Newcomers will have a chance to inform program and service priorities in the community through the Immigrant Welcome Centre’s Welcoming Communities Coalition 2023 Immigrant Survey.
The survey was launched on June 1 and is open to all immigrants, refugees, international students, and temporary workers ages 19 and older who have lived in the Comox Valley and Campbell River regions for five years or less. It is an opportunity to share experiences of living, working and studying here, and will help the Immigrant Welcome Centre (IWC) and its partners across the community better understand newcomers’ views about integration and well-being in the Valley.
Almost 13 per cent of the Comox Valley population are immigrants. Immigration now accounts for 75 per cent of population growth in Canada and almost 100 per cent of labour force growth, according to the federal government.
“The experiences of immigrants in this region matters,” Welcoming Communities Coalition (WCC) coordinator Julie Keumbehdjian said. “The information gathered will help us identify gaps in service delivery, and see how local programs and services are addressing critical needs. The results will help local service providers develop policies and programs that better support and empower newcomers to flourish.”
The anonymous survey aims to hear from least 200 new immigrants on topics including housing, employment, health, belonging, discrimination, and more. It will be open until July 7, and people who complete the survey can enter a draw for prizes.
The survey is online, but paper copies can be available if needed. Newcomers can also book an appointment with an IWC settlement practitioner if they want assistance filling out the survey.
The WCC invites all residents and organizations in the Valley to be a survey ambassador. “We are asking you to help us encourage all new immigrants to participate in the survey, among family, friends, neighbourhoods, at work, and through other networks,” Keumbehdjian said.
The survey and further details are posted on the IWC website at https://bit.ly/2023ImmigrantSurveyCVCR.
For more information, please contact WCC coordinator Julie Keumbehdjian at julie.keumbehdjian@immigrantwelcome.ca or by phone at 250-338-6359.