Welcoming Week 2023

Lejia Feng Community Leave a Comment

Welcoming Week is an annual celebration that reminds us the values and efforts that create inclusive and welcoming communities for newcomers. It’s a time to acknowledge the contributions of immigrant settlement organizations and highlight the importance of embracing diversity. This year, Welcoming Week takes place from September 8 to 17, offering a perfect opportunity to recognize the significant work of …

Canada Announces New Measures to Support Iranian Temporary Residents

Lejia Feng Citizenship & Immigration, Community, Settlement & Community News, Settlement News, Updates

Canada has announced new measures to support Iranian temporary residents in the country. The measures, effective March 1, 2023, will make it easier for Iranians to extend their temporary status in Canada and to move between temporary streams, allowing them to continue studying, working, or visiting family by applying for a new permit from inside Canada. In addition, an open …

Canada’s New Interim Dental Benefit Now Open for applications

Lejia Feng Community, Daily Life, Health and wellness, Settlement News

On December 1, 2022, the Government of Canada announced a new dental benefit program to help those who need it most access dental care. The interim Canada Dental Benefit is intended to help lower dental costs for eligible families earning less than $90,000 per year. Parents and guardians can apply if the child receiving dental care is under 12 years …

Alberta’s government is taking action to support food security

Nicole H. Community, Updates

To support the work Alberta food banks and other civil service agencies do to help Alberta families, the Alberta government is providing $10 million over two years, with the first $5 million to be distributed in the coming weeks and the second $5 million allocated for use in the 2023-24 fiscal year. In addition to the aforementioned, Alberta’s government is …

New Alberta Government Funding for Low-Income Learners

Nicole H. Community, Finance, Updates

Earlier this year, Alberta’s government invested $15 million to create the New Beginnings Bursary to support 1,000 low-income Albertans attending high-demand, qualified post-secondary programs, providing them with a $5,000 non-repayable support each year. The program quickly capped out for the 2022-23 academic year, which left about 700 eligible applicants without a bursary. To support these applicants with their education goals, …

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day 2022

Nicole H. Community, Newcomer Information

September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day in Canada. For more than a century, thousands of Indigenous children were taken from their homes and placed in residential schools. The term residential schools refers to a school system set up by the Canadian government and administered by churches that had the objective of educating …

National Day of Mourning to Commemorate Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

Nicole H. Community, Settlement & Community News, Updates

The Prime Minister has announced that Monday, September 19, 2022, will be a one-time National Day of Mourning for the federal public service, including the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), to coincide with Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s State Funeral and the end of the official period of mourning in Canada. “On September 19, Canadians from across the country will pay their respects to …

Chinatown Street Festival 2022

Lisa C. Community, Settlement News, Updates

Chinatown Street Festival 2022 will take place on August 20th, 2022. Free admission and family friendly. When and where: August 20, Saturday⁠, 11am – 7pm⁠ Calgary Chinatown – Centre Street / 3rd Avenue South 3 Avenue Southeast, Calgary Get ready to experience one of the most phenomenal cultural presence in the hearts of Calgary Chinatown. Hosted by the Calgary Chinatown …

Housing and Affordability Task Force Hiring Volunteers

Lisa C. Accessibility, Community, Volunteers

The Housing and Affordability Task Force is an exciting opportunity to bring together people who build, study and have experience living in different levels of the housing continuum, and use their experience and recommendations to improve our approaches to improving housing affordability and increasing access to affordable housing.  The City of Calgary is looking for individuals who: Work collaboratively in …

Heritage Day 2022

Nicole H. Community, Newcomer Information, Settlement & Community News

Heritage Day long weekend is coming up! Heritage Day takes place on the first Monday of August each year in Alberta and recognizes and celebrates the varied cultural, architectural, and historical heritage of the people who have shaped this province. We encourage you to set out to find museums, historical sites, festivals, or natural heritage sites around Alberta on Heritage …