Successful Implementation of the

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Successful Implementation of the Citizen Service
Platform Niagara Region Immigration Portal
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Agenda

• Background
• Solution
• Impact
• Whats next

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Background
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MISA 2010 in NIAGARA
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Key Challenges

• Shortage of skilled professionals
• Aging population
• Brain drain to GTA
• Low population growth
• Need to transform economy from manufacturing to
  knowledge-based

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Opportunity Knocks

• Funding available to attract immigrants
• Municipal Immigration Information Online
  Program (MIIO)

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Task at Hand

• Put it all together within 18 months
• Obtain and install hardware
• Install MOSS
• Develop solution
• Launch

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Foundation

• SharePoint 2003
• Business case approved for MOSS

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Solution

• Leverage Citizen Service Platform
• Immigration website would be 1st on MOSS
  leveraging the WCM capabilities

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How did we proceed?

• Partnerships/People
• Community Services Department
• Community partners InfoNiagara / 211
• Microsoft
• Infusion
• IT

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Requirements

• What information would a new immigrant or
  someone considering immigration need?
• Working with our community agencies we held
  focus groups with recent immigrants

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Findings

• Live
• Work
• Go to school
• Weather
• Local festivals
• How to get engaged in their community

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Bumps along the way

• Expect the unexpected!
• Hardware was delayed
• There were a few security concerns
• 64 bit architecture posed a few challenges
• Launch moved up 3 weeks!

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We make it!
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Launch Day
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Renes story
One man was brave enough to share his story
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Light Bulb Moment

• It wasnt just a website it was a guide!
• Assisting people making difficult life decisions
• Help for those who had made the journey

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Today

• Average of a 1000 visitors a month
• Enhancing content
• Reviewing search engine positioning
• Continuing post card campaign

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1000 Renes a Month

• Enhancing their experience in the Niagara Region
• Showcasing Niagara Region as a potential
  destination for their family

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Current and Future Impacts

• This website helps to showcase Niagara region
  to newcomers and potential immigrants to Ontario
  Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Michael
  Chan

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Current and Future Impacts

• In Niagara, well experience a shortage of
  skilled workers over the next decade and well
  need to respond with a supply of highly skilled
  workers in order to meet labour demands. Many of
  the newcomers arriving in Niagara are
  well-educated with much to contribute to our
  local labour market. The portal will further
  attract immigration and investment to Niagara
  Regional Councillor Brian Baty

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Current and Future Impacts

• Once here, the immigrants will be well served
  by the efforts of more than one hundred agencies
  that already provide a continuum of services for
  Newcomers. Representatives of these agencies
  partnered with the Niagara Region to design a
  site with a single point of access. Their expert
  input has helped to make the portal extremely
  relevant to potential immigrants to Niagara
• Commissioner Community Services Brian Hutchings

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Whats next?

• Phase II underway
• Track the outcomes by following the paths of
  people like Rene via our community based agencies
• Gather feedback and review analytics
• Hold focus groups with new immigrants to discuss
  their site experience
• hopefully, we become home to many new Niagara
  Region residents