The Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP) has been selected to lead Ottawa’s Needs and Assets Assessment and Referral Services (NAARS) Community of Practice (CoP) following a sector vote held in February. The Ottawa NAARS CoP brings together anglophone and francophone settlement service providers, creating a collaborative forum that reflects the linguistic diversity of Ottawa’s settlement sector and the communities it serves.

As the lead organization for the Ottawa-region NAARS Community of Practice, OLIP convenes settlement service providers, strengthen collaboration across the sector, and support the implementation of a more coordinated and client-centered settlement system in Ottawa.

The role also includes facilitating dialogue and information sharing, and supporting collaborative planning related to NAARS implementation and service coordination. This role aligns closely with OLIP’s longstanding mandate to strengthen Ottawa’s capacity to attract, settle, and integrate immigrants and refugees through collective community action.

What is NAARS?

Needs and Assets Assessment and Referral Services (NAARS) provide eligible newcomers with an assessment of their settlement needs, strengths, and goals, along with a personalized settlement plan and referrals to services that support their successful integration into Canadian society. NAARS is often the first point of contact for newcomers accessing settlement services and plays a critical role in helping individuals and families navigate their settlement journey.

Through NAARS, newcomers receive guidance that helps them identify priorities related to language training, employment, education, community connections, and other settlement needs. The service is designed to empower newcomers to make informed decisions while connecting them to the most appropriate supports available in their communities.

Why is NAARS Being Transformed?

IRCC launched the NAARS Transformation Initiative to create a more consistent, coordinated, and efficient settlement system across Canada while maintaining flexibility to respond to local community needs. The initiative seeks to address challenges identified through consultations with the settlement sector, including inconsistent assessment practices, duplication of effort, uneven service quality, and difficulties measuring outcomes across regions.

Key elements of the transformation include:

• National use of the National Standardized Assessment Template (NSAT);
• Development of standardized and portable settlement plans;
• Creation of the NAARS National Advisory Table (NAT);
• Establishment of Communities of Practice (CoPs);
• Validation of service delivery zones; and
• Introduction of a Dedicated NAARS Service Provider (DNS) model in selected communities where appropriate.

The overarching goal is to ensure that newcomers receive the right service, from the right provider, at the right time, regardless of where they access the settlement system.

What is a Community of Practice (CoP)?

Communities of Practice (CoPs) are sector-led forums that bring together NAARS providers and referral-receiving organizations to strengthen collaboration and support the implementation of NAARS Transformation at the local level. Unlike the national NAARS Advisory Table, which focuses on strategic issues and national outcomes, CoPs focus on operational coordination and local implementation.

The purpose of a CoP is to:

• Share knowledge, information, and promising practices;
• Strengthen referral networks and access to settlement services;
• Foster collaboration among service providers;
• Support coordinated responses to local settlement needs; and
• Help communities collectively advance NAARS Transformation priorities.

IRCC has emphasized that CoPs are intended to be flexible and responsive to local realities while contributing to a more consistent national settlement framework. The CoP model creates opportunities for organizations to learn from one another, identify service gaps, improve referral pathways, and ensure that newcomer needs remain at the center of service delivery.

Ottawa NAARS CoP

In Ottawa, the CoP will provide a forum where service providers can work together to strengthen referral networks, discuss emerging implementation issues, share operational insights, and contribute local perspectives to the ongoing evolution of NAARS Transformation. Through this collaborative approach, Ottawa’s settlement sector will help ensure that newcomer clients experience a smoother and more coordinated journey through available services.

The establishment of the Ottawa NAARS Community of Practice represents an important step toward a more connected and responsive settlement ecosystem. By bringing organizations together around shared goals and client-centered practices, the CoP will help building a stronger settlement system by improving service coordination, strengthening referrals, and supporting better outcomes for newcomers across the region.

OLIP looks forward to working with settlement service providers, community partners, and IRCC to build a stronger, more collaborative system that helps newcomers achieve their settlement goals and fully participate in Ottawa’s economic, social, and civic life.

For more information or questions about Ottawa NAARS CoP, please contact OLIP Partner Relations Officer Mo Kasrawi at mo@olip-plio.ca.