[ DIVERSITY + CULTURE ]
that proudly welcomes new residents
every year from around the world.
Its residents speak 99 different
languages and embrace diversity
as a strength. Nearly half of
the City’s population, 46 per
cent, is foreign born and
visible minorities account
for 31 per cent of the
population. The City offers
people a great quality of life
with vibrant and exciting communities, a variety
of recreation facilities,
thousands of acres of parks
and great entertainment.
There is something for everyone
in Vaughan and that is why it
continues to attract people from all
ethnic backgrounds. In fact, according
to the 2011 Census, Vaughan may be the
most religiously diverse municipality in York
Region and one of the most diverse cities
in the entire country.
A CITY
BUILT ON
DIVERSITY
SERVICES FOR NEWCOMERS
ne of the many ways the City of
Vaughan has embraced and celebrated cultural diversity has been
through the implementation of
its Diversity Strategy. Approved
by Council in 2010, the strategy supports
the celebration of cultural differences and
opportunities for creative cultural expression in the community. The vision is to build
a city that protects human rights and promotes equality and inclusiveness.
There are a variety of resources and services
available for newcomers including employment and volunteer opportunities, free trans-
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lation services, the Vaughan Community
Health Centre and the York Region Immigration Portal. It’s no surprise that people from
around the world feel confident and comfortable in making Vaughan their new home.
Another useful resource for newcomers to
the city is Welcome Centre Immigrant Services. The Vaughan chapter assists people
moving to the city by offering a variety of
services. “We have four core services available and also have visiting services from
Housing Help, Family Services of York
Region and the Ontario Works programs,”
says George Davidson, General Manager
of the Welcome Centre’s Vaughan location.
The centre offers settlement services provided by counsellors who help newcomers
and their families deal with issues related to
adjustment, adaptation and integration into
the community. It also provides Englishlanguage classes which are instructor-led
and supported by a computer language lab.
English-language programs in the Welcome
Centre provide job-specific, advanced-level
English-language training to adult newcomers, teaching them the skills they need to
enter the workforce. The Welcome Centre
also offers a wide range of employment