Options Community Services Society selected to deliver settlement services to newcomers in Surrey

Sukh Dhaliwal

IMMIGRATION, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Thursday said it works with many partners in the delivery of services to newcomers to Canada, and supports their integration into Canadian communities. IRCC is actively working to improve these settlement services through the Service Delivery Improvements funding stream and will be providing funding of $798,806 to Options Community Services Society to help deliver these important services.

Sukh Dhaliwal, MP for Surrey-Newton, made the announcement on behalf of Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Options Community Services Society is partnering with social design and research firm InWithForward to develop specialized service delivery models for newcomer seniors and newcomers with disabilities. These groups are considered vulnerable populations and service provider organizations have identified gaps in current funding to address their needs.  This project will reach out to newcomer clients to participate in focus groups and test out experimental methodologies.

IRCC’s Service Delivery Improvement Fund is a dedicated funding stream of over $30 million per year, devoted to service delivery improvement, innovation and experimentation to continue to find better ways to deliver services to newcomers, meet the needs of newcomer clients and support the integration process.

Hussen said: “I’m proud that the Government of Canada is working with organizations like Options Community Services Society to provide high-quality settlement services for newcomers across the country. Finding new and better ways to help newcomers succeed in their journey benefits all Canadians, by strengthening our labour force and the economy.”

Dhailwal added: “Thanks to the Service Delivery Improvement fund, projects such as Options Community Services Society’s will improve IRCC’s understanding of newcomer needs and support their successful integration into Canadian communities.”

 

Quick facts

  • SDI funding is a dedicated stream within the Settlement Program of almost $150 million over five years. The funding was allocated to the Department through the 2017 Immigration Levels Plan, and is devoted to testing new approaches to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Program.
  • Following the first Expression of Interest process for SDI launched in fall 2017, IRCC is now funding over 100 projects across the country. All projects will be complete by March 31, 2021.
  • There are seven funding streams under the SDI: language acquisition; employment; youth supports; harnessing volunteers and supporting capacity building in the settlement sector; pay for performance; newcomer well-being and programming to support vulnerable clients; and research and analysis to drive innovation and understand the user experience.