Proposed immigration cuts will affect newcomers-Critics

Canada, 20th July: City Hall officials plan to cut funds for immigration settlement services and move out of the immigration business.

However, many critics allege such a move could thwart the services extended towards immigrants for their successful settlement in Canada.

According to Councilor Giorgio Mammoliti, the city can save a big amount of money by cutting the funding to newcomers settlement program in Toronto.

He said that it could help in saving an estimated shortfall in $774 million budget.

What do the cut mean for immigrants—Planned cuts to the immigrant settlement services will have a poor effect on refugees and immigrants since this could result in slashing of funding for services including language training, welfare, medical and public housing.

Plan could affect the vulnerable--No wonder, such proposal has invited wrath and criticism of several immigrant and refugee groups in Toronto. The groups claim such a move is disastrous for the vulnerable.

According to Amy Casipullai, Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, such cuts in funding will have a significant effect on new immigrants arriving in Ontario. Ottawa and Queen’s Park are already negotiating a fresh agreement following expiry of five-year deal for Ontario’s new immigration funding to the tune of $920 million.

Free services for immigrants--New immigrants coming to Toronto are offered are a host of free services including document translation, interpretation, medical care, vision and dental care, transportation costs and so on.

Each year, around 140,000 immigrants move to Ontario out of which nearly 70,000 choose to settle in Toronto. Around 32,000 immigrants move to York Region, 7,000 go to Halton Region and around 75,000 go to Peel Region.

Time to say goodbye to immigrant settlement program--Mammoliti states that around tens of millions of dollars go towards resettlement services for immigrants and refugees. And by saving such money, the cash-starved city could cut back its deficit, he argued.

So, it’s high time the city gets rid of such immigrant program entirely, he said. He asserted that the city, no longer, wants to act as subcontractors to either federal or provincial governments, while bringing forth the fact that resettlement costs for immigrants are shared with federal and provincial governments.