The B.C. community of Abbotsford has received nearly $900,000 in additional funding to provide resettlement services to newcomers in the region.
The funds are part of a $20.3 million allocation to newcomer assistance under WelcomeBC’s Settlement and Integration Program. British Columbia has in recent years become a top destination for new arrivals, and aims to do what it can to attract and retain skilled talent.
“We are seeing immigration from many diverse cultures, and these services will go a long way in helping new residents settle in and begin their new life,” said one Abbotsford MLA.
Experts in B.C. say that by 2019, the province could be facing a worker deficit of over one million, as the baby-boomer generation retires. Immigrants are expected to help fill these gaps and continue the region’s trend of economic growth.
The resettlement funding for Abbotsford will go toward providing workshops on job-hunting, banking systems, transportation and shelter. Newcomers will have a resource center to help with the daunting task of settling into a new life in a new location.
Abbotsford is located just outside of the major urban centre of Vancouver.
Source: Montreal Gazette