Creating a Welcoming and Inclusive Community for All
What is a Local Immigration Partnership?
A Local Immigration Partnership (or a “LIP”) brings together service providers, settlement agencies, community groups, employers and other key organizations across the municipality to create a welcoming and inclusive community for newcomers.
LIP conducts research to identify potential barriers for newcomers and then works through its partnership to remove them so newcomers can fully participate in the economic, social, cultural, and recreational life of the community. The goal is for newcomers to enjoy a smooth and worry-free transition throughout their settlement experience.
LIP develops relationships and innovative linkages between organizations to encourage intentional collaboration in an effort to share knowledge and build on each other’s strengths. This makes it easier for organizations to successfully serve, hire and interact with newcomers, while feeling more connected to the overall community vision.
Funded by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Local Immigration Partnerships are part of a Canada-wide project to increase the engagement of newcomers at the local level.
LIPs across Canada are helping municipalities take a greater role in planning for and guiding immigration and settlement in support of a two-way process of integration.
About Us
Sault Ste. Marie and Area LIP was established in 2009 under the stewardship of the City of Sault Ste. Marie. Since then, LIP has engaged thousands of community members and is active partners with over 50 local and regional organizations including employers, service providers, cultural groups and key institutions in education, healthcare, housing, and economic and workforce development.
The main priorities of the Sault Ste. Marie LIP are to:
- Identify and eliminate gaps in programs and services for new arrivals and immigrants.
- Consolidate community resources and coordinate the delivery of services and programs for newcomers
- Help address current labour shortages through strategic recruitment and workforce development and by preparing employers to hire newcomers.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive and community-based strategic action plan to guide attraction, settlement and integration of immigrants and newcomers to Sault Ste. Marie.
- Increase the community’s readiness for newcomers by promoting awareness about the benefits of diversity and providing opportunities for locals and newcomers to learn about and share with each other.
Our Services
The Local Immigration Partnership supports its members by:
- Establishing and maintaining an inclusive Immigration Partnership Council
- Coordinating community resources and services for newcomers
- Developing and establishing a strategic plan to identify community priorities
- Establishing action plans and supporting members in implementing action items
- Conducting research, knowledge- sharing, and professional training sessions
- Developing relationships and building strategic linkages in order to guide and direct intentional collaboration
- Delivering local public campaigns and community dialogues to promote awareness.
- Identifying funding opportunities, creating tools and resources, and locating information
Partnership Members and Regional Partners
Our robust partnership network is our greatest strength. We wish to recognize the tremendous work done by our partners in help creating a welcoming and inclusive community.
Membership includes, but is not limited to, representation from the following agencies and organizations:
- African Caribbean Canadian Association of Northern Ontario
- Algoma District School Board
- Algoma District School Board and Northland ESL
- Algoma Family Services
- Algoma Latin Association
- Algoma Legal Clinic
- Algoma Public Health
- Algoma Steel Inc.
- Algoma University
- Algoma Workforce Investment Corporation
- Art Gallery of Algoma
- Canada Border Service Agency
- Canadian Skills Training and Employment Coalition
- Centre d’éducation et de formation pour adultes (CEFA)
- Centre Francophone De Sault Ste-Marie
- The City of Sault Ste. Marie
- Community Living Algoma
- Community Development Corporation
- The Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie
- CTV
- District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB)
- Downtown Association
- Economic Development Corporation
- Employment Solutions
- Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site
- Filipino Canadian Community of Sault Ste. Marie
- Francophone Centre / Centre Francophone
- FutureSSM
- Group Health Centre
- Huron Superior Catholic District School Board
- Indigenous Friendship Centre
- Interfaith Committee of Sault Ste. Marie
- John Howard Society
- Local Health Integration Network
- Metis Nation of Ontario
- Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
- Ministry of Northern Development Mines and Forestry
- Ministry of Advanced Training and Skills Development
- Member of Provincial Parliament’s Office
- Northern Ontario-Latin Hispanic Association
- Northern Policy Institute
- Physician Recruitment and Retention
- Professions North/Nord
- Refugee705 and Global Friends
- Réseau du Nord: Soutien à L’immigration Francophone
- Sault and District Labour Council
- Sault College
- Sault Community Career Centre and New to the Sault
- Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce
- Sault Ste. Marie Police Service
- Sault Ste. Marie Public Library
- United Way and Harvest Algoma
- YMCA of Sault Ste. Marie
Contact LIP
The Local Immigration Partnership is led by the Corporation of the City of Sault Ste. Marie. Staff is located at the Civic Centre:
99 Foster Drive
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
P6A 5N1
Fax: 705-759-1639
If you are interested in sharing information and ideas with the Local Immigration Partnership or have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us:
Mary Ogenyi
LIP Coordinator
m.ogenyi@cityssm.on.ca
705-541-8673