HMC Connections Annual General Meeting Report
In one year, from April 2020 to March 2021, we helped many newcomers in various ways. The numbers say it all.

The Halton Multicultural Council has been helping newcomers to Canada for 43 years. The organization was founded by volunteers from various cultural groups to provide social programs to the community.

We are here to help you connect with the community, improve your English language, establish your lives in Canada, find employment, fulfill your dreams, and achieve your best.

We are building one community for all, and we cannot do it without you. This is what we did together with you from April 2020 to March 2021.

Community Settlement professionals served 3,646 clients in Arabic, English, French, Mandarin, Urdu, Spanish, Russian, and Tagalog. 2,132 of them participated in 161 group sessions and workshops.

Youth Settlement workers assisted 3,090 unique clients, provided 10,357 services and 9,111 visits, and organized 117 youth group activities with 986 young people participating. They enjoyed many programs, like Newcomer Youth Outreach Council, Leadership, Art and others. 48 newcomer youths received tutoring services. 

English Language (LINC) classes had 243 students, representing 38 countries. They received 4,381 instructional hours in 11 online classes. Attendance was 100%. 20 LINC parents accessed online care for newcomer children support services.

Employment Support professionals served 819 unique clients, did 392 new assessments, provided 1,831 services. They held 90 workshops with 988 participants. 75 new clients reported being hired.

The Community Connections program assisted 226 unique clients. 64 online volunteers donated 1,527 hours to HMC. In 218 sessions there were 1,692 participants. 31 mentees were connected with professional mentors. 67 newcomer families were helped to file their 2020 tax returns. 350 people watched HMC Connections Multiculturalism Day online, where 10 cultures were presented.

Transitional Housing program served 20 families, 67 individual clients.  2 units were added to the housing pool; 9 families went from no income to employment; 11 families moved to Halton market rentals; 2 single moms were accepted in housing programs with additional support; 13 clients found employment in their professional field.

Crisis management specialists dealt with 68 client cases and 680 follow-ups. New life in emergency shelters found 24 clients. 189 clients participated in 17 group sessions for mental health, housing, employment, immigration, etc.

Job coaching and Language Acquisition program help clients with limited English to find a job, and this year 91 of them were served. 3 opened their own businesses, 64 were employed with the help of 50 employers who provide employment opportunities, and 33 retained long term employment.

Interpretation and translation department has 425 certified translators, who are covering 120 languages and dialects. This department did 714 projects, which took 1,789 hours. Top interpretation languages: Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Mandarin, Punjabi, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese.

Innovation and Enterprises Department organized 46 Orientation to Ontario sessions with 484 participants. There were 430 participants in 12 International Students Connect sessions; 190 participants were trained in 15 Diversity and Cultural Competence sessions; 60 clients were trained in 10 Nobody’s Perfect sessions. Additionally, this department organized 11 CILISAT orientation and training sessions, 4 CICP online training courses, 10 Community Interpretation workshops, and hired 11 candidates.

Please read more here.

Current Employment Opportunities - Halton Region. Please click here.
The provincially funded Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program (OSDCP). Click here for more information.
Find out when and where you can get vaccinated against COVID-19 at a go-vaxx bus mobile clinic here.