REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC AND REFUGEE SETTLEMENT

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC AND REFUGEE
SETTLEMENT

• National Resettlement Assistance Program
  Conference
• Vancouver, February 2007

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBECBackground and
challenges

• Government regionalization initiatives originally
  focused on refugee class immigrants.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC Refugee reception
in Québec
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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBECBackground and
challenges

• A strategy more specifically targeting skilled
  workers and business people has been implemented
  since 1990.
• Since 1994, various financial assistance programs
  have helped fund projects to attract and settle
  immigrants in the regions.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBECBackground and
challenges

• In Quebec, 85 of persons born abroad live in the
  Greater Montreal area.(1)
• A number of regions are experiencing labour
  shortages and demographic decline and wish to
  increase the role of immigration in their
  development strategies.
• (1) The Greater Montreal area includes the
  territories of the regional conferences of the
  elected representatives (conférences régionales
  des élus - CRÉ) of Montreal, Laval and
  Longueuil,
• 2001 Census, Statistics Canada, compiled by MICC.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBECBackground and
challenges

• The government would like to see a more balanced
  distribution of immigrants across the regions,
  taking into account each regions host capacity
  and the freedom of movement of individuals in
  order to
• contribute to the economic development and
  social, economic, cultural and demographic
  vitality of the regions
• limit the sociocultural gap between Montreal and
  the regions
• promote the integration of immigrants in the host
  society.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC Some figures
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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC Some figures
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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC Some figures
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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBECGovernment
guidelines for regional development

• In 2004, extensive consultations on the major
  challenges for the development of Quebec
  concluded with the Forum des générations.
• Immigration is seen as a key factor in countering
  demographic decline and contributing to the
  cultural, social and economic development of the
  regions.
• Forum participants agreed to move quickly to
  reach agreements with the municipalities and the
  CRÉs to promote the long-term settlement of
  immigrants in the regions.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC MICC partnerships

• Agreements with CRÉs
• MICC works in partnership with CRÉs, in
  accordance with government guidelines positioning
  them as key players in regional development.
• MICC regional directorates play a leadership role
  and are responsible for developing agreements
  with CRÉs.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBECMICC partnerships

• Immigration-Quebec and its regional directorates
  are active in the following regions
• Montérégie
• Outaouais, Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Northern
  Quebec
• Estrie, Mauricie and Central Quebec
• Quebec City region and Eastern Quebec
• Laval, Laurentians, Lanaudière
• Montreal (4 points of service)
• Establishment of additional service centres
  (March 2005)
• Trois-Rivières, Saguenay, St. Jérôme and
  Rouyn-Noranda.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBECMICC partnerships

• These agreements are intended to
• promote the regions among immigrants
• attract immigrant clientele
• support job market access and the development of
  immigrant employability
• foster intercultural exchange.
• As well as being adaptable and flexible, these
  partnerships are based on regional decision
  making as concerns the projects covered by the
  agreements and their financing.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC MICC partnerships

• Agreements with CRÉs
• Estrie (October 2005)
• Montreal (October 2005)
• Chaudière-Appalaches (January 2006)
• Laval CRÉ (and City) (March 2006)
• SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean (March 2006)
• Longueuil (April 2006)
• Mauricie (April 2006)
• Eastern Montérégie (August 2006)
• Bas-Saint-Laurent (October 2006)
• Quebec City area (November 2006)

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC Assistance
programs and partner organizations

• Regional integration program ((Programme régional
  dintégration - PRI) 
• To enhance the settlement and retention of
  immigrants outside the Greater Montreal area by
  improving reception, settlement and integration
  conditions.
• To develop recognition of the economic, social
  and cultural contributions of immigrants among
  the general public.
• One of the programs components targets
  community organizations.
• In 2005-2006, MICC contributed financially to 26
  projects implemented by these organizations (in
  addition to the agreements with CRÉs and the
  municipalities).

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC Assistance
programs and partner organizations

• Other programs
• Support program for civic and intercultural
  relations (Programme dappui aux relations
  civiques et interculturelles - PARCI) This
  program is intended to ensure the full
  participation of the cultural communities in the
  development of Quebec.
• Exercise of citizenship This program supports
  the cultural communities to promote their full
  participation in Quebec society and encourage
  openness to pluralism throughout Quebec.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBECMICC partnerships

• Agreements with the municipalities
• Promote the municipality among immigrants and
  provide relevant information
• Develop initiatives to attract immigrant
  clientele
• Support job market access and employability
  development
• Coaching and support to businesses
• Support intercultural exchanges
• Promote access to employment equity

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC MICC partnerships

• Agreements with the following six municipalities
  have been renewed or signed since April 2003
• Gatineau
• Quebec
• Sherbrooke
• Montreal
• Laval (MICC-CRÉ-City three-year agreement)
• Rawdon

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC Refugee reception
in Quebec

• An interdepartmental committee on the reception
  and settlement of government-assisted refugees
  was set up in January 2006 to analyse the
  problems related to the settlement of refugees
  and recommand solutions.
• At the request of service providers working with
  refugees, discussions on refugee health were held
  in May 2006.

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REGIONAL IMMIGRATION IN QUEBEC Conclusion

• The growing numbers of immigrants settling in the
  regions is very encouraging but still
  insufficient.
• The Quebec government plans to continue working
  with all service providers, regional and
  municipal stakeholders in order to promote the
  long-term settlement of immigrants in the regions.

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Thank you for your attention