- Create an ACCC Task Group on Immigration that would be time limited and will have representation
from colleges and institutes from across the country as well as external members from government
and non-governmental organizations. The task group could work on policy and advocacy initiatives
as well as program development.
- Explore the possibility of organizing a larger event for colleges and institutes such as an immigration
symposium later in 2004.
- Promote the principles and priorities on the integration of immigrants among colleges and institutes
by capitalizing on ACCC initiatives and activities including:
- The development of a section of the ACCC Website that profiles the programs and
services immigrants can access at colleges and institutes that will be integrated into
the Government of Canada Immigration Portal.
- The upcoming ACCC Conference in Saskatoon, with college/institute CEOs, the ACCC
Board, regional caucuses, and well as college/institute faculty and staff through the
conference session to be delivered by representatives from George Brown College and
Bow Valley College.
- The International Student Symposium to take place just before the Saskatoon
conference will also address some of the issues raised at the roundtable.
- The Student Leadership Network is focusing on community partnerships as such the
mentor and peer helper programs could possibly be promoted with them.
- The sector study of colleges and institutes as employers which will be carried out in
2004 with funding from HRSDCC. This study will collect data on the diversity of the
- workforce within colleges and institutes and how it reflects the diversity of the student
body.
- Focus some advocacy efforts on increasing the awareness of the high level government committees
created to address the integration of immigrants, namely the Deputy Ministers’ and Directors
General Committees on Integrating Immigrants into the Labour Market and the Assistant Deputy
Minister Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee which has a meeting planned in June 2004. These
committees provide a good opportunity to position colleges and institutes for future funding
opportunities.
- Foster collaboration with the Ontario CONNECT project and possibly expand the project to other
provinces if government funding can be provided. This project will look at the ways Ontario colleges
and institutes can remove the barriers that skilled immigrants face as a result of the education
system, resources and structures that were not designed to meet their diverse needs. The project
will also identify best practices and transition models to determine how the Ontario system should be
adjusted to improve access and allow immigrants to progress through college/institute programs and
enter the labour market.
- Explore funding options for the Accelerated Integration Program for Immigrants project that explores
how colleges and universities can offer initial integration services from some of their overseas sites.
- Collaborate with other partners working on the integration of immigrants, namely the Maytree
Foundation, Sector Councils and Affinity Group Leaders, in particular for sectors that are looking to
immigration as a solution to meet skills shortages (environment, technology, trucking, tourism,
construction), as well as provincial and community immigrant settlement organizations.