The Settlement Project

In 2023, CWICE Immigration Specialists had the privilege to meet with families arriving in Canada and with settlement staff every month at our visits to their hotels. We provided presentations about child welfare services in Ontario and answered questions from staff or families. This has been a wonderful opportunity to engage people within their first weeks after arriving in Canada.

As Ontario continued to see multiple mass migrations at the same time, we’ve experienced a drastic increase in the number of families needing services. In addition, we’ve begun partnering with new organizations in response to municipalities expanding and coordinating services to meet demands such as housing or temporary shelter.

CWICE continues with our Settlement Project, which is responsive to the needs of our growing community. This community includes families arriving in Peel Region or the Greater Toronto Area, child welfare organizations across Ontario, and service partners across settlement, government, or community-based organizations.

In the fall of 2023, we observed increased need in local hotels, particularly as there continue to be many housing challenges across the GTHA, including supply and affordability. As a result, some families have stayed longer than anticipated in hotels. Partner agencies providing services in hotels have been required to design additional programming to accommodate the situation. 

We continued to work in close alliance with Peel Children’s Aid Foundation. They understood the need and offered support which resulted in our ability to deliver new donated toys and games to several hotels. We continue to be grateful to Peel Children’s Aid Foundation and their incredible donors, who always find ways to meet the ever-changing needs of the individuals and families we serve.

We are proud of the work of our CWICE Immigration Specialists this year, and our partners, in greeting and welcoming hundreds of people when they transition to their new life in Canada.

Rosario Elmy (CWICE) with Razan Omar and Faten Gomaa (Program Coordinator, Resettlement Assistance Program)

Rosario Elmy (CWICE) with Amal Haroon (Program Coordinator Resettlement Assistance Program)

Rosario Elmy and Thomas Abraham (CWICE) with Tariq Eshaq Program (Coordinator, Resettlement Assistance Program)

Donations in the CWICE office ready for delivery

About the author:

Rosario Elmy is currently an Immigration Specialist with the Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence at Peel CAS. She has worked with Peel CAS for 13 years and during this time, has had the opportunity to work in various departments with the agency as a Family Placement Worker, Case Conference Facilitator, Community Engagement Presenter and Refugee Response Project. Rosario is dedicated to servicing families and children experiencing immigration and settlement issues.