Federal funding shortfall leads to layoffs and massive waitlists at Calgary Centre for Newcomers

A shortfall in federal funding for the Calgary Centre for Newcomers (CNF) has resulted in the agency being forced to lay off more than 60 of its employees as the surge in inflation drives demand for services even higher.

In May, the organization laid off 20 of its employees after being advised by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that its funding would run out.

CEO, Anila Lee Yeun says a $4 million hole in CBF budget meant 40 more employees unfortunately had to be laid off last week.

“We were hopeful that we would be able to negotiate and we'd be able to continue to keep people on, but as the days went by we started to realize that might not be the case,” Lee Yuen said.

“We haven't been given any indication by IRCC if the funding will return and we’re hearing from the federal government that they don’t have the money to give.”

Lee Yuen notes that her team’s relationship with Ottawa continues to remain positive, but the layoffs have stretched her staff thin and led to large waitlists for services such as English-as-a-second-language instruction.

“Pre-COVID I would get very nervous when I saw that our waitlist for our English language classes across the city was 400, that was really a lot back then, but now, we're looking at 4,000 in Calgary alone,” she said.

“The wait list is 8,000 across the province," she added, "and our agencies that do English language supports have all had their English language classes also cut.”

Layoffs are increasing the wait list for classes such as English

HIGH DEMAND

Bukola Ojo has been teaching English classes at the CNF for more than 10 years. She said she's never seen such a high demand.

“We have such a long waitlist for these students so I think going into our new sessions, each class will probably be adding about two to four extra students in the classes,” she said.

“That’s going to be interesting for teachers to manage and it’s going to be more challenging for sure.”

The CNF adds that waitlists for mental health supports for immigrants who have been traumatized by war or settlement challenges has also increased. It used to be a wait of about two to three weeks, but that will likely rise to as long as eight weeks to be seen.

The centre says it has welcomed about 40,000 newcomers over the last year, an influx that continues to increase and put pressure on programming.

As of last January, nearly 20,000 Ukrainians evacuees arrived in Alberta, which includes 8,000 in Calgary alone

FUNDING SQUEEZED AS UKRAINIAN EMEGRENCY VISA PROGRAM EXPIRES

Immigration organizations in Calgary and across the province are continuing to scramble to house newcomers as rising inflation, rent and the cost of living continues to increase.

A decrease in funding from IRCC also comes as the temporary emergency visa program for Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion expired on Saturday after it was extended for three months in March.

Over one million Ukrainians have applied for the program since it was launched in March 2022 allowing them to live and work in Canada and stay for up to three years on the visitor visa.

The federal government won’t say if the visa program is being extended or replaced.

Ukrainian refugee and newcomer to Calgary, Olena Sadovnik arrived to Calgary last year and began working with the Centre for Newcomers as a career practitioner.

She says the opportunity for work is instrumental in allowing Ukrainians to be self-sufficient and contribute to Canadian society.

“Honestly I feel like this is absolutely heartbreaking,” Sadovnik said.

“People apply to come to Canada out of safety concerns, some people come because their children were diagnosed with neurological disorders because of the constant missile attacks. So now it means all these families, all these people, they have less options,”

Sadovnik adds that rising inflation is making it more and more difficult as it is for those coming to Canada.

“This just means now that Canada is not accessible and it's closed to Ukrainians.”

The current program offers language training and financial supports for newl- arrived Ukrainians and comes without application fees that would typically be required.

Anyone who has already applied to the program and been accepted will have until March 31, 2024 to actually arrive in Canada and get supports for up to a year after they arrive.

IRCC COMMITS TO OFFERING FINANCIAL SUPPORT

In a statement, IRCC said that Alberta immigration aid groups will see an increase in funding from $125 million to $133 million this fiscal year over the last one, which comes out to about a six per cent hike.

“These investments align with Alberta’s proportion of all permanent resident landings,” read the statement.

“In addition, the department has, in the past, adjusted investments over the course of the year, to respond to pressures such as an influx of newcomers, and when additional funding becomes available.”

In 2021-2022, Calgary alone saw a net increase in its population of nearly 30,000 due to the arrival of international immigrants and refugees.

A record 431,645 people became permanent residents in Canada last year. The federal government has said it will accept 465,000 immigrants this calendar year and expects to welcome another 500,000 by 2025.