Local Immigration Project

Central Okanagan Local Immigration Partnership

Background

In April 2014, KCR made the transition from their Welcoming Communities Program, pioneered by WelcomeBC, to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) funded Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) initiative to foster welcoming and inclusive communities.

The purpose of LIP is to bring about community collaboration related to newcomer settlement and integration through:

  • Engaging local service providers and other institutions in newcomers’ integration process
  • Supporting community-level research and strategic planning
  • Improving the coordination of effective services that facilitate immigrant settlement and integration

Central Okanagan LIP Council

The Central Okanagan LIP is driven by a Council of community stakeholders whose aims are to support newcomer settlement and integration through local community engagement and collaboration. Central Okanagan LIP Council members include municipal governments, cultural groups, immigrants, the school district, post-secondary education, employers, foundations, local media, umbrella organizations, and non-profit organizations from the four Central Okanagan communities: Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, and Peachland. LIP Council members serve as independent experts to represent the views of their organizations and stakeholder groups.

The mandate of the Central Okanagan LIP Council is to further the development of the Central Okanagan as an inclusive, welcoming, and vibrant community where immigrants can realize their full potential, racism is eliminated, and cultural diversity is valued and celebrated. The LIP Council shares a common commitment to the values of diversity, equality, social justice, social inclusion, and social cohesion.

The LIP has recently conducted community research to identify the assets and barriers in the Central Okanagan to inform their strategic plan. According to its strategic directions, the LIP will work in a more cohesive and integrated way to meet the identified needs of newcomers, strengthen economic opportunities for newcomers, and support and engage in community development and advocacy.

Download: Central Okanagan Local Immigration Partnership Council Memorandum of Understanding (PDF)

Current Central Okanagan LIP Members

Beyond Diversity Consulting
Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission
Central Okanagan Foundation
City of Kelowna
Community Futures
Community Member of Kelowna
Community Member of Peachland
Festivals Kelowna
French Cultural Centre / Le Centre Culturel Francophone de l’Okanagan (CCFO)
Global Citizen Kelowna
Greater Westside Board of Trade
Intercultural Society of the Central Okanagan (ISCO)
Intercultural Women’s Education Network (IWEN)
Kelowna Chamber of Commerce
Kelowna Community Resources
Korean Culture & Knowledge Society
Lake Country Community Development
Okanagan College, Continuing Studies
Okanagan College, ESL Department
Okanagan Filipino Canadians
Okanagan Regional Library, Kelowna Branch
Okanagan Sikh Temple & South Asian Community
Project Literacy
Radical Action with Migrants in Agriculture (RAMA)
School District 23, International Education
School District 23, Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)
Studio East 2 West Productions
UBC Okanagan
UBC Okanagan, International Student Services & Programs

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