New Year Reflections

For us, 2023 was a year of significant advocacy, from the individual and family levels to community and national spheres. 

We’re thankful to have had the opportunity to implement new regulations in Ontario that centre the importance of immigration status for children and youth, which helps us improve their outcomes when they are in out-of-home care.

Last year, families were our largest client group referred for service. We’re happy to have played a key role in advancing regularization of status, often on humanitarian grounds, for entire family units. This helps to maintain children and youth’s permanency with their parents/caregivers within Canada. 

We’ve also continued to work alongside regional partners in Ontario planning for and coordinating multiple mass migrations. We’re continuing to collaborate with agencies receiving arrivals from the Afghan Initiative to the Ukrainian visa holders, and to a recent wave of asylum seekers.

In 2023, we published recommendations that pave the way for Canada to be Best-in-Class Leader ensuring the rights and protection for Unaccompanied and Separated Children arriving in Canada. 

Most recently, we took our advocacy all the way to the Senate of Canada where CWICE representatives testified about the positive impact Bill S-235 could have on the lives of children and youth in out-of-home-care across Canada. To read more about the proposed changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Citizenship Act, please click here and here. 

We hope you will check out our recent news and stay connected throughout 2024.

We know there is a lot happening globally, with wars, humanitarian needs, and climate-related issues. We recognize our collective advocacy will need to continue, and we hope to work alongside you all in these efforts.

We are wishing all our clients and partners a new year filled with peace and happiness.