The official launch of the PAIE Program will take place at TRCA's Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto.

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    Event details are as follows:

    WHEN:        Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 9:00 am to 12:30 pm

    WHAT:        LAUNCH OF PROFESSIONAL ACCESS AND INTEGRATION ENHANCEMENT
                 (PAIE) PROGRAM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS

                 -  Gerri-Lynn O'Connor, Chair, TRCA
                 -  Brian Denney, CAO, TRCA
                 -  Sakthy Nithianandan, Settlement Officer, Citizenship and
                    Immigration Canada
                 -  Suzanne Gordon, Manager, Labour Market Integration Unit,
                    Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
                 -  PAIE I project partners: Accessible Community Counselling
                    and Employment Services, Association of Professional
                    Geoscientists of Ontario, Canadian Institute of Planners,
                    Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University,
                    Ontario Professional Planners Institute
                 -  PAIE II project partners: Accessible Community
                    Counselling and Employment Services, Workplace
                    Communication and Diversity Inc.
                 -  In conjunction with Professional Engineers Ontario and
                    with support from Council for Access to the Profession of
                    Engineering

                 11:30 - 12:30 pm: PAIE Luncheon

    WHERE:       Black Creek Pioneer Village (Theatre)
                 Located at 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto

    MORE INFO:   Visit TRCA's website at www.trca.on.ca or contact Marisa
                 Iorfida-Sdao (416) 661-6600 Ext. 5582, or e-mail
                 miorfida-sdao@trca.on.ca.
    >>

SOURCE: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

For media information, contact: Brown & Cohen Communications and Public Affairs
Inc., at (416) 484-1132, Rowena Calpito, ext 4, rowena@brown-cohen.com; or Wendy
Kauffman, ext 3, wendy@brown-cohen.com

A portion of this funding will go towards a youth mentorship program which pairs Canadian youth with newcomer youth to help the new arrivals adapt to the Canadian educational system. Newcomers will also be offered workshops on how to prepare resumes and find suitable employment.

"The Government of Canada wants newcomers to succeed," said Minister Finley. "This funding will give them the support they need to settle into the Durham community. Since 2006, the Government of Canada has begun investing an additional $1.4 billion in settlement funding over five years to help newcomers integrate and succeed in Canadian society."

"Our area has become more diverse in recent years as more newcomers are calling Durham Region their home," said Tracey Vaughan, Executive Director of Community Development Council Durham in Ajax. "With the new funding and unwavering support from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, we will be able to provide newcomers with settlement services so they can become active participants in their communities."

Settlement services are an essential part of the federal government's immigration program. Through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), the Government of Canada has increased settlement funding for Ontario by a total of $920 million over five years. Under the COIA, CIC works with the Province of Ontario and immigrant-serving agencies to make a real difference in the lives of immigrants.

The 2008 Budget also introduced changes to modernize the immigration system, to shorten the time it takes to bring newcomers and their families to Canada. Under this system, newcomers will arrive with the skills required to integrate more quickly into the enconomy. In this way, newcomers will have more opportunities to find work sooner in the fields for which they have been trained and to benefit more from life in Canada for themselves and their families.

Newcomers to Canada can also turn to the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), which helps internationally trained individuals find the information they need to get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly. Established in 2007, the FCRO provides information, path-finding and referral services to help internationally trained individuals use their skills in Canada. There are now 320 Service Canada centres across the country offering in-person foreign credential referral services to newcomers.

CIC funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories and service-providing organizations.

For more information on CIC programs, consult our website at www.cic.gc.ca.

SOURCE: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Minister's Office
Tim Vail
Press Secretary
613-954-1064
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Madona Mokbel
Communications Branch - Ontario Region
416-954-7868

"The Government of Canada is committed to helping newcomers succeed at a time when they need support the most-as they begin a new life in a new community," said Minister Finley. "With this funding, newcomers living in Toronto can go to Albion Neighbourhood Services to get the services they need to learn a new language, find a job and integrate into Canadian society. Their success makes this community a better place and strengthens Canada as a whole."

Albion Neighbourhood Services is also working in partnership with the Rexdale Women's Centre, which is also funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, to deliver a special English-language training program geared towards newcomer youth.

"Albion Neighbourhood Services is very excited to work in partnership with Citizenship and Immigration Canada," said Filomena Ferlisi, Executive Director of Albion Neighbourhood Services. "This new partnership with CIC will provide a vital link to resources for this high-need community. Our team works with other settlement agencies in the area to provide seamless services to newcomers. With funding from CIC, we've been able to open up a Newcomer Resource Centre that is responding to community issues, needs and priorities while building on the assets, strengths and opportunities in Toronto."

Settlement services are an essential part of the federal government's immigration program. Through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement (COIA), the Government of Canada has increased settlement funding for Ontario by a total of $920 million over five years. Under the COIA, CIC works with the Province of Ontario and immigrant-serving agencies to make a real difference in the lives of immigrants. In total, since 2006, the Government of Canada has begun investing an additional $1.4 billion over five years in settlement funding in provinces and territories outside Quebec.

The 2008 Budget also introduced changes to modernize the immigration system, to shorten the time it takes to bring newcomers and their families to Canada. Under this system, newcomers will arrive with the skills required to integrate more quickly into the economy. In this way, newcomers will have more opportunities to find work sooner in the fields for which they have been trained and to benefit more from life in Canada for themselves and their families.

Newcomers to Canada can also turn to the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), which helps internationally trained individuals find the information they need to get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly. Established in 2007, the FCRO provides information, path-finding and referral services to help internationally trained individuals use their skills in Canada. There are now 320 Service Canada centres across the country offering in-person foreign credential referral services to newcomers. Through the "Working in Canada" tool, www.credentials.gc.ca, newcomers may also access an online service that provides detailed labour-market information, and reference to appropriate provincial regulatory bodies.

CIC funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories and service-providing organizations.

SOURCE: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Minister's Office
Tim Vail
Press Secretary
613-954-1064
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Ontario Region
Communications Branch
Madona Mokbel
416-954-7868

The contribution will support new youth initiatives, including orientation services, mentorship opportunities and recreational activities. It will also fund a drop-in centre for newcomer youth, where they will have access to information and counselling on employment, education and career planning.

"The Government of Canada is committed to helping new families to Canada succeed," said Mr. Khan. "With this funding, newcomers, including youth, will be able to better integrate into their communities and have more opportunities to find work for themselves and their families. In total, since 2006, the Government of Canada has begun investing an additional $1.4 billion over five years in settlement funding across the country."

"We understand the need to improve settlement services for newcomers to Canada," said Naveed Chaudhry, Executive Director of the Peel Multicultural Council. "We are very pleased with the support from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, which recognizes the urgency of meeting the settlement needs of newcomers in our area. The new funding that the federal government has allocated through the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement will allow newcomers to participate fully in the development and prosperity of Mississauga."

"The funding from the Government of Canada for language training has been of great benefit to immigrant communities in Peel Region," said Ahmed Iqbal, Executive Director of Muslim Community Services. "In fact, improved English proficiency enabled our newcomers to increase their employment prospects and earnings."

Newcomers to Canada can also turn to the Foreign Credentials Referral Office (FCRO), which helps internationally trained individuals find the information they need to get their credentials assessed and recognized more quickly. Established in 2007, the FCRO provides information, path-finding and referral services to help internationally trained individuals use their skills in Canada. There are now 320 Service Canada centres across the country offering in-person foreign credential referral services to newcomers. Through the "Working in Canada" tool, www.credentials.gc.ca, newcomers may also access an online service that provides detailed labour-market information, and reference to appropriate provincial regulatory bodies.

CIC funds a number of programs that help newcomers settle, adapt and integrate into Canadian society. These programs are delivered in partnership with provinces, territories and service-providing organizations.

For more information on CIC programs, consult our website at www.cic.gc.ca.

SOURCE: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Minister's Office
Tim Vail
Press Secretary
613-954-1064
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Madona Mokbel
Communications
Ontario Region
416-954-7868