In our city’s history, immigrants have always played an important role. They build our economic prosperity, diversify our culture, contribute to our social vitality.

Jim Watson
Mayor of Ottawa
The work and expertise that OLIP brings to our community is so important as it helps us to build bridges and break down silos.  I look forward to our continued work together. 

Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa
I was happy to see integration to Algonquin territory and indigenous culture related programming in 2014 WOW. Please continue to involve local Aboriginal organisations and…

Linda Manning
WOW 2014 participant, Senior Fellow, University of Ottawa
The Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre is so happy to have joined the OLIP Health and Wellbeing Sector Table. It is clear that OLIP cares about immigrants and refugees and…

Wendy Tang, Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre
My nomination is an indication that our hard work in building Canada is recognized. All we do is to serve the community in return for embracing us when we needed it.  

Mehdi Mahdavi
Ottawa Immigrant Entrepreneurship Awards Nominee
Canada has been shaped by people who came from all over the world to build this country. WOW offers a platform for us to celebrate this history and the future it will help…

Alex Munter, Chair of the OLIP Council and President and CEO of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre
I’m really impressed with the level of energy and commitment around the Health and Wellbeing table and look forward to continuing collaboration between OLIP and OPH.

Marcela Tapia
Ottawa Public Health
The OLIP Council is committed to leadership.  In only a few years, we have a common vision and priorities, and are up to the task of implementing the Ottawa Immigration Strategy.

Salimatou Diallo
OLIP Council Vice Chair, Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario
The City of Ottawa will continue to play a lead role in the implementation of the Ottawa Immigration Strategy, just as we did in the founding of OLIP.

Steve Desroches
City Councillor and Deputy Mayor of Ottawa
The WOW seminar on immigrant women’s nutrition and health was a step in the right direction towards closing the gap between academic researchers and service providers.

Josephine Etowa
Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of Ottawa

2nd Annual Ottawa Immigration Forum Introduction

On June 27th, the 2nd Annual Ottawa Immigration Forum convenes at the Delta Ottawa City Centre.  The Forum, whose theme is The Building Blocks of a Welcoming Community, anchors a week of celebratory activities that include public lectures and workshops, music, film screenings, a soccer tournament, and team athletic challenges.  This year’s Forum – an integral part of Welcoming Ottawa Week – is co-sponsored by OLIP (Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership) and the Réseau de soutien à l’immigration francophone de l’Est de l’Ontario (area Francophone network), signalling the importance of diversity to both Anglophone and Francophone communities.

In line with its theme and the overarching purpose of supporting a community-wide implementation of the Ottawa Immigration Strategy through fostering collaborative opportunities for learning, reflection and leadership, the 2013 Forum follows three key objectives:

First and foremost, the Forum is designed to focus attention on the relationship between the quality of the welcome that Ottawa extends to newcomers and the City’s projected future as an exciting, innovative, cosmopolitan, and prosperous metropolis.  Offering ideas that Ottawa institutions – including the City, service providers, and educational bodies – might do to maintain Ottawa’s momentum as an important destination for international students, ensuring that the global talent settles, integrates and enriches the City, will be a particular focus of discussion.

The Forum’s second objective is to draw attention to the concrete steps that OLIP, working closely with the City of Ottawa, has taken to promote newcomer integration.  OLIP’s Co-Chairs will discuss progress in engaging civic leaders and building partnerships with local institutions (including Francophone entities), resulting in numerous, promising initiatives.

The third and final objective is to convey a sense of optimism regarding Ottawa’s future as a diverse and prosperous society.  The Forum, a key part of Welcoming Ottawa Week, seeks not only to report on Ottawa’s successes but also to celebrate them.