British Columbia’s Premier Gordon Campbell has unveiled a $43-million welcome mat, WelcomeBC, to help immigrants find work and adapt to life in their new communities.

British Columbia continues to be Canada’s most popular destination, per capita, for new immigrants with 42,200 immigrants moving to the province in 2006. The initiative is designed to ensure that the province remains Canada’s most popular destination for new immigrants - needed to help fill an anticipated one million new jobs over the next 12 years.

“There will only be 650,000 students that graduate in that same period of time,” Campbell said. “That means we need to attract 350,000 additional people to British Columbia to make sure that we maintain and enhance the quality of living for all of us.  We are investing $43 million over two years to help expand important services and help immigrants adapt to their new life in British Columbia.”

Over the next two years, WelcomeBC will provide:

$8 million to increase information and settlement services such as health care access, employment and recreation services to help immigrants adjust to living in British Columbia

• $11 million for settlement workers to assist new students in schools in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and Greater Victoria
• $9 million to reduce waiting lists for beginner English language services for adults (ELSA)
• $12 million to expand intermediate ELSA classes
• $1.6 million for improved information and outreach services for immigrants facing multiple barriers.

The Welcome BC initiative comes on the heels of a study by the Business Council of BC suggesting the province lags behind places like Ireland, New Zealand and Australia in the competition to attract skilled workers.

20 Jun 2007