Pathways to Prosperity: Canada

P2P will be examining promising practices that promote newcomer retention, cultural retention, and settlement assistance in Francophone minority communities. The study, funded by CIC’s Research and Evaluation Branch, builds on the P2P’s earlier work in this area and the Partnership’s commitment to improving integration by tapping the expertise of the settlement sector. The research will focus on retention activities that: (i) help build relations with employers; (ii) promote newcomer engagement into Francophone cultural institutions; and (iii)improve the delivery of services, in French, to newcomers in remote and Northern communities. The study aims to answer such questions as whether there are promising reception and integration practices that can be adapted to a wider range of circumstances and whether some institutional arrangements are more effective than others in promoting a welcoming environment. The research will also shed light on the desirability of a larger exercise to identify more examples and to address a broader set of policy concerns. The report is expected to be ready by December 2014.

The study team consists of Meyer Burstein, from P2P’s National Hub, and Gerry Clement and Sheila Petty, both from the Prairie Node. They will be assisted by graduate students from various universities across the country. The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA) was helpful during the project’s development and is continuing to assist with contacts and advice.