As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Sharing Best Practices in Settlement Services with the International Community

Recommendation 1

Recognizing Canada’s leadership and expertise in newcomer settlement and integration, that the Government of Canada look for opportunities, including through fora created by the Global Compact for Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees, to share best practices in the settlement sector with other countries.

Promoting Pre-Arrival Services

Recommendation 2

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada examine how to increase the use of pre-arrival services, including by strengthening the communication provided to clients to elaborate on how the pre-arrival services would improve or facilitate settlement.

Continue Funding Diverse Methods of Language Learning

Recommendation 3

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada continue to shorten wait times for language classes and fund a variety of language services, including computer-based language tools, so that newcomers’ different needs, including language proficiency and literacy skills in the first official language, can be accommodated.

Increase Childminding Services

Recommendation 4

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada collaborate with provinces, territories, municipalities and other stakeholders to enable more childminding services so that newcomers with young children can access settlement services, including language training.

Support Programs that Provide Training and Job Placement

Recommendation 5

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada continue to support and encourage innovation in settlement services, including programs in collaboration with employers and industry-led associations for training and job placement.

Improving Access to Interpretation Services

Recommendation 6

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada collaborate with provinces, territories, municipalities and other stakeholders to better coordinate the availability of interpretation so that newcomers have meaningful access to provincially and municipally delivered social services, including mental health care.

Removing the Stigma Attached to Accessing Mental Health Supports

Recommendation 7

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada work with settlement service providers to improve newcomers’ awareness of the mental health supports available in their community and to provide information in a supportive and culturally-sensitive manner that indicates that seeking such care is acceptable in Canadian society and should be destigmatized.

Funding for Initiatives to Meet the Specific Needs of Vulnerable Groups

Recommendation 8

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada continue to improve the availability of targeted initiatives designed to meet the specific, real-life needs of vulnerable communities, including women, LGBTQ2 persons and youth to help them integrate successfully.

Expanding the Availability of Settlement Workers in Schools

Recommendation 9

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada continue to support and expand the Settlement Workers in Schools program, focusing on areas with the highest concentrations of vulnerable newcomer youth, to support those youth and their families.

Attraction and Retention of Newcomers in Smaller Communities

Recommendation 10

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada expand the availability of mobile settlement services in rural and remote communities, and the availability of digital tools, in order to provide services directly to newcomers where they settle, so as to encourage the attraction and retention of newcomers in smaller communities.

Supporting Innovation and the Sharing of Best Practices Across Canada

Recommendation 11

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada support the settlement service provider ecosystem, by continuing to facilitate opportunities for innovation and the sharing of best practices between frontline organizations across Canada.

Ensure Quality and Effectiveness of French-language Settlement Services

Recommendation 12

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ensure the quality and effectiveness of French-language settlement services delivered to newcomers in francophone minority communities.

Initiatives to Promote Cultural Diversity and Combat Racism

Recommendation 13

That the Government of Canada continue to develop initiatives to promote cultural diversity and combat racism in order to support newcomer integration.

Predictable and Stable Long-Term Funding for Service Provider Organizations

Recommendation 14

That the Government of Canada provide stable and predictable multi-year funding to organizations with a demonstrated track record of providing effective settlement services, to better support long-term planning and continuity of services.

Settlement Program Funding Commensurate with Immigration Levels

Recommendation 15

That the Government of Canada maintain settlement services program funding commensurate with immigration levels.

Developing More Effective Metrics for Settlement Outcomes

Recommendation 16

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada continue to collaborate with all levels of government and other stakeholders, including Local Immigration Partnerships, in developing more effective metrics for settlement outcomes that take into account clients’ specific needs.