DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society is launching a Local Immigration Partnership in Delta to promote inclusion and social well-being for the city's diverse population.
Funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Delta Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) will serve as a place for community-serving groups, immigrant settlement agencies, municipal organizations and local businesses to connect and collaborate at one table to advance priorities for a thriving community.
While LIPs are convened by local organizations and municipalities across the country, they do not provide services to immigrants directly. Rather, they foster and strengthen collaboration between community partners to improve immigrant outcomes and make communities more welcoming, according to the Surrey LIP's website.
The Delta LIP is being convened by DIVERSEcity, which has been the convener of the Surrey LIP since 2020 and has been successful in capacity building and knowledge sharing throughout the province through the collaborative BC-Yukon LIP/RIF Network, according to the May 5 announcement.
Neelam Sahota, chief executive officer of DIVERSEcity, said she is thrilled to serve as co-chair of the Delta Local Immigration Partnership.
“Delta is a dynamic, growing city with stunning natural beauty, a diversified business scene and a family-focused community. A dedicated LIP is an important way to advance equity and improve the social well-being for newcomers and all Delta residents," Sahota said in a press release. "I look forward to working with the Delta LIP council members, including the City of Delta, to help build a healthy community, together.”
Last week's announcement noted Delta is growing and changing to become a more diverse community, with the majority of population growth coming from immigration.
Data collected as part of the 2021 Census shows immigrants make up 33.1 per cent of the city's total population — 35,560 of 107,270 residents — giving Delta the sixth-largest immigrant population in the Greater Vancouver region even though it is the seventh-largest city by total population.
Along with these numbers, the community’s social and economic needs are evolving, the announcement said, and specific goals and priorities will be established among the Delta LIP's members as it starts to gather.
“Delta is the city I call home, so it is a privilege to help lead the Delta LIP, making the city better for newcomers, immigrants, refugees and all citizens,” Angela Sheenmar, manager of the Delta LIP, said in a press release. “I am excited to see the positive social impact the work of the Delta LIP will have on the community.”
A Delta LIP website with more information will be launched by June at deltalip.ca. In the meantime, anyone interested in getting involved or learning more can email deltalip@dcrs.ca.
