The provincial government made an announcement to give funding to strengthen 17 newcomer support services in Manitoba.
In our area, the Dauphin and Region Immigrant Services has been picked, program manager Deborah Slonowsky has some ideas for what the funding will be used for.
“It’ll be for settlement programming. So we’re just going to expand our reach. Right now, our clients are permanent residents only. Now we’ll be able to extend those same services to immigrants of all statuses.”
The province held several newcomer roundtable consultations to identify which service areas could benefit from strategic investments.
Participants recommended programming to better integrate newcomers with multiple barriers or special needs, as well as targeted supports for newcomer youth and families that face unique challenges.
Dauphin and Region Immigrant Services is one of 5 rural groups chosen to get some funding.
“We’re extremely happy to see the provincial government is committing funding to settlement services.
Manitoba’s economy, the future of our rural communities, is heavily reliant on the contribution of newcomers.”
Slonowsky adds in 2018 Manitoba saw some of the highest rates of immigration to rural areas.
The provincial government has just over 3 million dollars to give out and the amount of money Dauphin and Region Immigrant Services will receive hasn’t been determined yet.
