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
All the WOW events that I went to were great – WOW does give a sense of a community trying to improve its attraction and retention!

Caroline Andrew
Professor, University 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
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
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 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
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
OLIP helps to unite and share scarce resources for greater impact by working together in the field of student education.

Walter Piovesan
Associate Director of Education, Ottawa Carleton District School Board
The target beneficiary of the work of OLIP is the whole community. In this short period we have planted together important seeds for Ottawa’s development.  

Dick Stewart
OLIP Council
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

Milestones in OLIP’s Journey

 

2009 OLIP is established in October 2009 
2010 (i) OLIP Council is formed and brings together over 30 key local organisations from multiple sectors(ii) Series of consultations and research projects identify challenges and gaps in the settlement and integration of immigrants

(iii)Planning workshops convene key stakeholders in multiple sectors to set long-term direction for building Ottawa’s capacity to attract settle & integrate immigrants.

 
2011 (i) Ottawa Immigration Strategy is launched(ii) A supportive, multi-sectoral governance model is established

(iii) 3-year implementation plans and principles are endorsed by OLIP Council

(iv) Multiple sectors in Ottawa start implementing the Ottawa Immigration Strategy

 
2012 (i) 1st Ottawa Immigration Forum is introduced and creates a new tradition for connecting across sectors, reflecting on challenges, and broadcasting  community-wide progress(ii) Ottawa Immigration Strategy in Action: Ottawa’s first collective progress report is launched

(iii) Governance review is conducted by the Executive Committee & revisions are proposed

(iv) An on-line presence is established & allows for information sharing across the now vast network of OLIP

(v)  The Ottawa Equity Project is established and brings together the practitioners of Equity and Inclusion of 12 key local organizations

(vi) The Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards are introduced by the City of Ottawa to recognize the contribution of immigrants contribution as employers, innovators, and creators of new economic opportunities via diaspora connections

 
2013 (i) Revised governance model is introduced and endorsed by OLIP Council.  The new approach enhances bottom-up mechanism for planning across sectors. Three features mark the new governance model: a) greater synergy between tables; b) expansion of OLIP cycle to two years; and c) enhanced role of OLIP partners(ii) First ever Municipal Immigration Strategy is established and sets concrete goals endorsed by City Council and aligned with the Ottawa Immigration Strategy

(iii) Second collective progress report is launched

(iv) Proclamation of the Welcoming Ottawa Week by the Mayor of Ottawa

(v)  Multicultural Health Navigators Initiative is established

 
2014 (i) Welcoming Ottawa Ambassadors Awards are introduced to recognize Ottawans who are supportive to immigrants and to promote welcoming attitudes(ii) The first implementation period of the Ottawa Immigration Strategy is completed and OLIP launched an evaluative review of partners’ accomplishments towards shared priorities

 
2015 (i) A participatory, evaluative review of collective action on shared priorities is completed.(ii) OLIP and Youth Services Bureau launch a new collaboration to promote community planning for the mental health of immigrant children and youth

(iii) Pinecrest Queensway Community Health Centre, Ottawa Children and Youth Initiative, and OLIP collaborate to establish the Equity in Education Initiative

 
2016 (i) The OLIP Council endorses a Refreshed Ottawa Immigration Strategy during its June 2016 meeting, after OLIP partners incorporated new learning and changes to policy and funding environment(ii) The City of Ottawa Council approves a refreshed Municipal Immigration Strategy

(iii) The Champlain Local Health Integration Network prioritizes immigrant health in the Integrated Health Service Plan 2016-19

(iv) A plan is launched to scale-up the Equity Project towards collective impact initiative that builds on the learning from OLIP Equity Partners’ work over 4 year-period (2012-2016)

(v) OLIP, South East Ottawa Community Health Centre, and Champlain Local Health Integration Network launch a collaborative engagement and research project on the health and wellbeing of Immigrant Seniors

 
 2017 (i) The Immigrant Heritage Walking Tours become a feature of Welcoming Ottawa Week for the second year in a row – a celebration of immigrants’ contribution to development of Ottawa’s historic neighborhoods(ii) A collaborative research study on Ottawa’s resettlement of the Syrian refugees is launched in collaboration with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Somerset West Community Health Centre, Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa, and Immigrant Women Services Organization

(iii) The OLIP Council endorses vie revisions to the OLIP governance during its June 2017 meeting