News Release — The Government of Canada Invests Record Funding for Settlement Services for Newcomers to Alberta

The Government of Canada will invest a record $79.5 million in settlement services for immigrants to Alberta for the 2013–2014 fiscal year, Michelle Rempel, Member of Parliament for Calgary Centre-North, announced today.

“The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring newcomers to Canada integrate and contribute fully to the Canadian economy and their community as soon as possible,” said MPRempel, speaking on behalf of Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. “We have made important changes to restore fairness in settlement funding by moving to a funding model based on the percentage of immigrants each province or territory receives. This model ensures a similar standard of settlement funding is available for all immigrants, regardless of where they choose to settle in Canada.”

The allocation for settlement services in Alberta will be $79.5 million for the 2013–14 fiscal year, an increase of $4.5 million from this current fiscal year. Since 2006, settlement funding to Alberta has increased fivefold. Also since 2006, the Government of Canada has tripled settlement funding outside of Quebec, increasing funding from $200 million per year to approximately $600 million.

A national settlement funding formula is used by the Government of Canada to allocate funding for settlement services in all provinces and territories outside of Quebec. The formula is based on the provinces and territories share of immigrant intake and gives additional weight for refugees to account for their unique settlement needs. The Canada-Quebec Accord provides the Government of Quebec with an annual grant, the amount of which is calculated using a formula set out in the Accord.

“More newcomers are choosing to settle in Alberta, in part because of the federal government’s increase in provincial nominee spaces for the province,” added MP Rempel. “Our improvements ensure that newcomers to Alberta receive their fair share of settlement funding.”

The priority for the 2013–14 settlement services funding is to focus on delivering services directly to immigrants and away from supporting expenses such as administration, travel, or capital costs for organizations.