York Region continues to welcome newcomers, and the culture, skills and experience they bring, with a formal multi-year inclusion plan.
A Place to Thrive: York Region’s 2024 to 2027 Plan for Newcomer Inclusion presents a vision for how the region will continue to support newcomer health and well-being, build welcoming communities, and promote equitable economic pathways for diverse groups.
“York Region welcomes thousands of newcomers every year and sees their choice to call York Region home as a key component of our strength and competitive advantage,” said York Region chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson in a news release. “Newcomers bring culture, ideas, skills, education and work experience. Inclusion of newcomers remains a priority for regional council and this plan focuses on supporting newcomers to succeed, ensuring our communities thrive.”
Newcomers are residents who arrive in Canada and have been here for less than five years. They include those admitted as permanent residents, including economic migrants, sponsored family members and refugees designated for resettlement.
According to 2021 census data, this represented more than 84 per cent of York Region’s population growth between 2016 and 2021 (53,495 out of 63,455 new residents), the region stated.
York Region also welcomes temporary residents, such as international students, foreign workers, those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine and asylum seekers, many of whom transition to permanent residency.
“Partnerships are critical across all sectors, including community partners, local municipalities and the newcomer populations they serve,” said Vaughan Regional Councillor Gino Rosati, chair of community and health services. “Collaboration and co-ordination are required to successfully settle and include newcomers within our communities.”
Since 2009, York Region has hosted a Local Immigration Partnership, a federally funded, community-based collaborative, engaging local partners in developing welcoming and inclusive communities. Like other Local Immigration Partnerships, York Region does not provide direct newcomer services. The region is funded to support research, lead strategic planning and improve co-ordination of services facilitating newcomer settlement and inclusion.
A Newcomer Inclusion Table and its working groups, comprised of council-appointed members and representation from a diversity of newcomer-serving sectors and newcomer residents, advise the Local Immigration Partnership on development and implementation of a newcomer plan.
