GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND ONTARIO SIGN IMMIGRATION AGREEMENT
On Monday, November 21, 2005, the Honourable Joe Volpe, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and the Honourable Mike Colle, Ontario Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, signed the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement.
This agreement will provide Ontario with the resources and opportunities necessary to help newcomers quickly become productive citizens, says Mario J. Calla. In the 18 years that Ive been working in the field of immigrant settlement services, this announcement has to be the most significant development for the integration of immigrants in this great province. There have been numerous attempts at an immigration agreement over the past decade. When I heard that Ministers. Volpe and Colle were personally committed to achieving an agreement, I was not surprised. I have known these two gentlemen for many years and know of their determination when they see the merits of a cause.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Government of Canada will invest an additional $920 million over the next five years in Ontario. This is the first comprehensive immigration agreement between Ontario and Canada, and it is intended to help more newcomers reach their full potential in Ontario by increasing the funding for services to help them settle, integrate and access language training.
By formalizing how the two levels of government will work together in the area of immigration, the agreement signals a shared desire to optimize the economic benefits of immigration and ensure that immigration policies and programs respond to Ontarios social, economic development and labour market priorities.
This is a significant milestone, laying a foundation for the governments of Canada and Ontario to work together in collaboration with municipalities and official language minority communities to improve the social and economic integration of immigrants in the province, said Minister Volpe.
This is truly a landmark agreement for our province and a history-making investment in the successful integration of the 125,000 new immigrants Ontario welcomes each year, added Minister Colle.
Ontario welcomes more than half of all new immigrants coming to Canada every year. Increased settlement funding for immigrants in Ontario will help Ontarios newcomers successfully start their new life here.
