Voies vers la prospérité: Canada

More than 1300 participants gathered in person and virtually at the P2P 2024 National Conference.

PowerPoint presentations from the conference are now posted on the virtual conference platform. Recordings will be available soon.

On November 25-26, 2024, the Pathways to Prosperity Partnership held its 12th Annual National Conference – Supporting Newcomers to Canada: A Roadmap to Inclusive Collaboration for Collective Impact. 875 service providers, LIPs and RIF, government representatives, researchers, and other interested parties from across the country were in attendance in person, with an additional 380 attending virtually.

Highlights included:

• A welcome reception on the evening of November 24 that included Cedar Brushing by members of the Indian Residential School Survivors Society
• An opening ceremony by Elder Mary Point from the Musqueam Indian Band
• A keynote address by the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• A keynote address by Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio, Author of Reuniting with Strangers, Founder of Filipino Talks, and Communications & Program Outreach Specialist at Together Project
• Two plenary sessions – “Inclusive Collaboration between Community-Based Organizations and the Settlement Sector” and “Inclusive Collaboration between Public Institutions and the Settlement Sector”
• An exciting interactive session for all in-person and virtual attendees in which attendees had the opportunity to share their views on the value of collaboration within and across sectors and how to optimize it
• 61 in-person workshops & roundtables, and 19 virtual workshops & roundtables
• A poster session with 38 in-person poster presentations and 14 virtual poster presentations
• A closing ceremony that included performances by Tsatsu Stalqyu (Coastal Wolf Pack) – A traditional Salish song and dance group
• 33 in-person and/or virtual informative exhibitors

On November 27, 2024, the Pathways to Prosperity Partnership and the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) held the P2P-FCFA Conference for Local Immigration Partnerships and Reseaux en immigration francophone, with 240 in-person attendees and 60 virtual attendees.

Highlights included:

• A plenary session on “Inclusive Collaboration Across Sectors When Collaboration is Not a Given”
• 10 in-person workshops & roundtables, and 4 virtual workshops & roundtables
• A hackathon for all in-person and virtual attendees that focused on addressing a number of specific challenges that LIPs and RIF experience in multi-sectoral collaborations
• Release of the P2P-FCFA 2024 edition of the Accomplishments of LIPs and RIF – a compendium showcasing major accomplishments of the LIPs and RIF over the last two years

Feedback on the Conference

The feedback received on both the main P2P National Conference and on the P2P-FCFA Conference for Local Immigration Partnerships and Réseaux en immigration francophone is overwhelmingly positive.

Overall ratings of the main P2P National Conference ranged from 5.6 to 5.8 on a 7-point scale, with attendees especially appreciating the keynote speaker and other special guests, as well as the Interactive Activity. Comments included:

• Thank you for the best conference ever. I look forward to attending P2P each year and you always make it so worthwhile. Thank you for paying attention to our needs and making sure that all aspects of the conference are exceptional – from the meals to the speakers it was great. I really enjoyed the interactive session and hope it will continue.
• This year’s P2P conference stood out for its comprehensive agenda and exceptional networking opportunities, facilitating the exchange of best practices and innovative strategies within the settlement sector.
• A conference very well done! Thank you to the entire team for your commitment to this work. Your role has been extremely crucial to the success of the sector. Thank you and looking forward to Halifax in 2025!
• My heartfelt appreciation for the incredible efforts the P2P team put into planning and implementing the conference. Your dedication, creativity, and attention to detail are truly inspiring and have not gone unnoticed. The topics were not only timely and relevant but also thought-provoking and impactful. It’s clear that a great deal of thought has gone into ensuring that the conference will address critical issues while fostering meaningful dialogue and actionable outcomes. I’m particularly impressed by the way you’ve ensured inclusivity and engagement, making this a space where everyone’s voice can be heard and valued.

Overall ratings of the P2P-FCFA Conference for Local Immigration Partnerships and Réseaux en immigration francophone ranged from 5.9 to 6.0 on a 7-point scale, with attendees especially appreciating the hackathon, workshops, and roundtables. Comments included:

• The conference was exceptionally well-organized, with an agenda that clearly reflected the dedication and drive of its participants and organizers. It was inspiring to witness such incredible team spirit and collaboration among individuals who are so passionate about making a difference.
• Overall…this conference provides the most practical applications for LIPs. I always gain more than I expect and I can appreciate how hard it is to ‘narrow’ down the topics into one day. I loved the hotel and the food was epic which also makes one feel appreciated.
• I loved the hackathon! It was so engaging and useful in terms of the case studies we addressed and the innovative solutions that some of the teams came up with. I liked all of it – the teams, the presentations, the awards – please keep that as a regular part of your conference.
• The P2P Conference this year was a perfect event to attend as a new LIP coordinator, and it ignited my enthusiasm and desire to work for positive change.

When asked if they would attend future Pathways to Prosperity Conferences, the response from attendees was a definitive YES. It was also clear that the hybrid format was appreciated by those who could not attend in person and will continue to attract future attendance.

Poster Awards

On Monday evening, a poster presentation and evening reception was held to showcase 38 in-person poster presentations. Additionally, 14 posters were presented virtually. Among the many excellent poster presentations, congratulations to the following in-person poster award winners:

• FIRST PLACE – Michaela Mayer & Meseret Haileyesus – Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment
  Economic Empowerment of Newcomer Women
• SECOND PLACE – Serena Shukla & Hali Kil – Simon Fraser University
  Navigating Parent-Child Acculturation Gaps for Whole Family Well-being in Newcomer Families
• TIED FOR THIRD PLACE – Barbara Lee, Choi Shan Ng, Miu Yan, & Mooly Wong – University of British Columbia
  Children Facilitate Social Integration: Lessons Learned from a Survey of Hongkongers Recently Arrived in Canada
• TIED FOR THIRD PLACE – Ayshan Mammadzada – University of Ottawa, Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership & Ottawa Neighbourhood Scientific Research Solutions 
  Addressing Barriers to Skilled Immigrant Integration in Canada: From Geographical and Occupational Mobility to Sustainable Livelihoods

Gamification

As has become a P2P tradition, this year’s conference included gamification activities and prizes. Congratulations to the following winners, who received the top points in the in-person and virtual categories:

In-person Attendees:

1. Gizol Timoor Shah, Refugee Sponsorship Training Program
2. Kelly MacKinnon, Cape Breton Partnership
3. Vittoria Guastafierro, Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC (AMSSA)

Virtual Attendees:

1. Mitika Jain, Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society
2. Syeda Arif, Regina Open Door Society Inc.
3. Yulia Taslitsky, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)

Thank you

We would like to thank all special guests, presenters, chairs, and facilitators who worked so hard to ensure that the conference was a success. We also thank the conference planning committees for organizing an amazing
3-day set of activities.

We would like to thank the 33 exhibitors and we thank our sponsors for their support:

• Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS)
• Diversity Institute
• Minerva
• New Canadians TV Network
• Pre Arrival Canada – YMCA of Greater Toronto
• Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society
• World Education Services (WES)

Of course, the conference would not have been possible without the generous support of our main funder – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Conference PowerPoints and Recordings, Posters and Exhibitors

PowerPoint presentations from the plenary sessions, workshops, and roundtables, where available, are now posted on the virtual conference platform, which remains open to all registered attendees. All posters and exhibitor booths are also available on the platform. Recordings from the plenaries, the keynote, special addresses, and virtual sessions will be available soon.

Click here to access the virtual conference platform

Click here to access the Conference Website