City Inventories and Audits of Local Resources and Services

Project Description:

The study provides detailed information about the programs, organizations, and activities available to immigrants and visible minorities in each of the WCI’s communities. A variety of techniques is used to develop inventories and audits of local resources, services, and measures that attract and promote inclusion in the target cities. For example, institutional capacity within municipal governments, the voluntary sector, the education system, healthcare, social services, and programs targeting children and youth are being examined. The study also explores special structural adaptations for newcomers at the municipal level. These inventories provide initial information to identify gaps and deficits in creating welcoming communities and document successful practices and initiatives. They form a baseline that can be used to make inter-city comparisons and against which subsequent inventories and audits can be compared across the five-year study period.

Leads (Names and Cities of researchers):

Caroline Andrew, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON
Scott Fisher, City of Greater Sudbury, ON

Start Date: July 2009

Deliverables:

Database of services and resources for immigrants in each community
Report on the state of each community at the outset of the study
Needs assessment for each community
Reports to LIPs in each community

Funder: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada CURA Grant

Pilot cities/sites (if relevant):

Barrie, Brantford, Durham Region, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, London & Middlesex, North Bay, Ottawa, Peterborough, Sault Ste. Marie, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Waterloo, Windsor