several specific services population in both towns. were identified as needing to be expanded and included interpretation services, childcare, and assistance completing administrative tasks (e.g., permanent resident application Community Settlement Concerns and getting drivers licenses). The top services identified Both participants felt the number of newcomerssettling by participants as needed by newcomers were language in Ashern and Arborg had increased in the last 5 years. training and assessment, assistance with daily life, access The main explanation for this growth in the newcomer to Service Canada, information and orientation, computer population was the employment opportunities in health access, and assistance finding housing, which can be scarce. care (strong demand for nurses), the hog industry, and

Ashern and Arborg, Manitoba 2 In regards to newcomers who are ineligible for CIC-funded organizational body which could provide support to SPOs services, participants indicated temporary foreign workers by answering questions, providing training, and clarifying (TFW), new and returning naturalized citizens, refugee changing policies and regulations. The remaining items on claimants and international students were all in need of the list (see Appendix C) both participants felt they had settlement services; however, less emphasis was placed adequate capacity in the following areas: staff to provide on the needs of international students. This is perhaps services, government funding, ability to communicate due to the fact that Ashern and Arborg may see few with stakeholders, coordinate services with other SPOs, international students, since there are no universities or create governing and strategic plans, and meet reporting colleges in the region. Similar to the needs identified for CIC requirements. eligible newcomers, language training, computer access, information and orientation, need assessment and referral, Partnerships and supports from Service Canada were all listed as the services most needed by newcomers who are ineligible for Both of the participants from Ashern and Arborg services. All of these services are currently offered in the were engaged in partnerships within the community region, but eligibility is an issue and may restrict newcomer (see Appendix B for list of possible partnerships). The access to these services. Both participants felt strongly the participants identified partnerships with the schools/ services being funded should be offered to all newcomers school board, umbrella organization, SPOs, newcomers, (e.g., TFW). Currently the SPOs only option is to provide health services, municipalities, businesses, the chamber ineligible newcomers with the CIC website, though more of commerce, civil society groups, foundations, labour hands on support is often needed and necessary. market services and Service Canada. However, more communication is necessary with the Chambers of Several barriers to accessing services were identified by Commerce to ensure they are fully aware of settlement participants. The large geographic region combined with the services being offered in the region, but initiating lack of public transportation makes it hard for newcomers to this communication would tax SPO’s already strained access services. In addition, ineligibility for services, lack of manpower. childcare, confusion about where to get help, hours of the day the services are offered, and lack of services were also The activities conducted in partnership were categorized identified as key barriers. into three groups; settlement (e.g., getting jobs and housing, daily functioning), integration (e.g., teaching labour rules and human rights), and welcoming (e.g., Tracking and Planning orientation to community, civic events). Welcoming, One of the two service providers reported their organization settlement, and integration activities were conducted in regularly assessed the need of newcomers in their partnership, though integration activities were the least community. These assessments were conducted monthly reported. Resources in these organizations are reportedly internally, yearly externally, by collaborating and discussing strained and, despite the partnerships are established, it with a committee comprised of a variety of stakeholders. can be a challenge to find the additional time to specifically focus on issues related to newcomers. Specific Capacities In Ashern and Arborg, the two organizations who Research Team participated in the survey had differing organizational Bill Ashton, Ph.D. (Principal Investigator) capacity. Both organizations felt they had adequate Rachael Pettigrew, Ph.D. (Research Associate) financial support from government sources, but Arborg Eleni Galatsanou, MSc (Project Coordinator) did not feel they had enough financial support from other sources. Neither organization felt they had the capacity Rural Development Institute, Brandon University to provide services in both official languages. Overall the Tel: 204-571-8513, [email protected] Arborg service provider had more concerns about having (Chair of Project Advisory Panel) the capacity to provide services to newcomers and cited Lori Wilkinson, Ph.D. insufficient capacity to mobilize the community to volunteer University of Manitoba and welcome newcomers, staff skills to deliver and maintain Tel: 204- 474-8491, [email protected] services. The large geographic region serviced by these SPOs can, in itself, strain available staff resources. In addition, in an effort to keep staff up to speed and ease service delivery, it would be beneficial to have a central provincial

Ashern and Arborg, Manitoba 3 Appendix A – List of Possible Services Appendix B – Possible Organizational SETTLEMENT Partnerships a. Greeting upon arrival/initial reception • School/School Boards b. Information and orientation • Umbrella organizations c. Needs assessment and referral • Newcomers (individuals) d. Interpretation services • Housing services e. Language assessment • Settlement service providers f. Language training • Health services g. Help finding housing • Municipal offices/ EDO h. Help with daily life (e.g., registering for school, • Civil society groups getting a bank account) • Francophone organizations i. Transportation support • Language training providers ECONOMIC • Children/Family services j. Help finding a job • Businesses k. Educational upgrading • Chambers of Commerce l. Recognition of foreign credentials • Police Force m. Investment opportunities • Universities/Research Networks n. Job-specific language training • Ethno-cultural groups o. Help setting up a business • Religious organizations p. Occupational/business mentorship and networking • Public libraries q. Financial supports • Foundations SOCIAL Appendix C – Possible Organizational r. Childcare Capacities s. Cultural Events • Staff to provide services t. Recreational services • Financial support from government sources to maintain u. Legal support/referral current services v. Health Services • Financial support from non-government sources to w. Mental Health Services maintain current services x. Social inclusion/ integration support • Communication with stakeholders y. Services for seniors • Coordinating services with other service providers z. Services for women • Staff skills for delivery and maintenance of services aa. Services for youth • Mobilization of community to support and welcome newcomers • Creation of governing and strategic plan • Meet reporting requirements • Provide services in both official languages • Creation of governing and strategic plan • Meet reporting requirements • Provide services in both official languages

Ashern and Arborg, Manitoba 4