Welcoming Communities Initiative

a multidisciplinary alliance of universities, colleges, and community organizations dedicated to promoting the integration of immigrants and minorities across Ontario

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The Fourth Annual U.S. National Immigrant Integration Conference took place in Seattle,Washington from October 24 to 26, 2011. The conference brought together policy-makers, practitioners, researchers, elected officials, government employees, business representatives, and faith communities for three days of dialogue. Keen to benefit from the discussion, the Welcoming Communities Initiative participated in a number of conference [...]

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As home to the country’s fifth largest immigrant population, Ottawa has witnessed a marked increase in ethnocultural diversity. This has been accompanied by the proliferation of a multicultural media sector that includes online, radio, print and television outlets. In spite of this growth, little is known about the potential contribution of the multicultural media to [...]

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Awards for Research September 2011

Melissa Stachel, PhD candidate in the Department of Anthropology and the Collaborative Graduate Program in Migration and Ethnic Relations at The University of Western Ontario, has received two awards for her research on Somali autism being conducted in collaboration with Victoria Esses and Gillian King. This research project was initiated in response to reports suggesting [...]

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We are pleased that our Letter of Intent in the SSHRC Partnership Grants competition was successful and that we have now been invited to prepare the full application, due November 1, 2011. The goal of “Pathways to Prosperity: New Policy Directions and Innovative Local Practices for Newcomer Attraction and Integration” is to equip small and [...]

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  • ABOUT US

    The Welcoming Communities Initiative (WCI) is a multidisciplinary alliance of universities, colleges, and community organizations dedicated to promoting the integration of immigrants and minorities across Ontario.

    To achieve this goal, the WCI seeks to implement a comprehensive program of research aimed at devising, improving and testing measures to attract, retain, and integrate newcomers, including students and foreign workers, in cities, towns and less populated locales. Many of these communities would like to grow their economies, renew their populace, and reinvigorate their labour markets.

    The WCI favours research that combines local expertise with academic scholarship in order to address practical concerns and challenges. In particular, the Initiative promotes comparative work that engages local stakeholders, scrutinizes promising practices, communicates effectively, and drives innovation and improvements.