Immigrant Settlement Service Expands in Cape Breton

Cape Breton now has two new, full-time immigrant settlement workers to support new Nova Scotians settling on the island.

"We're partnering with New Dawn to enhance immigrant settlement services in Cape Breton," said Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab. "This will ensure newcomers make the best possible transition to a new life."

Government is providing $175,000 to New Dawn for immigrant settlement services to directly serve newcomers. This new partnership builds on the work of the Cape Breton Immigration Task Force.

New Dawn will work with existing providers including the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth's YREACH program and the language training provided by the Halifax Regional School Board's Teaching Immigrants English program and the federal government's Language Instruction to Newcomers program.

"This funding is a reflection of the great work of the recent task force on Immigration's support for more face-to-face settlement services on Cape Breton Island," said Rankin MacSween, president of New Dawn. "There is an urgent need to deal with Cape Breton's population crisis and this is one piece of the puzzle."

Government will invest a total of $6 million in immigrant settlement and integration in 2016-2017.