Pathways to Prosperity 2025 National Conference: Workshops and Roundtables – Presentations and Recordings | Conférence nationale 2025 de Voies vers la prospérité: Ateliers et tables-rondes – Les présentations et les enregistrements

Monday, November 24, 2025 | Lundi 24 novembre 2025
2:45 PM – 4:00 PM AST | 13h45 á 16h00 HNA

A01 (In Person) – Advancing Belonging: Multisectoral Anti-Racism Strategies to Strengthen Newcomer Settlement Outcomes

Chair: Mohamed Bagha – Saint John Newcomers Centre

This collaborative presentation unites perspectives from child welfare, advocacy, legal, and settlement sectors to examine systemic barriers affecting newcomer and racialized communities. It highlights the importance of applying an anti-racism lens to service delivery, promoting equitable access to supports, and strengthening cross-sector collaboration. The presentation explores how anti-racist and inclusive practices can advance systemic change, and create safer, more responsive institutions. Participants will gain practical insights from sector leaders, including the Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence (CWICE), the New Brunswick Advocate’s Office, legal experts, and the Saint John Newcomers Centre, on applying anti-racism frameworks to protect rights, drive systemic change, and elevate newcomer perspectives within organizations.

• From Stories to Strategy: Newcomer Voices Driving Anti-Racism Action
  Lina Gharbiya – Saint John Newcomers Centre
• Applying an Anti-Racism Lens to Child Welfare: Protecting Vulnerable Newcomer Children Through the National Outreach Project
  Nadia Drepaul – Peel Children’s Aid Society
• Advancing Rights and Equity through Advocacy
  Amélie Brutinel – Office of the New Brunswick Advocate
• Anti-Racism and the Employment Relationship: Discrimination Cases Everyone Should Know
  Daniel Wilband – VanBuskirk Law

A02 (in person) – Introducing CanAvenue.ca: An Online Platform for Independent English Learners

Chair: Carolyn Duvar – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

How can technology and collaboration reshape communication training for internationally educated healthcare professionals (IEHPs)? In this session, presenters will share how partnerships with healthcare innovators have led to powerful new tools, such as simulations and AI-enhanced learning, which make the bridging process smoother and more effective. These tools help IEHPs build confidence, pass high-stakes licensure exams, and transition successfully into the Canadian workplace. Leave with practical insights and inspiration for integrating similar innovations into your own programs.

• Carolyn Duvar – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Mona Heidery – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Noel Pendergast – Centre for Collaborative Clinical Learning and Research
• Karim Qayumi – University of British Columbia / CyberPatient

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A03 (In Person) – Bridging Borders: A Seamless Continuum from Pre-Arrival to Post-Arrival Settlement Services

Chair: Divya Sinha – YMCA of Greater Toronto

This workshop explores how the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Pre-arrival (Next Stop Canada) and Post-arrival (Newcomer Information Centre) programs use technology and collaboration to create a seamless client experience. Through real newcomer stories, participants will follow settlement journeys that highlight how digital referrals, timely communication, and shared tools helped clients navigate their move to Canada with greater confidence. The session will showcase tech-enabled practices that connect services across time zones and locations, ensuring personalized and continuous support. Participants will leave with practical ideas to strengthen coordination between teams, enhance digital service delivery, and build more responsive and client-centered newcomer pathways.

• Divya Sinha – YMCA of Greater Toronto
• Raluca Costea – YMCA of Greater Toronto
• Virginia Barquero – YMCA of Greater Toronto

A04 (In Person) – Co-Creating Equity: GBA Plus Tools for National Impact, Lessons from the Manitoba Pilot Organizations

Chair: Yevgeniy Yegorov – A&O: Support Services for Older Adults

This workshop showcases Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) in action through the experiences of two Manitoba pilot organizations that participated in the 2023–24 National Enhancing GBA Plus Capacity Project, led by AAISA in partnership with AMSSA, SAISIA, MANSO, OCASI, ARAISA, and FCFA. Presenters will highlight the development and national adaptation of two practical tools: The Staff Diversity & Inclusion Identity Survey and Self-Learning & Group Activities for Inclusive Programming. They will also share key outcomes, lessons learned, and strategies for sustaining equity work. Participants will gain ready-to-use resources, practical approaches, and inspiration to embed GBA Plus and advance lasting, equity-driven change.

• Erika Frey – Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations (MANSO)
• Maureen Keelan – A&O: Support Services for Older Adults
• Cathy Dowd – Portage Learning and Literacy Centre

A05 (In Person) – Embedding Equity in Newcomer Research: Cultural Responsiveness, Cultural Brokering, and Community Engagement

Chair: Amanda Weightman – Habitus Consulting Collective

This workshop explores ways of embedding newcomers, ethnocultural communities, and immigrant services through culturally responsive approaches to research. Through four case examples, this panel will explore three key aspects: research design, implementation, and mobilization. The session will identify how cultural responsiveness can be operationalized, share practical examples from research partnerships and community engagement, and highlight how approaches such as cultural brokering can support decolonization, cultural responsiveness, knowledge sharing, and be trauma-informed. Presenters will reflect critically on the role of research in reinforcing and challenging inequities and how to build strong, equitable practices and strategies in professional and multi-partner research contexts. Audience members are encouraged to bring reflections on their own challenges supporting research in these spaces and strategies to overcome them.

• Case study #1 – Centering Community Voices in Culturally Responsive Research 
  Laurent Wall – Habitus Consulting Collective
• Case study #2 – Laying the Groundwork: Cultural Brokering as the Foundation for Community-Engaged Mental Health Research with Refugee Populations 
  Margherita Cameranesi – Saint Mary’s University
• Case study #3 – Bridging Worlds: Peer Approaches to Equitable Newcomer Research and Evaluation
  Lisa Elford – Habitus Consulting Collective

A06 (in person) – Exploring Truth and Reconciliation in Newcomer-Serving Practices with the National Newcomer Collective for Truth & Reconciliation (NNCTR)

Facilitators: Mbalu Lumor, Diana Ospina, and Alix Reynolds – National Newcomer Collective for Truth & Reconciliation (NNCTR)

The National Newcomer Collective for Truth and Reconciliation (NNCTR) is a community of practice and knowledge hub where members from the newcomer settlement sector come together to advance Truth and Reconciliation efforts and support better relationships between Indigenous and newcomer communities. The NNCTR is currently conducting a nationwide needs assessment to learn from frontline practitioners from across Canada and explore their lived experiences, cultural perspectives, and community-level challenges related to TRC engagement in settlement and integration work. Join this roundtable session to participate in the conversation and help inform the development of supports to help empower the settlement sector in this work.

A07 (in person) –Immigrant Women’s Entrepreneurship – First-Voice Perspectives and Program Innovation

Facilitators: Christine Alvarez and Julekha Nusrat – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

This roundtable explores ISANS’ Immigrant Women Entrepreneurship Network (IWEN), a literacy-sensitive, gender-responsive program that supports immigrant women pursuing business in Nova Scotia. The session features first-voice stories from IWEN members, sharing their challenges, successes, and journeys. Key topics include overcoming cultural barriers, building networks, shifting mindsets, and leveraging unique strengths. The discussion highlights the importance of fostering confidence, community integration, and meaningful connections for long-term success. Attendees will gain practical insights into designing inclusive, culturally relevant programs that meet women where they are. Feedback and shared experiences will help shape the ongoing development and innovation of the IWEN program.

A08 (In Person) – Leveraging Evaluation Findings for Capacity Building and Service Delivery

Chair: Jewel Bailey – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

Evaluation answers the most important question of any program or intervention: Is it working?

Evaluation findings are used to improve program quality, inform evidence-based decision making and develop initiatives reflective of the needs of service providers and service recipients.

Join this session to learn how the Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and its partners, Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services and Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS), has used evaluation to expand, build partnerships, and improve service capacity.

• Leveraging Evaluation Findings for National Expansion and Partnerships: Learnings from the Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health Project
  Sayani Paul – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
• Measuring What Matters: Using Evaluation to Drive Growth and Collaboration
  Nadia Sokhan – Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services
• From Surviving to Reconnecting: A Three-Year Journey of Healing and Belonging
  Elizabeth GebreMariam and Mia Mirosavljevic – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

A09 (in person) – Mapping Legal Needs and Barriers: A Feminist Participatory Action Research Perspective with Insights from a Frontline Service Provider

Chair: Saleha Khan – EmpowerHer Diversity Hub

This workshop presents findings from The Community Justice Initiative: Mapping Legal Needs and Barriers, a feminist participatory action research project led by EmpowerHer Diversity Hub and funded by The Law Foundation of Ontario. The research examined the legal needs of migrant workers, international students, women, and gender-diverse individuals across Ontario using inclusive, trauma-informed, and community-based approaches. The session features key findings, reflections from the research team, and a case study from The Neighbourhood Organization – Workers Support Services, providing on-the-ground insights into the systemic barriers migrant workers face and community-led strategies to improve legal access.

• Norin Taj – EmpowerHer Diversity Hub
• Maria Esel Panlaqui – EmpowerHer Diversity Hub
• Saleha Khan – EmpowerHer Diversity Hub
• Jennifer Rajasekar – The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO)

A10 (En personne) – Mobiliser les collectivités rurales et francophones : synergies entre l’initiative des Communautés francophones accueillantes et les initiatives d’établissement rural

Présidentes : Marie Hélène Eddie – Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada (IRCC) et Michelle Arseneault – Conseil Multiculturel du Nouveau-Brunswick

Cette table-ronde explorera les impacts des Communautés francophones accueillantes (CFA) et du Réseau d’établissement rural (RER) sur l’attraction et la rétention des immigrants francophones. Des intervenants partageront leurs expériences, défis et stratégies pour offrir des services inclusifs et adaptés. L’échange portera aussi sur les partenariats innovants, les outils communs et les formations développées pour soutenir les acteurs de première ligne dans les régions rurales acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick.

• Marie-Hélène Eddie – Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada (IRCC)
• Suzie Chenard – Association multiculturelle d’intégration des nouveaux arrivants (AMINA)
• Patrice Cinéus – Association multiculturelle de Restigouche

A11 (In Person) – Newcomer Employment from Coast to Coast: Purposefully Designing Programs for Diverse Contexts

Chair: Jason Chalmers – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA)

This session explores how service providers across Canada design employment programs for the needs of diverse populations and regions. Within the rapidly shifting economic and political climate, service providers play a critical role in forging new pathways and possibilities for Canada’s future. Employment programs can help to unlock the skills potential of newcomers and ensure they are meaningfully integrated into the workforce. While responding to the national climate, such programs must also respond to the needs of diverse populations, regions, and the unique experiences of each client. Presenters will show how programs have been purposefully designed for three distinct contexts: refugees with low English fluency in British Columbia, refugee youth in Nova Scotia, and internationally educated physicians in Ontario.

• Connecting Refugees with Lower English Fluency to Employment
  David Lee – MOSAIC
• Building an Employment Program for Refugee Youth in Nova Scotia
  Aura Groomes – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA) and Kelly Frame – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Embedding the Medical Community in Supports for Internationally Trained Physicians: Lessons from HELP
  Cameron Moser – ACCES Employment
• Discussant
  Dayana Tellez – Future Skills Centre

A12 (In Person) – Responding to Urgency with Impact: Addressing Refugee Claimants’ Needs in Newfoundland and Labrador

Facilitators: Khalid Al Hariri and Margo Sobolieva – Association for New Canadians

Newfoundland and Labrador has witnessed a growing number of refugee claimants. While these individuals bring skills that advance economic growth, they have urgent and complex needs. In response, specialized teams from the Association for New Canadians have collaborated to provide programming that allows refugee claimants to begin a new chapter, while addressing labour shortages in key industries. To date, most of the 2023 clients remain in Newfoundland and Labrador and are contributing to its economy and enriching cultural diversity. This roundtable will share some of the successes and challenges, and invite participants to explore best practices to strengthen integration efforts and improve local economic development.

A13 (In Person) – Retaining Talent in the Settlement Sector – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Chair: Laura Gold – JIAS Toronto

The struggles of retaining talented staff in a high-stress lower-wage non-profit sector and the high cost – both in time and money – because of high staff turnover are well known. In this workshop, JIAS Toronto will share some of the strategies they have employed to retain their workforce, centered around fostering professional development and reducing burnout using trauma-informed practices. In addition, the North East Toronto LIP will share regional-level insights from member agencies. The session will also include a discussion with attendees about their challenges and successes in this area so that we can support one another in addressing this thorny issue.

• Laura Gold – JIAS Toronto
• Victoria Koren – JIAS Toronto
• Srna Stambuk – North East Toronto Local Immigration Partnership (NETLIP) / JVS Toronto

A14 (In Person) – Specialized Programs in the Settlement Sector to Support Newcomers with Disabilities

Facilitator: Carol Derby – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

Join us for a panel discussion on specialized settlement programs supporting newcomers with disabilities. Experts will explore language acquisition for deaf and hard of hearing clients, integrating diverse disabilities into LINC programming, navigating Canada’s medical systems, and addressing employment barriers. With the Accessible Canada Act aiming for a barrier-free country by 2040, the settlement sector must act now to ensure equitable, inclusive services. This panel will examine the sector’s readiness to meet accessibility goals and identify strategies to ensure newcomers with disabilities receive the support, opportunities, and inclusion they need to fully participate in Canadian society.

• Jessica Leslie – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Danielle Barnes – NorQuest College
• Firat K. Sayin – Saint Mary’s University
• Sahar Masoud – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Gary Griffiths – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

A15 (In Person) – The Evolution of IRCC’s Settlement Program Data and Research

Chair: Christine Binne – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

IRCC maintains several data sources for measuring Settlement Program success and making evidence-based decisions. This workshop will look at how these data sources have evolved to promote accurate and effective data collection and outcome measurement while keeping up with the changing Settlement Program and immigration landscape. Recent facts and figures from these data sources will be presented, including data from the “new” iCARE. The final presentation will highlight results from recent Settlement Program research and the 2025 Settlement Outcomes Report – the Program’s capstone project that brings these data sources together to summarize the newcomer settlement experience.

• The Evolution of Settlement Data Collection at IRCC (Including Early Results from “New” iCARE)
  Jeslyn Thibedeau – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• Facts and Figures from IRCC’s Core Settlement Data Sources
  Jeslyn Thibedeau – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• Findings from the 2025 Settlement Outcomes Report and Other Recent Research
  Christine Binne – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

A16 (In Person) – The SOGIESC Allyship Manual: Tools for Inclusive Settlement Work 

Chairs: Carmen Budilean – New Brunswick Multicultural Council and Hadeel Ibrahim – Chroma NB

This workshop introduces the SOGIESC Allyship Manual for settlement workers, a practical guide to creating inclusive, respectful, and affirming spaces for newcomers of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions. Developed in partnership with Chroma NB and the New Brunswick Multicultural Council, the manual equips participants with foundational knowledge, strategies for navigating difficult conversations, cultural insights, and hands-on tools to support families and individuals. More than just a resource, it is an invitation to build brave spaces, strengthen communities, and practice meaningful allyship with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

• Carmen Budilean – New Brunswick Multicultural Council
• Hadeel Ibrahim – Chroma NB
• Jessica Morales – New Brunswick Multicultural Council

A17 (Virtual) – Advancing Intersectional Approaches: Exploring Culturally Responsive Collaborations to Build Inclusive Practices and Trauma-Informed Care (Video | Vidéo)

Chair: Samantha Iyere – Achēv

The workshop delves into four innovative initiatives that showcase intersectional approaches of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) to build holistic, collaborative and mutually beneficial multi-layered experiences among organizations and high-risk newcomer populations. ‘Stronger Together’ builds organizational capacity and community education in trauma-informed care. ‘RISE’ offers comprehensive, trauma-informed, and accessible services designed to support and empower women and self-identifying women in their recovery from gender-based violence. ‘SAFE’ provides trauma-informed care from the perspective of GBV survivors with lived experience. ‘Paving the Way for Immigrant and Racialized Women’ integrates DEIA principles to transform workplace cultures and build equitable futures. This workshop will engage in a collective call to action, grounded in culturally responsive frameworks, to drive GBA+ systemic change and work toward the eradication of GBV.

• Stronger Together: Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Support
  Samantha Iyere, Felicia Gisondi, and Ayesha Bhikha – Achēv
• Resilience. Independence. Support. Empowerment. (RISE)
  Sonja Johnson, Divya Fernandes, and Ayesha Bhikha – Achēv
• Paving the Way for Immigrant and Racialized Women
  Kosalina Vignarajah, Harpreet Kaur, and Ayesha Bhikha – Achēv
• Survivor Advocates for Empowerment (SAFE)
  Lorraine Rollo – Survivor Advocates for Empowerment (SAFE)

A18 (Virtual) – All Under One Roof: How the YMCA of the National Capital Region’s Integrated Services Support Asylum Claimants to Settle in Ottawa (Video | Vidéo)

Chair: Liz Sutherland – YMCA of the National Capital Region

The YMCA of the National Capital Region has developed an integrated system of wraparound supports that provide asylum seekers with housing, employment, health, language, and other settlement services—all under one roof. This model streamlines access, reduces duplication, and ensures a holistic, client-centered approach. Over the past year, the YMCA has refined this program for individuals and is now expanding to serve families. Presenters will share lessons learned, highlight strong referral pathways and partnerships, and offer practical strategies for creating seamless service environments that respond quickly to complex newcomer needs while fostering long-term integration in the community.

• Liz Sutherland – YMCA of the National Capital Region
• Kathleen Holloway Jun – YMCA of the National Capital Region
• Belinda Bordoff – YMCA of the National Capital Region
• Yvonne Su – York University

A19 (Virtual) – It Started with a Conversation: Building Trust with Newcomer Women (Video | Vidéo)

Chair: Sharmila Ranabhat – Wilfrid Laurier University

This session explores the importance of spaces designed for women as a foundation for addressing the complex issues faced by immigrant women, including gender-based violence (GBV). Through community-based programming—such as peer support, workshops, and cultural activities—newcomer and immigrant women build trust, ask questions, and share experiences related to rights, identity, and safety. Grounded in storytelling and lived experience, this session focuses on how we can empower women, reduce isolation, and foster resilience. We will share lessons from Nova Scotia and Alberta, with practical insights for creating inclusive, trauma-informed spaces focusing on dignity, care, and community connection.

• Olya Stepanenko – Immigrant Migrant Women’s Association of Halifax (IMWAH)
• Aliyyah Fazil – Second Story Women’s Centre
• Sharmila Ranabhat – Wilfrid Laurier University

A20 (Virtual) – Immigration, Work and New Technologies: Part 1 – Recruitment and Employability Programs (Video | Vidéo)

Chair: Mireille Paquet – Concordia University

Part 1:
The labour market is undergoing multifaceted transformations driven by processes of digitalization, with profound implications for the professional trajectories of immigrants. From the recruitment and selection of new workers to employment, entrepreneurship, and employability services, these emerging dynamics exert a significant influence on the ways in which immigrant careers unfold. Technological innovations, together with the normative frameworks they embed within the world of work, prompt critical reflection on digital equity, potential forms of surveillance and control, as well as the opportunities they may create. This workshop convenes interdisciplinary, pan-Canadian contributions examining these issues through economic, political, sociological, and anthropological lenses.

• Recruiting the “Perfect” Migrant Worker Through Technologies: Filters, Surveillance and Controls
  Mylène Coderre – Concordia University
• Conditional Status and Digital Precarity: Rethinking Labour Market Access for Temporary Migrants in Canada
  Marika Jeziorek – Wilfrid Laurier University
• Digital Transformation of Public and Community Services: Opportunities for Asylum Seekers Seeking Employment?
  Marie-Jeanne Blain, Iris Oh, Mireille Paquet, and Gwénaëlle André – Concordia University
• How Digital Diversity Shapes Employment Outcomes – Digital Inclusion Is a Settlement Imperative
  Marco Campana – Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services

A21 (Virtuel) – Recherche d’OCASI : l’entrepreneuriat et les immigrants en Ontario (Video | Vidéo)

Facilitateurs : Parvine Bahramian – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) et Pierre Gaudet – Ottawa Community Loan Fund (OCLF)

OCASI partage les résultats d’une recherche récemment menée, en partenariat avec l’Université de Toronto. La recherche vise à (1) mesurer la contribution des immigrants à l’entrepreneuriat, (2) identifier des catégories d’entreprises et des tendances démographiques, et (3) évaluer les services de soutien offerts par les organismes sans but lucratif. De même, OCLF abordera les défis d’un fournisseur de services en entrepreneuriat.

Joignez-vous à cette table ronde pour participer à la conversation et contribuer à orienter le développement de soutiens et d’initiatives de plaidoyer visant à améliorer l’accès à l’entrepreneuriat chez les immigrants.

• Parvine Bahramian – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
• Pierre Gaudet – Ottawa Community Loan Fund

Monday, November 24, 2025 | Lundi 24 novembre 2025
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM AST | 16h15 á 17h30 HNA

B01 (in person) – Banking on Potential: Corporate Partnerships Fueling Newcomer Entrepreneurship in a Digital and AI-Driven World

Chair: Ruwaida Al-Kubaisi – Achēv

This workshop highlights how strategic partnerships between financial institutions and community organizations are empowering newcomer entrepreneurs to thrive in Canada’s economy and digital marketplace. Drawing on insights from a community-driven initiative, the workshop will showcase how immigrant founders are gaining the skills, confidence, and digital literacy needed to launch and grow resilient businesses. Attendees will explore how these programs help newcomers adapt to shifting economic realities, leverage digital tools, and experiment with AI to build future-ready ventures, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem.

• Unlocking Potential through Inclusive Innovation
  Ayesha Bhikha – Achēv
• Corporate Partnerships Fueling Newcomer Entrepreneurship
  Ruwaida Al-Kubaisi – Achēv
• Thriving in a Digital and AI-Driven World
  Dino Miele – Katapult Consulting Services

B02 (in person) – Building Stronger Communities for Migrant Workers Across Provinces: Models for Equity in Action

Chair: Jennifer Rajasekar – The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO)

The Neighbourhood Organization’s (TNO) Worker Support Services (WSS) delivers a province-wide model that ensures migrant and temporary foreign workers across urban hubs and rural farm communities can access health, legal, and community supports. Drawing from 46,000+ workers served and 100,000+ service interactions, the model integrates multilingual outreach, culturally safe engagement, and cross-sector partnerships to dismantle systemic barriers and build trust. This session highlights scalable and replicable practices for coordinating settlement, legal navigation (including OWP-VW applications), and health pathways. Participants will be exposed to case studies on emergency responses, employer engagement, and rural logistics, leaving with adaptable tools, templates, and partnership strategies to implement this holistic, equity-driven model across Canada.

• Designing and Managing a Province-Wide Service Delivery Model for Migrant Worker Support
  Jennifer Rajasekar – The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO)
• Community-Based Outreach and Trust-Building in Rural and Agricultural Settings
  Enrique Martinez – Huron Farm Workers Ministry
• Integrating Legal Services into Holistic Support for Migrant and Temporary Foreign Workers
  Stacey Gomez – Centre for Migrant Worker Rights Nova Scotia

B03 (In Person) – Collaborating with Employers to Successfully Integrate Internationally Trained Professionals Into the Canadian Labour Market: Evidence from an Innovative Pilot Study

Chair: Kim Lehrer – Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)

Learn about how Achēv and ISANS collaborated with employers to successfully place skilled newcomers into good quality employment. The Skilled Newcomer Training Incentive Bond pilot combined tailored training, one-on-one support, and an innovative bond product to address both the demand-side (employers) and supply-side (newcomers) of the labour market equation. Presenters from both implementing organizations will describe the pilot’s delivery as well as successes and challenges. SRDC will share the results of the evaluation of the pilot and discuss recommendations for future programming and services.

• Reducing Risk, Unlocking Potential: How Bond Incentives Drive Innovative Hiring for Newcomers
  Anna McBeth – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Achēv’s Innovative Approach to Skilled Newcomer Labour Market Integration Through Bond Incentives
  Samantha Iyere – Achēv
• Evaluation Findings from the Skilled Newcomer Training Incentive Bond Pilot
  Xiaoyang Luo – Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)
• Turning Evidence Into Practice: Policy Recommendations from the Skilled Newcomer Training Incentive Bond Pilot
  Kim Lehrer – Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)

B04 (In Person) – Digitizing Licensure Pathways for Internationally Trained Physicians (ITPs): Meet Ally – A Career Decision-Making Tool for ITPs

Chair: Deidre Lake – Alberta International Medical Graduate Association (AIMGA)

This workshop will demonstrate the Ally tool, an AI-powered digital hub designed to support internationally trained medical graduates (IMGs) / internationally trained physicians (ITPs) in Canada. Ally helps IMGs / ITPs navigate career pathways, providing resources for both medical licensure and alternative healthcare professions. Ally uses a detailed licensure questionnaire to guide users toward potential pathways such as Practice Readiness Assessment (PRA) routes, the Residency Pathway to Licensure (CaRMS), and Associate Physician positions. The workshop will discuss how AI is used to keep the licensure questionnaire current, ensuring the information remains accurate and effective for newcomers. Ally showcases how technology enhances the settlement experience and promotes the workforce integration of internationally trained professionals.

• Deidre Lake – Alberta International Medical Graduate Association (AIMGA)
• Shay Sharma – Bluejarvis Technologies

B05 (In Person) – For Newcomers, By Newcomers: How Immigrants Are Driving Tech Innovation in Settlement

Chair: Aashima Rattan – Centre For Newcomers

What happens when newcomers lead in technology and innovation? You get solutions that truly work. Drawing on insights from WrapCap, a five-year federal youth settlement project, this workshop spotlights groundbreaking apps, AI platforms, and social enterprises from across Canada that the Centre for Newcomers has supported from their earliest stages. The best part? They are created for newcomers, by newcomers. These innovations are transforming immigration journeys by closing gaps in housing, post-secondary education, employment, and the whole settlement experience. This workshop will show why immigrant leadership in technology is essential and how their lived experience is shaping the future of settlement services.

• Aashima Rattan – Centre for Newcomers
• Carolee Israel Turner – Centre for Newcomers
• Pat Chaisang – Wayble
• Kelise Williams – UpRow

B06 (In Person) – Integration Through Sport and Recreation: Advancing Inclusive, Client-Centric, and Holistic Practices to Support Newcomers’ Participation in Social and Cultural Life in Canada

Chair: Todd Kitzler – Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA)

Newcomers often face challenges building social networks in their new communities in Canada. Sport and recreation offer an opportunity to develop these networks and foster a sense of belonging. This workshop will explore how inclusive and client-centred settlement programming that utilizes sport and recreation can help break down barriers to integration. Sport and recreation have enormous potential in encouraging newcomers to participate in their community and reduce barriers such as isolation. We will discuss past and current projects that the panelists have partnered on that aim to support newcomers’ participation in social and cultural life in Canada.

• Todd Kitzler – Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA)
• Shelly D’Mello – Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA)
• Kabir Hosein – Sport for Life Society
• Jean Buckler – University of Victoria

B07 (In Person) – Jammin’ the Path Forward: Bridging Indigenous-Immigrant Relationships Through Arts-Based Engagement

Facilitators: Cyrus Sundar Singh – Toronto Metropolitan University and Catherine Martin – University of King’s College

A diverse range of community workers, practitioners, and scholars share their learned, lived, and practiced wisdom in understanding  immigrant-Indigenous relationships. The roundtable welcomes the following:  the first Mi’kmaw filmmaker from the Atlantic region; a diversity consultant with the PEI provincial Department of Higher Education; a talented quilter, ukulele player, and researcher in Nova Scotia; a scholar of migration and peace studies from Manitoba; an AcademiCreActivist from Ontario. Why was it important for these participants to build bridges to connect across cultures? What processes of co-creation, collaboration, and arts-engagement did they employ? How did they foster relationships of trust?

• Alka Kumar – Toronto Metropolitan University
• Jason Chalmers – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA)
• Debbie Langston – Government of Prince Edward Island
• Catherine Martin – University of King’s College
• Cyrus Sundar Singh – Toronto Metropolitan University

B08 (In Person) – Launching of a National Resource: Engaging Men and Boys from Newcomer, Immigrant, and Refugee Communities in Gender-Based Violence Awareness, Education, and Allyship

Chair: Kathryn Bates-Khan – YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) affects all communities. Engaging men and boys in GBV education, programs, and services is essential to ending GBV and recognizing them as key participants in the solutions. This workshop will present the National GBV Strategy resource on engaging men and boys in GBV awareness and intervention and will highlight two community-based (Nova Scotia and Manitoba) Men & Boys programs that promote healthy masculinity and violence prevention through workshops, recreation, and research. Presenters from the anti-violence and settlement sectors will share inclusive strategies, grounded in intersectionality and GBA+, to engage newcomer men, contributing to safer, more equitable families and communities.

• Hilda De Souza – Elmwood Community Resource Centre
• Valérie Auger-Voyer – Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada
• Maggie To – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
• Briana Miller – YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth
• Pinash Akter – YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth

B09 (In Person) – Leveraging and Supporting Immigrant Entrepreneurs

Facilitators: Priyanka Sheth – Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre (DBNC) and Heather Turnbull – Proactive Anti-Violence Education (PAVE) Prevention / Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre (DBNC)

Beyond the rhetoric of our current climate on the value of immigrants and immigration, it is imperative that we find responses and solutions to debunk the misconceptions and highlight the importance and the value that immigrant entrepreneurs bring to Canada. Recent data show that small businesses contribute between 34.4% and 36.7% to the GDP generated by the private sector and are major employers, accounting for about 63.8% of the private sector workforce. Immigrant-owned businesses represent about one in four private sector businesses in Canada and the rate of entrepreneurs among the immigrant population (2.9%) is higher than that of non-immigrants (2.0%). This session will explore opportunities for action — what supports are currently available or needed, and how sectors can build meaningful partnerships to leverage the skills and talents of individuals as they enter our communities.

B10 (In Person | En personne) – One Island, Many Voices: Weaving Connections Between Francophone and Anglophone Service Providers | Une île, de nombreuses voix : tisser des liens entre les fournisseurs de services francophones et anglophones

Chair | Présidente : Kailea Pedley – Cape Breton Local Immigration Partnership | Partenariat local d’immigration du Cap-Breton

In this bilingual workshop, presenters will share their experiences with supporting French-speaking newcomers and fostering welcoming communities in Unama’ki – Cape Breton, while exploring lessons learned and ideas for building collaboration between service providers. The workshop will spark conversations about building connections between organizations, navigating language barriers, and fostering a “no wrong door” approach for French-speaking newcomers and for newcomers in Francophone communities.

• Inter-Organizational Collaboration in Chéticamp
  Betty Ann Cormier – Communauté francophone accueillante (CFA) Chéticamp
• Building Connections with Anglophone Organizations as a RIF
  Baharak Nazari – Réseau en immigration francophone de la Nouvelle-Écosse (RIFNÉ)
• Connecting Francophone Newcomers with Local Services
  Denise Bantegeyeko – Immigration francophone de la Nouvelle-Écosse (IFNÉ) Sydney
• Supporting Francophone Newcomers in the Workplace
  Issam Wade – Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CDÉNÉ)
• The CBLIP as a Platform for Collaboration
  Kailea Pedley – Cape Breton Local Immigration Partnership (CBLIP)

Dans cet atelier bilingue, les animateurs partageront leur expériences de soutien aux nouveaux arrivants francophones et de promotion des communautés accueillantes à Unama’ki-Cape Breton, tout en explorant les leçons apprises et des idées pour renforcer la collaboration entre les prestataires des services. L’atelier favorisera des échanges sur la création des liens entre les organismes, la gestion des barrières linguistiques et la promotion de l’ approche” aucune mauvaise porte” pour les nouveaux arrivants francophones et les nouveaux arrivants dans les communautés francophones.

• Inter-Organizational Collaboration in Chéticamp
  Betty Ann Cormier – Communauté francophone accueillante (CFA) Chéticamp
• Building Connections with Anglophone Organizations as a RIF
  Baharak Nazari – Réseau en immigration francophone de la Nouvelle-Écosse (RIFNÉ)
• Connecting Francophone Newcomers with Local Services
  Denise Bantegeyeko – Immigration francophone de la Nouvelle-Écosse (IFNÉ) Sydney
• Supporting Francophone Newcomers in the Workplace
  Issam Wade – Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CDÉNÉ)
• The CBLIP as a Platform for Collaboration
  Kailea Pedley – Partenariat local d’immigration du Cap-Breton

B11 (In Person | En personne) – Promoting Welcoming Rural Communities: Holistic and Collaborative Approaches | Promouvoir des communautés rurales accueillantes : des approches holistiques et collaboratives

Chair | Présidente: Florence Lux-Côté – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA)

Rural communities in the Atlantic region and Alberta are seeking ways to attract and retain newcomers over the long term. This workshop explores how fostering holistic approaches and welcoming communities can achieve this, focusing on community-driven strategies that strengthen collaboration between rural settlement providers and community organizations. Drawing on real-world examples and insights from rural initiatives, it demonstrates how partnerships enhance newcomers’ experiences, reduce duplication of efforts, and create sustainable supports. Participants will leave with an understanding of rural immigration realities and innovative approaches, plus practical tools to boost community readiness and inclusivity, helping rural areas become places of belonging.

• Pictou County Connected – A Rural Community Hug in Motion
  Becky Cowen – Pictou County Partnership
• The Sustainable Power of Communication to Attract and Retain Newcomers to Rural Areas
  Marcel Saulnier – Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CDÉNÉ)
• Building Welcoming Rural Communities: YMCA Collaborative Approach
  Trina Hall – YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth
• Supporting Holistic Approaches to Rural Settlement
  Soheila Homayed – Rural Development Network and Zyna Taylor – Lethbridge Local Immigration Partnership

Les communautés rurales de l’Atlantique et de l’Alberta cherchent des moyens d’attirer et de retenir les personnes nouvellement arrivées. Cet atelier explore comment le développement d’approches holistiques et de communautés accueillantes y contribue, en mettant l’accent sur des stratégies favorisant la collaboration entre les fournisseurs de services d’établissement en milieu rural et les organisations communautaires. Par des exemples concrets et des initiatives rurales, l’atelier démontre comment les partenariats améliorent l’expérience des personnes nouvellement arrivées, réduisent le dédoublement des efforts et favorisent la mise en place de soutiens durables. Les personnes participant à la session repartiront avec une compréhension des réalités de l’immigration en milieu rural, des approches novatrices, des outils pratiques pour renforcer la préparation et l’inclusivité communautaires, aidant les régions rurales à devenir de véritables lieux d’appartenance.

• Comté de Pictou connecté – une communauté rurale en mouvement
  Becky Cowen – Partenariat du Comté de Pictou
• Le pouvoir durable de la communication pour attirer et retenir les nouveaux arrivants dans les zones rurales
  Marcel Saulnier – Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CDÉNÉ)
  
• Bâtir des communautés rurales accueillantes : l’approche collaborative de la YMCA
  Trina Hall – YMCA du Grand Halifax/Dartmouth
• Soutenir les approches holistiques en matière d’établissement rural
  Soheila Homayed – Réseau de développement rural et Zyna Taylor – Partenariat local en immigration de Lethbridge

B12 (In Person) – Reimagining Belonging through Dialogue: Indigenous–Newcomer Relationship Building in Practice

Chair: Winnie Chironga – Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of British Columbia (AMSSA)

This workshop explores a relationship-based approach to decolonization within the immigrant and refugee-serving sector, grounded in the co-creation of Reimagining Belonging: A Guide for Building and Bridging Indigenous–Newcomer Relations. Through an interactive dialogue led by a newcomer community leader, a graphic designer, and an Indigenous Elder, participants will be guided through the story of how this resource emerged, through storytelling, visual dialogue, and intergenerational knowledge-sharing between Indigenous Elders and newcomer communities.

Presenters will reflect on lessons learned in building trust across differences, developing shared language, and holding space for uncomfortable yet transformative conversations. The session will also introduce a practical reflection tool, a visual “river journey” adapted from the guide to help organizations and individuals chart their own pathways toward reconciliation and relational accountability. Participants will engage in a hands-on, participatory activity that brings these ideas to life, followed by a collective discussion on how we can move beyond performative allyship toward sustained, accountable action within our respective ecosystems.

• Norm Leech – Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House
• Winnie Chironga – Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of British Columbia (AMSSA)
• Adriana Contreras – MareVerso Creative

B13 (In Person) – The World Gets Closer: Families Across International Borders and Services in a Time of Global Mobility

Chair: Danielle Ungara – Peel CAS’ Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence

In a world shaped by migration and mobility, families increasingly live, work, and connect across borders. Presenters will share qualitative research about the impact of transnational family separation on parenting and the psychosocial well-being of Black African migrant parents in Hamilton. Amid resettlement challenges and systemic barriers, the work highlights coping strategies and shifts in parenting roles. The session examines internationally connected families within the child welfare and social services sectors. Using real stories, presenters will explore legal, cultural, and systemic complexities, global impacts at the local level, and trends. Additional topics are child rights, cross-border collaboration, and building responsive systems for transnational families.

• Impact of Transnational Family Separation on Parenting and Psychosocial Well-being for Black African Migrant Parents in Hamilton, Ontario
  Tsinat Semagn – McMaster University
• The World Gets Closer: Families Across International Borders and Services in a Time of Global Mobility
  Sylvie Lapointe – International Social Service Canada, Celistine Frampton – Peel CAS’ Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence, and Danielle Ungara – Peel CAS’ Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence

B14 (In Person | En personne) – What is the Sector Working on Nationally? Updates and Discussions from the National Sector Engagement Forum | Sur quoi travaille le secteur à l’échelle nationale ? Mises à jour et discussions issues du Forum sur l’engagement sectoriel national

Facilitator | Facilitateur : Sarosh Rizvi – Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of British Columbia (AMSSA)

Following the 2025 National Sector Engagement Forum, Settlement Sector and IRCC Co-Chairs from the National Settlement and Integration Council (NSIC) and the Settlement and Integration Policy and Programs Committee (SIPPC) will share key updates on consultations, sector feedback, and priorities within the current context. The panel will provide insights on the overall feedback from November consultations, evolving themes for Settlement Program Renewal, and upcoming consultation opportunities. Participants will be updated on current collaboration via the sector governance model and pathways for their own participation in future consultations.

• Carol McQueen – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• Carolyn Whiteway – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA) / Settlement and Integration Policy and Programs Committee (SIPPC)
• Manjeet Dhiman – ACCES Employment / National Settlement and Integration Council (NSIC)

À la suite du Forum 2025 sur l’engagement sectoriel national, les co-présidentes du Conseil national de l’établissement et de l’intégration (CNEI), du Comité sur les politiques et les programmes d’établissement et d’intégration (CPPEI) et de l’IRCC feront le point sur les consultations, les commentaires du secteur et les priorités dans le contexte actuel. Le panel donnera un aperçu des commentaires généraux recueillis lors des consultations de novembre, des thèmes émergents pour le renouvellement du programme d’établissement et des prochaines occasions de consultation. Les participants seront informés de la collaboration actuelle via le modèle de gouvernance sectorielle et des possibilités qui s’offrent à eux pour participer aux futures consultations.

• Carol McQueen – Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada (IRCC)
• Carolyn Whiteway – Association des organismes d’aide aux immigrants de la région de l’Atlantique (ARAISA) / Comité sur les politiques et les programmes d’établissement et d’intégration (CPPEI)
• Manjeet Dhiman – ACCES Employment / Conseil national de l’établissement et de l’intégration (CNEI)

B15 (Virtual | Virtuel) – From Barriers to Belonging: Advancing Racial Justice, Addressing Systemic Barriers, Co-Creating Newcomer Well-Being | Des obstacles à l’inclusion : promouvoir la justice raciale, éliminer les obstacles systémiques et co-créer le bien-être des nouveaux arrivants (Video | Vidéo)

Facilitators | Facilitateurs : Siobhan Barker – Hogan’s Alley Society and Jahmira Lovemore Auguste – Hogan’s Alley Society / Little Jamaica Community Land Trust

This virtual roundtable brings together practitioners to explore the realities of supporting newcomers who face multiple and intersecting barriers, particularly in accessing housing, healthcare, and culturally grounded community support. Participants will join facilitated breakout rooms to discuss guiding questions focused on racial justice, culturally responsive and trauma-informed practice, and approaches that foster belonging and well-being. Each group will capture key insights and strategies to be shared back in a collective closing discussion. The session emphasizes collaboration, community voice, and actionable steps to co-create systems that support newcomers to participate and thrive socially, economically, and culturally.

Cette table ronde virtuelle réunit des praticien·ne·s pour explorer les réalités du soutien aux nouveaux arrivants qui font face à des obstacles multiples et intersectés, notamment en matière de logement, d’accès aux soins de santé et de liens communautaires culturellement ancrés. Les participant·e·s se joindront à des salles de répartition animées pour discuter de questions guidées portant sur la justice raciale, les pratiques culturellement adaptées et tenant compte des traumatismes, ainsi que les approches favorisant l’appartenance et le bien-être. Chaque groupe saisira les idées clés et les stratégies, puis les partagera en plénière. La séance met l’accent sur la collaboration, la voix communautaire et des actions concrètes pour co-créer des systèmes permettant aux nouveaux arrivants de s’épanouir socialement, économiquement et culturellement.

B16 (Virtual) – Immigration, Work and New Technologies: Part 2 – Access to the Labour Market & Workforce Dynamics (Video | Vidéo)

Chair: Mireille Paquet – Concordia University

Part 2:
The labour market is undergoing multifaceted transformations driven by processes of digitalization, with profound implications for the professional trajectories of immigrants. From the recruitment and selection of new workers to employment, entrepreneurship, and employability services, these emerging dynamics exert a significant influence on the ways in which immigrant careers unfold. Technological innovations, together with the normative frameworks they embed within the world of work, prompt critical reflection on digital equity, potential forms of surveillance and control, as well as the opportunities they may create. This workshop convenes interdisciplinary, pan-Canadian contributions examining these issues through economic, political, sociological, and anthropological lenses.

• Mapping the Digital Ecosystem: Advanced Technologies Supporting Immigrant Professionals’ Employment Integration in Canada
  Anusha Kashan – University of Calgary, Fatemeh Kazemi – University of British Columbia / The Immigrant Education Society (TIES), Katerina Palova – University of British Columbia / The Immigrant Education Society (TIES), and Kreisha Hilario – The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)
• Immigrant Workers and the Digital Transformation of Work: Spatial Precarity, and Urban Labour in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada
  María Cervantes and Suzanne Huot – University of British Columbia
• Misclassification, Migrant Labour and New Technologies in the Canadian Long-Haul Truck Driving Industry
  Émile Baril – Concordia University
• Cybersecurity, Immigrant Labour, and Construction of Racialized Ideal Worker
  Sepideh Borzoo, Rupa Banerjee, and Atty Mashatan – Toronto Metropolitan University

B17 (Virtual) – Inter-Ethnic Relations in Canada’s Settlement Services Sector (Video | Vidéo)

Chair: Ka Tat Tsang – University of Toronto

Recent Canadian and American migration policy changes, including immigration caps, are impacting Canada’s ethnically diverse settlement services sector. By conducting comprehensive interviews and focus groups across Canada, this workshop discusses a study exploring inter-ethnic relationships between service providers and users throughout 2023-2024, a critical period in migration policy. The study analyzes the formation of service delivery principles in the context of a diverse settlement sector impacted by recent migration policies, as understood through the lived experiences of service providers. The findings highlight how service delivery principles can strengthen inter-ethnic service provider-user relationships in response to policy changes through holistic, equity-driven, and human-centred approaches.

• Service Delivery Principles in Toronto’s Shifting Multicultural Settlement Service Sector
  Ibnat Islam, Julie Liu, Jemima Utami, Xueping He, and Ka Tat Tsang – University of Toronto
• Exploring Inter-Ethnic Relationships in Calgary’s Settlement Service Sector
  Carla Hilario – University of British Columbia

B18 (Virtual) – Introducing New English Settlement Language Training Resources! (Video | Vidéo)

Chair: Rafa Khan – Achēv

This session features three new language training resources. The CCLB EAL Literacy Orientation Kit connects essential resources such as CLB: ESL for Adult Literacy Learners, the CLB document, and the ESL for All Support Kit—key tools for guiding ESL literacy best practices. It captures core principles essential for literacy learners’ success in level-appropriate language training environments and reviews the diversity and spectrum of literacy learners. The National LINC Curriculum Guidelines foster consistency and excellence across all LINC programming. They support instructors, administrators, and curriculum developers. The National LINC Online Curriculum is creating 100 CLB 1–4 units that are ready-made, self-directed, CLB-aligned, and PBLA-compatible.

• Kathy Hughes – Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB)
• Rafa Khan – Achēv
• Emily Albertsen – Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB) / Achēv Contractor

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 l Mardi 25 novembre 2025
11:15 AM – 12:30 PM AST l 11h15 á 12h30 HNA

C01 (in person) – A GBV Policy Template for Organizations Serving Immigrant and Refugee Communities

Chair: Kathryn Bates-Khan – YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth

The National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Strategy for Agencies Serving Immigrants project has developed a comprehensive GBV Policy template for organizations serving immigrants, responding to a critical gap identified by sector leaders. This workshop invites participants to explore how this adaptable policy can strengthen responses to GBV affecting immigrant and refugee clients across Canada. Together, we will explore practical ways to prepare for disclosures, address barriers to support, and connect clients with specialized services. Participants will share experiences, discuss capacity-building strategies and complementary organizational GBA Plus tools, and leave with concrete ideas for empowering safer, more supportive, and non-judgmental environments in their own organizations.

• Nina Condo – Elmwood Community Resource Centre
• Erika Frey – Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organization (MANSO)
• Valérie Auger-Voyer – Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada
• Maggie To – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
• Briana Miller – YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth
• Pinash Akter – YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth

C02 (In Person) – Best Practices and Challenges of a Multi-Partner Funding Model

Facilitators: Traicy Robertson and Samantha Lee – National Cultural Brokers Project

This roundtable discussion on Partnership Funding Models will explore collaborative approaches to funding within the settlement sector. Participants will discuss the benefits and challenges of partnership models, including financial management, accountability, and relationship dynamics. Through open dialogue and shared experiences, the discussion will highlight how these models can strengthen collaboration, support smaller organizations, and encourage innovation. Emphasizing transparency, mentorship, and mutual learning, participants will explore partnership funding as a strategic approach for enhancing sector resilience, equity, and sustainability, particularly in a time of limited resources and shifting settlement priorities.

C03 (In Person) – Confronting Xenophobia Through Community Solutions: A Collaborative Workshop

Chair: Nicolas Tellez-España – Surrey Local Immigration Partnership / DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society

Is xenophobia a pressing issue in your community? Join this dynamic, hands-on workshop led by Local Immigration Partnership facilitators as we explore real-life case studies of xenophobia from across Canada. Participants will be invited to share their ideas, perspectives, and solutions while engaging in real-time, collaborative problem-solving. Together, we will co-design creative, community-based approaches to address xenophobia from personal, systemic, institutional, and local perspectives. Conversations, case studies, and proposed solutions will be captured and shared as a post-conference resource to support ongoing efforts and inspire further collective action in communities across the country.

• Nicolas Tellez-España – Surrey Local Immigration Partnership / DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
• Reuben Hodari Clarke – Toronto South West Local Immigration Partnership / National LIP Secretariat
• Ana Maria Panczel – Langley Local Immigration Partnership / Langley Community Services Society
• Mounir Nasri – Toronto South Local Immigration Partnership / National LIP Secretariat
• Natasha Sofia Martinez – Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council / City of Hamilton

C04 (In Person) – Empowering the Future: AI Skilling for Newcomers and Underserved Communities

Chair: Sampada Kukade – Skills for Change

This joint workshop by WES and Skills for Change explores how the sector can harness the power of AI to strengthen impact and innovation. WES will examine the national context of AI in Canada—how emerging technologies are reshaping work, skills, and inclusion, followed with practical insights from Skills for Change’s national AI Upskilling initiative, offering actionable strategies for organizations to build internal AI readiness, train teams, and embed AI responsibly into programs and operations. Participants will leave with tools, examples, and frameworks to confidently integrate AI into their workplaces and community initiatives.

• Sampada Kukade – Skills for Change
• Nidhi Khanna – Skills for Change
• Beth Clarke – World Education Services (WES)

C05 (In Person) – Hearts of Freedom: The Southeast Asian Refugees 1975-1997 – From Victims to Citizens

Chairs: Mike Molloy – Carleton University and Peter Duschinsky – Hearts of Freedom Research Project

Between 1975 and 1997, over 210,000 Southeast Asian refugees were resettled in Canada. Their stories, based on 145 oral histories collected across Canada, are told in a new book, Hearts of Freedom: Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees, authored by Duschinsky, Lundy, Moscovitch, Molloy, and Stobbe. The book includes first-hand accounts of oppression, genocide and terrifying escapes, unexpected kindness, encounters with racism and the surprising impact of multiculturalism. In this workshop, political scientist Kiran Bannerjee, historian Jan Raska, and settlement/integration director Wenche Gausdal will react to the book from policy, historical, and contemporary settlement practice perspectives.

• Centering the Agency and Experiences of the Displaced in the Global Refugee Regime
  Kiran Bannerjee – Dalhousie University
• Situating the Southeast Asian Refugees in Cold War Canada
  Jan Raska – Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
• Refugee Resettlement: A Settlement Agency’s Reflections on Large Scale Refugee Movements  and Resettlement of Refugees in Canada
  Wenche Gausdal – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

C06 (In Person) – Innovative Models for Inclusive Hiring Pathways

Chairs: Tony Jabbour – Jumpstart Refugee Talent and Daniel Cervan-Gil – World Education Services (WES)

This presentation brings together two promising practices that reimagine how refugees and newcomers connect to employment: the Refugee Hiring Events model, recognized by Pathways to Prosperity in 2025 for its 10–15x stronger outcomes, and the Talent Expo, developed by the Southeast Regional Service Commission with Bridge-Us Solutions, where job seekers host booths and employers engage directly. Both approaches highlight the role of collaboration, intentional preparation, and flipped design in advancing economic participation. Participants will explore lessons learned, critical challenges, and strategies for adapting inclusive hiring models in diverse contexts.

• Tony Jabbour – Jumpstart Refugee Talent
• Daniel Cervan-Gil – World Education Services (WES)
• Michelle Ménard – Southeast Regional Service Commission, New Brunswick
• Jo-Anne Mowry – Bridge-Us-Solutions

C07 (In Person) – Pride in Practice: Enhancing Settlement Organizations’ Capacity to Support LGBTQ+ Newcomers

Chair: Amanda Koyama – Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS)

Settlement organizations are often asked to support LGBTQ+ newcomers without the resources or tools to do so effectively. This workshop shares an innovative train-the-trainer model, co-developed by the Centre for Sexuality and the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, that is designed to build sustainable internal capacity within settlement organizations. Grounded in a Community of Practice of staff trainers and informants, the Pride in Practice program addresses the complex intersections of faith, culture, and migration shaping conversations on gender and sexual diversity. Attendees will explore the model, lessons learned, and findings from program evaluation that demonstrate impact and guide ongoing improvements.

• Roseline Carter – Centre for Sexuality
• Amanda Weightman – Habitus Consulting Collective
• Gina Vetro – Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS)

C08 (In Person) – Resolving Identity Dilemmas and Conflicts in Schools: A Regional SWIS Perspective

Chairs: Olivia Finnamore – ARAISA, Malini Singh – The Neighbourhood Organization, & Maria Teresa Garcia – OCISO

This workshop explores how Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) navigate identity dilemmas and tensions within culturally diverse school environments. Drawing on regional perspectives, presenters will examine the conflicts that cultural, linguistic, and generational differences can create between newcomer students, families, and educators. Through trauma-informed and culturally responsive examples, participants will gain practical conflict-resolution tools and strategies for fostering belonging and bridging the gaps between these groups. Centreing the relational care work of SWIS, this session reimagines conflict not as division but as an opportunity for growth, understanding, and strengthened pathways to belonging in inclusive and equitable school communities across Canada.

• Olivia Finnamore – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA)
• Malini Singh – The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO)
• Maria Teresa Garcia – Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO)
• Amy Belanger – YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth
• Leah Stevenson – New Brunswick Multicultural Council (NBMC)

C09 (In Person) – Shared Journeys: Reconciliation, Identity, and Belonging in Rural Alberta

Facilitators: Sadiki Bamperineza – Medicine Hat LIP / CCIS, Brenda Mercer – Indigenous Community Leader and Knowledge Keeper, Stacey Trim – Foothills LIP and Tiffany Carlson – Chestermere LIP

This roundtable highlights innovative approaches to reconciliation, belonging, and community building through cultural exchange and storytelling in rural Alberta. By sharing and learning from one another’s stories, participants explore how understanding the history of the land deepens inclusion and fosters healing. Presenters include an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper leading tipi-building and art collaborations, a Métis educator reflecting on identity and education, and a newcomer advocate with refugee experience. Together, they demonstrate how intergenerational storytelling and cross-cultural dialogue can create spaces of connection, belonging, and collective healing among Indigenous and newcomer communities.

C10 (In Person) – Stories of Impact & Strength: Building Inclusive Communities Through Lived Experience

Chair: Tina Balachandran – DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society

This workshop explores storytelling as a powerful tool for inclusion, justice, and systems change. Stories of Impact celebrates the resilience and contributions of immigrants in Surrey through film and dialogue. Stories of Strength – Community Champions showcases how cultural values and community leadership promote safety, humility, and connection among diverse groups. Beyond the Numbers: Storytelling as a Pathway to Justice and Belonging shares lessons from AMSSA’s collaboration with Correctional Service Canada, demonstrating how lived experience and truth-telling can challenge systemic bias. Together, these presentations invite participants to embrace storytelling as a pathway toward empathy, equity, and collective accountability.

• Stories of Impact
  Diana Ospina – Surrey Local Immigration Partnership
• Stories of Strength – Community Champions Model
  Lenya Wilks – DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society
• Beyond the Numbers: Storytelling as a Pathway to Justice and Belonging
  Winnie Chironga – Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC (AMSSA)

C11 (In Person) – Strengthening Evaluation and Research Capacity in Canada’s Settlement Sector: Insights, Innovations, and Implementation

Chair: Taylor Shek-wai Hui – Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)

This session explores how Canada’s settlement sector can strengthen its capacity for data-driven evaluation and research to inform evidence-based decision-making. Drawing on insights from a pan-Canadian consultation, speakers will share practical strategies, challenges, and successes in building sector-wide capacity. The session also examines the emerging role of generative AI in supporting research and evaluation, highlighting both opportunities and risks. Participants will gain actionable ideas to enhance their own practices while engaging in a timely conversation at the intersection of innovation, technology, and impact in immigration and settlement.

• Understanding Sector Needs: Insights from PROSPECTS’ Pan-Canadian Consultation
  Xiaoyang Luo – Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)
• Building Capacity for Evaluation and Research: Challenges, Successes, and Lessons Learned
  Kim Lehrer – Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)
• Harnessing Generative AI for Settlement Research and Evaluation: Opportunities, Risks, and Emerging Practices
  Taylor Shek-wai Hui – Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)

C12 (In Person) – Strengthening Rural Workplaces: Intercultural and Language Challenges and Solutions

Chairs: Christine Alvarez and Julekha Nusrat – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

Small businesses in rural areas play a crucial role in the Canadian economy and help sustain rural populations. This workshop explores strategies to support rural Nova Scotia employers in reducing workplace inequalities and adapting to a changing workforce. Drawing on ISANS’ Employer Support and Intercultural Workplace programs, it provides insights into inclusive hiring, retention, and equity-building practices. The YMCA’s SPELL Workplace Language Program highlights the language challenges faced by small businesses and offers practical solutions. Participants will gain tools to identify systemic barriers, adopt culturally responsive approaches, and create welcoming environments that support the successful integration of immigrant talent into rural workplaces.

• Small Communities, Big Impact: Adapting Intercultural Training to Rural Realities
  Paul Pickering – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Reimagining Employer Engagement: Insights from Employer Support Initiatives
  Clifford MacDonald – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• English Where it Counts: Engaging Rural Employers in Workplace English Success
  Barbara Thompson – YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth

C13 (In Person) – Supporting Immigrant Trades Workers: Lessons from Nova Scotia’s Collaborative Certification Model and Ontario’s Centre-Southwest Experience – Exploring Pathways for Replication

Chair: Amal Reda Holmes – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

This interactive workshop showcases two initiatives supporting newcomer integration into the skilled trades: Nova Scotia’s Work-Based Trades Practical Assessment (WTPA) Program and Ontario’s Sérinitii Project. WTPA, a collaboration among the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency, ISANS, and employers, offers paid placements for newcomers to demonstrate their skills while addressing barriers such as limited Canadian experience, language challenges, and unfamiliarity with apprenticeship pathways. The Sérinitii Project simplifies access to Ontario’s trades and certification information for Francophone newcomers, raises awareness of trades as rewarding careers, and strengthens settlement workers’ capacity. Together, these programs highlight inclusive, client-centred strategies that promote credential recognition and equitable workforce integration.

• Ebenezer Annan – Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency
• Mikhaela Sulivan – Réseau en immigration francophone du Centre-Sud-Ouest de l’Ontario (RIFCSO)
• Amal Reda Holmes – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
• Betsy Sisco – Dora Construction Ltd.
• Jackson Cyunbahiro – Dora Construction Ltd.

C14 (In Person) – The New Face of Atlantic Canadian Communities

Chair: Craig Silliker – Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association

A region that has struggled through decades of population and economic decline, there was a time when Miramichi, New Brunswick, was lucky to see a dozen newcomers move to the area in a year.  However, the introduction of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Project in 2017 ushered in change. A surge in economic immigrants to the region was soon accompanied by an influx of international students and Ukrainians fleeing war. Now, buoyed by a growing population and economy, optimism is blossoming. Learn how newcomers have changed the Miramichi region and the challenges it faces in striving to be a place for everyone.

• Juliette Cabana – Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association
• Yuliia Kondratska – Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association
• Dario Urdapilleta – Miramichi Latino Association

C15 (In Person) – Towards a Renewed Vision for Immigration in Canada

Chair: Pedro Malm Green – World Education Services (WES)

This workshop will bring together national voices to discuss the call for a renewed long-term vision for immigration in Canada. The session will draw on insights from recent national roundtable discussions held by World Education Services and from the Canada We Believe In campaign. It will explore forward-looking approaches to immigrant selection and integration. The session will outline principles for a coherent, long-term vision, guided by clear strategic goals, measurable outcomes, and whole-of-government coordination that can address current challenges and build a stronger, more inclusive future for Canada.

• Envisioning Canada’s Immigration Future: Insights from WES National Roundtables
  Shamira Madhany – World Education Services (WES)
• Engaging Employers in Shaping Canada’s Immigration Future
  Patrick MacKenzie – Immigrant Employment Council of BC and Alfred Burgesson – Tribe Network
• Discussant
  Carol McQueen – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)

C16 (In Person | En personne) – Two Journeys, One Land: Integrating Indigenous Perspectives in Language Learning for Newcomers | Deux parcours, une seule terre : intégrer les perspectives autochtones dans l’apprentissage des langues pour les nouveaux arrivants

Chair | Président : Raoul Daguilh – Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB) | Centre des niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (CNCLC)

This bilingual session presents an innovative prototype developed by the Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB), with funding from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), in collaboration with Utapi Consultants and the Université Sainte-Anne to embed Indigenous content in federally funded language training for newcomers. Designed to foster inclusive, client-centric, and holistic learning, the tool helps instructors to respectfully introduce Indigenous history, cultures, and current realities. By equipping newcomers with foundational knowledge and reflection tools, the initiative supports understanding, relationship-building, and active participation in Canadian society. This project highlights how CLIC classes can become a bridge for newcomers to engage in reconciliation and build meaningful connections with Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

• Anne Senior – Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB)
• Joannie Gill – Utapi Consultants
• Philippe Hougen – Université Sainte-Anne
• Raoul Daguilh – Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks (CCLB)

Cette séance bilingue présente un prototype novateur élaboré par le Centre des niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (CNCLC), grâce à un financement d’Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada (IRCC), en collaboration avec Utapi Consultants et l’Université Sainte-Anne (Nouvelle-Écosse). Ce prototype vise à intégrer du contenu autochtone dans la formation linguistique financée par le gouvernement fédéral à l’intention des nouveaux arrivants.

Conçu pour favoriser un apprentissage inclusif, holistique et centré sur l’apprenant, l’outil aide le personnel instructeur à présenter, avec respect, l’histoire, les cultures et les réalités contemporaines des peuples autochtones. En dotant les nouveaux arrivants de connaissances de base et d’outils de réflexion, l’initiative soutient la compréhension mutuelle, la création de liens et la participation active à la société canadienne. Ce projet illustre comment les cours de CLIC peuvent devenir un pont permettant aux nouveaux arrivants de s’engager dans la démarche de réconciliation et d’établir des liens significatifs avec les peuples autochtones du Canada.

• Anne Senior – Centre des niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (CNCLC)
• Joannie Gill – Utapi Consultants
• Philippe Hougen – Université Sainte-Anne
• Raoul Daguilh – Centre des niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (CNCLC)

C17 (Virtual) – AI, Newcomers, and the Future of Work: Barriers and Pathways to Success (Video/Vidéo)

Chair: Mark Patterson – Magnet, Toronto Metropolitan University

AI is rapidly transforming how work is organized and who benefits from new opportunities. This session explores the impact of AI on newcomers and equity-deserving workers, using national labour market data to identify which groups are most affected by automation and digital task change. Presenters will share real stories and tools currently being developed to support digital navigation, skill development, and job transitions. Participants will gain evidence-based insights into where risks exist, and where targeted supports can create more equitable pathways to employment.

• From Buzz to Impact: Making AI Work for Newcomer Success
  Alysha Saleh Baratta – Peacegeeks
• Immigrants and AI: Will It Bridge or Deepen the Digital Divide?
  Wendy Cukier – The Diversity Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University
• Generative AI and Its Impact on Immigrant Workers: Uncertainties and Opportunities
  Tahsin Mehdi – Statistics Canada

C18 (Virtual) – Building Bridges to Healing: Trauma-Informed Practices for Supporting Newcomers (Video/Vidéo)

Chair: Sandra Dixon – University of Lethbridge

This workshop equips counsellors with the principles, skills, and knowledge to address racial trauma in their practice with newcomer clients. Many counsellors feel ill-prepared to address racial trauma despite growing awareness of social justice concerns. Led by four seasoned psychologists, attendees will participate in a safe, interactive learning space to enhance their ability to identify and understand the impacts of racism and to develop culturally appropriate skills. Trauma-informed practices will be emphasized, and considerations for advocacy with newcomer clients will be addressed to facilitate healing, hope, and reconciliation.

• Pathways to Healing: Trauma-Informed Counselling for Newcomers
  Sandra Dixon – University of Lethbridge, Sholly Scarlett – Scarlett Psychological Services Ltd., and Sophia Parks – Tree of Life Psychology / University of Alberta
• Social Justice Approaches to Mental Health Healing with Black Canadian Newcomers
  Sophie Yohani – University of Alberta

C19 (Virtual | Virtuel) – When Volunteers Make the Difference: Language Support that Works | Des bénévoles qui changent tout : un soutien linguistique qui porte fruit (Video/Vidéo)

Chair | Présidente : Marijke Geurts – New Language Solutions

Looking for support in your settlement language or employment class? TESL Basics for Language Volunteers (TBLV), and its French version, AFIB, are free, online trainings that equip volunteers with essential tools to assist newcomers in learning English/French. The newest course, TBLV Works!, brings this training into employment-focused settings—supporting both language development and integration into the workplace. Co-created with instructors and volunteer coordinators, the program includes cultural awareness and workplace communication. This session offers practical, ready-to-use strategies to make volunteer involvement easy and impactful. Join us to explore how trained volunteers can make a difference without adding to your workload.

• Marijke Geurts – New Language Solutions
• Sophie Bonny – New Language Solutions
• Ron Lavoie – New Language Solutions
• Matthias Sturm – New Language Solutions

Vous cherchez à dynamiser vos cours de langue ou d’emploi pour les nouveaux arrivants ? Découvrez l’ABC du FLS pour les Instructeurs Bénévoles (AFIB) et sa version anglaise TESL Basics for Language Volunteers (TBLV), des formations gratuites et en ligne qui outillent les bénévoles pour appuyer efficacement l’apprentissage du français ou de l’anglais. Le tout nouveau TBLV au travail! transpose cette approche en milieu professionnel, soutenant à la fois le développement linguistique et l’intégration sur le lieu de travail. Assistez à cette présentation dynamique pour découvrir des stratégies concrètes, prêtes à l’emploi, et voir comment des bénévoles bien formés peuvent renforcer l’impact sans alourdir la charge du personnel.

• Marijke Geurts – New Language Solutions
• Sophie Bonny – New Language Solutions
• Ron Lavoie – New Language Solutions
• Matthias Sturm – New Language Solutions

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 l Mardi 25 novembre 2025
3:30 PM – 4:45 PM AST l 15h30 á 16h45 HNA

D01 (in person) – Advancing Reconciliation in Mi’kma’ki/Atlantic Canada: A Guided Conversation

Chairs: Collectively facilitated by session organizers

This interactive workshop will explore the potential of and obstacles to advancing reconciliation in Mi’kma’ki/Atlantic Canada. The region is the ancestral and unceded territories of the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, Peskotomuhkati, Beothuk, and the Innu and Inuit of Labrador. While reconciliation is a national process, it is shaped at the local level by the diverse peoples of Mi’kma’ki, dynamics of Wabanaki, and Peace and Friendship Treaties. Using regional resources and perspectives as catalysts for dialogue, we will guide participants through a conversation about people, place, and responsibility. Through this conversation, participants will co-create a roadmap of questions and opportunities to inform and inspire future work and collaborations.

• Ariane Savi – Halifax Immigration Partnership (HIP)
• Asta Rowe – Association of New Canadians
• Jason Chalmers – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA)
• Kailea Pedley – Cape Breton Local Immigration Partnership (CBLIP)
• Lina Gharbiya – Saint John Newcomer Centre (SJNC)
• Sarah Caissie – Capital Region Integration Network (CRIN)
• Tara Paon – Cape Breton Local Immigration Partnership (CBLIP)

D02 (In Person) – Connecting Sectors, Building Bridges: Supporting International Students and Graduates in Career Success

Facilitators: Chantal Brine – EnPoint, Ashley Pinsent – NSCC, Ewa Olczuk – ISANS, Ilie Soloviov – Dalhousie Uni., Jisun Ryu – EduNova Co-operative Ltd., & Abigail Taylor – Dalhousie Uni.

This roundtable will explore how collaboration between post-secondary institutions, settlement agencies, non-profits, and the private sector can create meaningful impact for international students and graduates. Through examples shared by speakers, participants will gain insights into effective partnership models, key challenges and success factors, and lessons learned in supporting career readiness and retention. Afterwards, there will be ample time for a  peer-to-peer discussion, where participants will be invited to share their experiences and observations of challenges and opportunities to strengthen pathways between education, community, and employment sectors.

D03 (In Person) – Digital Channels for Sharing Settlement Information: Successes and Gaps

Facilitators: Louisa Taylor – Refugee 613, Manjeet Dhiman – ACCES Employment, and Kreisha Hilario – The Immigrant Education Society (TIES)

Many newcomers still face challenges accessing settlement information, even as service providers are using more platforms than ever to reach them. Refugee 613, The Immigrant Education Society, and ACCES Employment are each examining how we can better use digital channels to improve access to settlement information and services. This roundtable invites settlement professionals to join an interactive session to reflect on their role and capacity in disseminating settlement information. We will explore which digital channels SPOs are using,  what is working, what is not, and which other channels and technologies their clients are finding useful.

D04 (In Person) – Eye-Opening: Temporary Foreign Workers in Atlantic Canada

Chair: Craig Silliker – Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association

In 2023, the Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association was among the settlement organizations in New Brunswick that became involved in a pilot project introduced specifically for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) in Atlantic Canada. Very quickly, it became eye-opening to work so closely with TFWs employed primarily in the seafood processing industry. Issues surrounding language, culture, politics, and employers all take their respective turns in complicating the lives of TFWs. Join the discussion about how a small settlement agency is trying to help TFWs in its region while navigating a system that is constantly in the news and crying out for change.

• Craig Silliker – Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association
• Nuria Mirabent – Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association
• Juliette Cabana – Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association

D05 (In Person) – Innovative Results-Driven Sector-Specific Programming for Newcomers

Chair: Kim Lehrer – Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)

Learn how data and evaluation are being used to support newcomers in integrating into high-demand sectors in Canada. Creating meaningful opportunities for newcomers requires more than good intentions; it requires evidence to guide practices. When investments are guided by robust data and inclusive analysis, our efforts can align services with real needs and close persistent gaps. In this session, we will present examples of sector-specific programming and how data is shaping their implementation and demonstrating their results.

• Bridging Gaps with Data to Support Newcomers Facing Multiple Barriers
  Punam Dalal – Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA)
• CarriElles Santé: Supporting Professional Women in the Healthcare Sector
  Siham Chakrouni – La Société Économique de l’Ontario
• Designing and Evaluating Employment Pathways in Canada – Health Careers (EPIC-HC)
  Kim Lehrer and Julie Rodier – Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC)

D06 (In Person) – Investing in Canada’s Shared Future: Pathways to Possibilities Through Cultural Brokering

Facilitators: Samantha Lee, Traicy Robertson, Lorne Green, and Sally Ogoe – National Cultural Brokers Project

This interactive roundtable explores how investing in cultural brokering builds Canada’s shared future by removing barriers and creating new opportunities for individuals and communities. Anchored in the theme “Pathways to Possibilities,” the session invites participants to engage in scenario-based mapping, peer dialogue, and a “Possibility Wall” to share insights and promising practices. Together, we will explore how cultural brokers enhance trust, promote inclusion, and facilitate the adaptation of systems to serve diverse populations. Through this collaborative exploration, participants will envision how cultural brokering acts as a vital bridge between communities, institutions, and systems, unlocking possibilities that benefit everyone.

D07 (In Person | En personne) – Learner First: How Avenue Supports Language and Integration | L’apprenant au cœur : comment Avenue soutient l’intégration linguistique

Chair | Présidente : Sophie Bonny – New Language Solutions

Avenue is a national platform funded by IRCC and Ontario Adult Language Training. Used in LINC/ESL and CLIC/FSL programs, it offers interactive learning paths that foster learner autonomy, supported by a classroom instructor in a blended environment. This workshop introduces Avenue from the newcomer’s perspective: flexible content, digital tools, and learner experience. Participants will discover how this platform supports more coherent and inclusive language integration. In addition, because strong services also rely on strong teaching, this workshop will show participants how Avenue equips instructors to deliver more engaging classes and boost the impact of settlement services.

• Sophie Bonny – New Language Solutions
• Sepideh Alavi – New Language Solutions
• Marijke Geurts – New Language Solutions

Avenue est une plateforme nationale financée par IRCC et le programme de formation linguistique pour adultes de l’Ontario. Utilisée dans les programmes CLIC/FLS et LINC/ALS, elle propose des parcours interactifs favorisant l’autonomie des apprenants. Cet atelier présente Avenue du point de vue des nouveaux arrivants : contenus flexibles, outils numériques et expérience utilisateur. Les participants découvriront comment cette plateforme soutient une intégration linguistique plus cohérente et inclusive. De plus, parce que de bons services passent aussi par un bon accompagnement, cet atelier montrera comment Avenue outille les instructeurs et instructrices pour offrir des cours plus dynamiques et renforcer les services d’établissement.

• Sophie Bonny – New Language Solutions
• Sepideh Alavi – New Language Solutions
• Marijke Geurts – New Language Solutions

D09 (In Person) – Making Dreams Come True: From Pre-Arrival to Full Integration of Internationally Educated Healthcare Professionals in Canada

Facilitators: Mohja Alia, Tanja Matthews, Elizabeth Eustaquio-Domondon, and Amelia Goodlad – Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

Join us in sharing ISANS’ expertise in supporting Internationally Educated Healthcare Professionals (IEHPs) on their integration and licensing journey. Learn about our IEHP Bridging Programs, designed to overcome barriers and provide structured, competency-based cultural training for IMGs, IPGs, IENs, and IEDs. Our programs help participants understand the Canadian healthcare system, enhance interprofessional communication, and build the confidence needed for success. We will also present our occupation-specific, multi-stakeholder work group model, where licensing challenges were addressed, and programs were developed and streamlined. Together, we will explore opportunities for collaboration and discuss projects that strengthen IEHP integration in Nova Scotia’s healthcare workforce.

D10 (In Person) – Pathways to Belonging: Linking Language, Credentials, and Community for Measurable Newcomer Success

Chair: Anna Baxter – CELPIP by Prometric

Newcomers thrive when services are integrated, not siloed. CELPIP, COSTI, and World Education Services demonstrate how strategic partnerships extend impact beyond referrals by streamlining communication, aligning services, and creating seamless client pathways. CELPIP highlights language proficiency as a foundation for opportunity; COSTI shows how insights inform programming and strengthen client engagement; World Education Services discusses the emotional, social, and material outcomes achieved by refugee participants in the Gateway Program. Together, these organizations illustrate how collaboration deepens client relationships, enhances confidence, and delivers measurable outcomes. Attendees will gain practical strategies to build synergistic partnerships that enrich the newcomer experience and foster inclusion, opportunity, and tangible success.

• Language Testing in Action: Connecting Assessment to Real-World Outcomes
  Anna Baxter – CELPIP by Prometric
• Strengthening Engagement Through Language and Credential Insights
  Brandon De Barros – COSTI
• “It Reminded Me That I Was More Than a Refugee”: The Impact of Credential Evaluation on Skilled Refugees’ Well-Being and Economic Integration
  Beatrice Kohlenberg – World Education Services (WES)

D11 (In Person) – Strengthening Belonging Through Evidence: Collaborative Research, Inclusive Storytelling, and Representative Data for Policy Action

Chair: Mohamed Bagha – Saint John Newcomers Centre

This workshop explores immigrant and non-immigrant experiences of integration and belonging through action-oriented, community-based research and collaborative policy engagement. The session looks at three initiatives: the Our Region, Our Home campaign, a study grounded in the Welcoming Communities Initiative, and the 2025 London Newcomer Survey. The Our Region, Our Home campaign showcases newcomer stories from the Saint John region, celebrating diversity and strengthening community belonging through inclusive storytelling. The study based on the Welcoming Communities Initiative examines how urban inequalities shape local experiences of inclusion in Saint John, New Brunswick. The 2025 London Newcomer Survey – a collaborative initiative between the City of London, the London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership, and Western University – shows how cross-sector collaboration can address data gaps and build a more representative evidence base to measure social impact and guide inclusive decision-making. Together, these examples highlight how storytelling, participatory research, and data collaboration can illuminate systemic barriers and foster inclusive urban futures. Key themes include housing, healthcare, employment, and neighborhood equity, with a focus on gendered and racialized experiences. Participants will discuss how collaborative research, representative data, and inclusive narratives can challenge assumptions, celebrate community builders, and inform responsive, equity-driven policy.

• Addressing Data Gaps: Cross-Sector Collaboration in Establishing a Representative Data Base
  Huda Hussein – London & Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership
• Our Region, Our Home Campaign
  Kathryn Melvin – Envision Saint John
• Diverse Communities and Urban Inequalities: The Case of Saint John, New Brunswick
  Hepzibah Munoz Martinez – University of New Brunswick Saint John

D12 (In Person) – Strengthening Peer Support for Newcomers: A Culturally Responsive, Trauma-Informed Model for Settlement Services

Chair: Caley Cross – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)

Newcomers to Canada often face language barriers, stigma, social and geographic isolation, and limited service availability, resulting in unmet health needs that contribute to the “healthy immigrant effect,” where initial health upon arrival declines under systemic stressors. Peer support interventions, grounded in shared lived experience, offer an accessible, trauma-informed, and inclusive intervention. This workshop shares insights from the OCASI Mental Health Promotion Project’s experience piloting peer support groups across diverse newcomer communities. Participants will explore principles of peer support, low-resource steps to launch a group, and strategies for developing sustainable, culturally and linguistically responsive programming to promote well-being.

• Caley Cross – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
• Rizza Solis – Kababayan Multicultural Centre
• Tehreem Zafar – YWCA Hamilton

D13 (In Person) – Strengthening the Settlement Sector with Increased Grassroots Leadership and Funding

Chair: Jennifer Mah – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA)

Organizations across Canada are working to support grassroots organizations (GROs) that welcome, settle, and integrate newcomers. Their efforts focus on developing tailored supports and redistributing funds to strengthen the capacity of GROs—particularly those led by, and serving, equity-deserving communities. This initiative aims to enhance services for newcomer groups with diverse needs, traditions, and perspectives. During the session, the group will present the project from both national and regional perspectives. Participants will also be invited to reflect on what meaningful collaboration between GROs and the broader settlement sector could look like.

• Priscilla Bioh – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA)
• Crystal Guzmán – Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA)
• Rosanna Mascarenhas – Gateway Association
• Tanisi Pooran – The Centre for Race and Culture (CFRAC)
• Jennifer Mah – Atlantic Region Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (ARAISA)
• Mohammed Yasin Samim – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
• Tina Balachandran – DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society

D14 (Virtual) – From Data to Strategy: Shaping Client-Centered Evaluation in Settlement Services (Video/Vidéo)

Chair: Kamila Dekhkanbaeva – YMCA of the National Capital Region

How confident are you that your services truly meet client needs? This interactive workshop introduces tools to evaluate service quality, measure client satisfaction, and support evidence-based decisions. Through the YMCA-led, IRCC-funded IMPRESS program, we are developing an online platform with customizable surveys in multiple client languages and built-in analysis for easy interpretation. With automated reports and visual dashboards, SPOs will be able to identify strengths, uncover gaps, and demonstrate impact with confidence. You will leave with insights to improve service delivery and ensure programs remain responsive, strategic, and truly centered on what matters most: your clients.

• Noha Zaher – YMCA of the National Capital Region
• Andrew Dawson – YMCA of the National Capital Region
• Rinilia Haridas – YMCA of the National Capital Region

D15 (Virtual) – Immigrant Workforce Integration, Including Upskilling and Reskilling for Employment and Entrepreneurship (Video/Vidéo)

Chair: Katlynn Sverko – The Diversity Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University

This workshop examines how Canada can better leverage immigrant talent through workforce integration, upskilling, and pathways to entrepreneurship. Drawing on national research, it identifies systemic barriers that limit newcomer participation and highlight policy and program solutions that support equitable employment outcomes. Presenters will discuss strategies for improving access to skills development, credential recognition, and entrepreneurial supports. The session also explores emerging evidence on how AI and digital transformation are reshaping employer hiring practices, skill requirements, and opportunities for immigrant workers. Participants will gain insights into initiatives advancing newcomer inclusion and practical approaches that help immigrants transition into meaningful employment and entrepreneurship.

• Canada’s Untapped Talent: How to Address Barriers to Advance Newcomer Inclusion
  Daniel Cervan-Gil – World Education Services (WES)
• Immigrants, Employment and Entrepreneurship
  Wendy Cukier – The Diversity Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University
• Determinants of AI Adoption and Its Effects on Immigrant Skill Requirements and Organizational Performance: Employment Practices
  Tony Fang – Memorial University of Newfoundland

D16 (Virtual) – National Trends and Opportunities in IEHP Integration: Building Canada’s Shared Health Workforce Future (Video/Vidéo)

Chairs: Ayela Qaisar – Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO) and Min Cho – Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society

This session explores emerging national trends in the integration of Internationally Educated Health Professionals (IEHPs) and highlights practical strategies to address Canada’s growing healthcare workforce shortages. Participants will gain insight into federal and provincial initiatives, innovative models for credential recognition, and community-based supports that advance inclusive and client-centred integration. The discussion will examine the systemic challenges IEHPs face, from licensing delays to workplace adaptation, while sharing promising practices that foster resilience, belonging, and professional success. Together, participants will envision a Canada where health professionals, regardless of where they trained, can contribute fully to the health of all Canadians.

• Donnielle Roman – Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO)
• Min Cho – Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society
• Ayela Qaisar – Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization (OCISO)

D17 (Virtual) – Racialized Immigrant Women’s Health and Safety Barriers in Canadian Workplaces (Video/Vidéo)

Facilitators: Rahil Adeli – City in Colour Cooperative and Juan Trevino Galan – Migrant Workers Centre

This roundtable shares lessons from City in Colour’s Safer Workplaces project and the Migrant Workers Centre (MWC) BC’s legal advocacy work on the challenges faced by racialized immigrant women. Safer Workplaces engaged 12 women through workshops, storytelling, and legal education to identify systemic barriers to workplace safety and justice. MWC BC advances the rights of migrant and immigrant workers through legal services, education, and systemic change. Together, we will explore how gender, race, language, and immigration status shape vulnerability and discuss strategies for building safer, more equitable workplaces.

D18 (Virtual | Virtuel) – Together for Francophone Integration: A CANAF–CCIS Calgary Partnership | Ensemble pour l’intégration francophone : un partenariat CANAF–CCIS Calgary (Video/Vidéo)

Chair | Président : Wedded Sakhri – Centre d’acccueil pour nouveaux arrivants francophones (CANAF)

This bilingual workshop presents the collaborative case management model developed by CANAF and CCIS Calgary to support Francophone newcomers in Alberta. The session highlights integrated services such as triage, trauma-informed care, and coordinated referrals, delivered through client-centered approaches. Presenters will share real case studies and bilingual service planning tools from both urban and rural contexts. The workshop aims to foster inter-agency collaboration, strengthen service continuity, and improve outcomes for newcomers.

• Collaborative Case Management for Francophone Newcomers in Alberta
  Karim Mennas and Yao Datte – Centre d’acccueil pour nouveaux arrivants francophones (CANAF) and Lina Abbas – Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS)

Cet atelier bilingue présente le modèle collaboratif de gestion des cas développé par le CANAF et le CCIS Calgary pour soutenir les nouveaux arrivants francophones en Alberta. Il met en avant des services intégrés tels que le triage, les soins tenant compte des traumatismes et les orientations coordonnées, offerts selon une approche centrée sur le client. Les présentateurs partageront des études de cas concrètes et des outils bilingues de planification des services, adaptés aux contextes urbain et rural. L’atelier vise à renforcer la collaboration entre les organisations, améliorer la continuité des services et optimiser les résultats pour les nouveaux arrivants.

• Gestion collaborative des cas pour les nouveaux arrivants francophones en Alberta 
  Karim Mennas et Yao Datte – Centre d’acccueil pour nouveaux arrivants francophones (CANAF) et Lina Abbas – Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS)

A selection of photographs from the Main Conference is now available for all to enjoy