Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL), is your settlement service agency here in the Columbia Basin and Boundary. We are excited to announce that we have received federal funding through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to complete a feasibility study on the establishment of a zonal immigration partnership (ZIP) in the East Kootenays focusing on the hub communities of Golden, Invermere, Cranbrook and Fernie.
We know that our communities are evolving and we are welcoming more newcomers than ever to our beautiful region. We want to ensure that our communities are welcoming and inclusive while helping newcomers to achieve their settlement needs. A zonal immigration partnership brings together key stakeholders and creates unique community-based solutions to meet the needs of newcomers who are already here and those who might come in the future.
The team from PEERs, represented by Jody Johnson and Trevor Van Eerden, who have worked in consultation with CBAL to support the launch of the West Kootenay Local Immigration Partnership, will be conducting this feasibility study. With tremendous experience in supporting multiple LIPs and other initiatives, they are well-equipped to complete this work. Focus groups will be happening for newcomers and stakeholders next month. You are invited to the stakeholder session.
What do you have to do?
It is very simple! Attend the Golden focus group on Monday, February 10th at the College of the Rockies from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., please sign up!
If you also want to take part in a survey, here is a quick survey for you to help us gather relevant data for the study. Preliminary results will be shared with the focus group. Visit www.cbal.org for more information on the Zonal Immigration Partnership Feasibility Study.
CBAL is part of the extensive literacy network that supports community-based literacy work and learning across British Columbia. The funding we receive from Decoda Literacy Solutions, the Province of British Columbia, and Columbia Basin Trust allows our community literacy outreach coordinators (CLOC) to deliver meaningful local programming – without this support, we would not be the organization we are today!
Our Vision
We envision a Columbia Basin and Boundary where communities embrace lifelong learning and people have the skills to thrive in learning, life and work.
