Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement – Annex D: Partnership with Municipalities 2018

1.0 Preamble

• 1.1 The Parties share a mutual interest in creating immigration partnerships with municipal governments and private sector stakeholders.
• 1.2 The Parties agree on the need to provide opportunities for municipal governments to discuss their interests in immigration.
• 1.3 The Parties agree on the need to develop information sharing and consultation mechanisms that give municipalities input into the development of immigration and integration policies and programs that have an impact on municipalities.
• 1.4 The Parties believe that municipalities in Ontario can benefit from immigration to Ontario to the extent that they have developed and offer the necessary community infrastructure to welcome and integrate immigrants.
• 1.5 The Parties recognize that municipal governments provide a broad range of services that support the successful settlement and integration of immigrants.
• 1.6 As agreed to in Schedule C to the August 2016 Memorandum of Understanding and Protocol for Consultation between Ontario and the municipal sector as represented by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), Ontario is committed to consulting and cooperating with municipal governments in considering new legislation or regulations that will have a municipal impact.
• 1.7 Canada is committed to working in partnership with Ontario to build new relationships with municipal governments and others in the municipal sector to foster the economic and social conditions for successful immigration in Ontario.
• 1.8 The Parties are committed to building on the work of the Municipal Immigration Committee established with the AMO in 2004 and originally formalized under the 2005 Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement.
• 1.9 The Parties acknowledge that the City of Toronto may represent its own interests, notwithstanding section 1.8 above.
• 1.10 The Parties are committed to supporting the development of Minority Official Languages Communities through immigration.

2.0 Municipal interests in immigration

• 2.1 Municipal governments in Ontario are seeking collaborative relationships to ensure that federal and provincial policies and programs on immigration and integration are informed by the knowledge, understanding and priorities of Ontario’s municipalities.
• 2.2 Municipalities have identified two key areas of interest:
  • attraction and retention of immigrants throughout the province of Ontario, including small, rural and northern communities, and Minority Official Languages Communities; and
  • effective and timely settlement and integration of immigrants, particularly in municipalities that receive a large number of immigrants.
• 2.3 Municipal governments in Ontario’s small, rural and northern communities want to build on a history and tradition of successful immigration to strengthen the economic, cultural and social fabric of their communities.
• 2.4 Municipal governments in Ontario receiving large numbers of immigrants are seeking collaborative relationships with Canada and Ontario to successfully settle and integrate immigrants.

3.0 Purpose

• 3.1 The purpose of this Annex is to facilitate the participation of Ontario municipal governments in addressing issues, and pursuing opportunities, related to municipal interests in immigration.
• 3.2 For this purpose, the Parties agree to work with municipal governments on the objectives in section 4.0 of this Annex. Specific arrangements with the AMO, the Association française des municipalities de l’Ontario (AFMO), individual municipalities and/or groups of municipalities which are related to these objectives and other opportunities, may be set out through separate memoranda of understanding.

4.0 Objectives

• 4.1 Attraction and retention of immigrants – the Parties agree to:
  • consider opportunities for coordinated municipal participation in federal and provincial promotion and recruitment activities;
  • work with interested municipal governments in developing immigrant attraction and retention strategies;
  • work with municipal governments in promoting municipalities as destinations for prospective immigrants taking into consideration local skills shortages, and providing settlement information and assistance to newcomers; and
  • explore innovative ways to provide settlement and integration services in small, rural and northern communities to support retention.
• 4.2 Settlement and integration – The Parties agree to work with municipal governments to:
  • support the exchange of information on integration policies and programs;
  • utilize the Parties’ immigration portals to provide prospective immigrants with the information needed to make informed decisions and to prepare for settlement in Canada;
  • encourage municipal governments to engage local employers and community leaders in the labour market integration of new immigrants, such as access to employment services and education; and
  • facilitate and support community-led initiatives related to settlement and integration.

5.0 Implementation

5.1 Municipal Immigration Committee

• 5.1.1 The Parties will carry out their responsibilities under this Annex while respecting federal, provincial and municipal areas of jurisdiction.
• 5.1.2 The Parties agree to continue to work with municipal governments through the revitalized Municipal Immigration Committee.
• 5.1.3 The Municipal Immigration Committee will be a forum for representatives of Canada, Ontario and municipalities from across Ontario to explore immigration issues and identify opportunities to address these issues.
• 5.1.4. Intergovernmental consultations coordinated under the terms of this Annex will complement the Ontario-AMO Memorandum of Understanding. This Annex does not preclude the Parties from consulting or concluding an arrangement directly with municipalities.
• 5.1.5 Ontario will invite the AMO to work with the AFMO, to identify, recruit and recommend the municipal members of the Committee. Municipal members will represent a diverse range of municipal perspectives, including the interests of Minority Official Languages Communities, and be accountable to the AMO Board of Directors.
• 5.1.6 The Municipal Immigration Committee will develop and formalize Terms of Reference outside of this Agreement.
• 5.1.7 The Municipal Immigration Committee may establish working groups on specific priorities, as identified by the membership. Working groups will represent a range of perspectives and will report to the Municipal Immigration Committee.
• 5.1.8 The Municipal Immigration Committee will meet at least once every 12 months and report on its activities once every 12 months to the AMC established under section 12.1 of the General Provisions of this Agreement.

5.2. City of Toronto

• 5.2.1 The Parties acknowledge that the large number of immigrants that arrive annually in the Toronto census metropolitan area creates particular challenges in terms of maintaining services to all residents while ensuring the successful integration of newcomers into the community, particularly in the event of large numbers of resettled refugees.
• 5.2.2 The City of Toronto has developed experience, expertise and community infrastructure to respond professionally to the social and economic integration needs of immigrants.
• 5.2.3 The Parties agree to negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Toronto within nine months of the signing of this Agreement that will provide a framework for the three governments to discuss information sharing, and matters related to immigration and settlement as described in section 4.0.

6.0 Information Sharing

• 6.1 All information sharing between the Parties shall be in accordance with section 12.4 of the General Provisions of this Agreement.
• 6.2 The Parties agree to develop an ongoing process and framework to support effective information sharing and consultation with municipal governments on immigration and integration policies and programs.
• 6.3 The Parties agree to share information and research, in partnership with municipal governments, on best practices regarding immigrant attraction and retention.

7.0 Governance

• 7.1 In accordance with section 12.1 of the General Provisions of this Agreement, the AMC will be responsible for the overall implementation of this Annex. In the absence of specific direction to the contrary, Focal Points from each of the Parties will report to the AMC on an annual basis.
• 7.2 The Focal Points for the purpose of communication and notification pursuant to this Annex are:
  • for Canada: the Director General, International and Intergovernmental Relations, Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; and
  • for Ontario: the Director, Citizenship and Immigration Division, Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration.
• 7.3 Once this Annex is in force, the Parties will submit plans for working arrangements and strategies to the AMC, as required. Updates to such plans shall be permitted during the period this Agreement is in force, as required, subject to approval by the AMC.

8.0 Dispute Management and Resolution

• 8.1 In the case of a Dispute under this Annex, the Parties agree to follow the Dispute management and resolution process outlined in section 12.3 of the General Provisions of this Agreement.

9.0 Duration and Amendments

• 9.1 This Annex terminates on the date the General Provisions of this Agreement cease to be in effect.
• 9.2 The Parties agree to review the effectiveness of this Annex no later than twelve (12) months prior to its expiry.
• 9.3 Upon the mutual consent of both Parties in writing, the terms and conditions of this Annex can be extended at any time prior to its expiry, subject to any required approval or authorization, including the approval of the Governor in Council at the Canada level, or Lieutenant Governor in Council at the Ontario level.
• 9.4 This Annex may be amended at any time by the mutual written consent of the Parties, subject to any required approval, including the approval of the Governor in Council at the Canada level, or Lieutenant Governor in Council at the Ontario level.
• 9.5 Either Party may terminate this Annex at any time by providing at least twelve (12) months’ notice in writing to the other Party.

10.0 Notices

• 10.1 The Focal Points referenced in section 7.2 of this Annex undertake to give one another notice of any change in policy, regulations or legislation relating to their respective programs that is likely to affect this Annex.
• 10.2 Any notice to be delivered under this Annex should be sent to the Focal Points noted in section 7.2 of this Annex, and should also be sent to:
  • Address for notice to Canada
    Deputy Minister
    Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
    365 Laurier Avenue West
    Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1L1
  • Address for notice to Ontario
    Deputy Minister
    Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
    400 University Avenue
    Toronto, Ontario M7A 2R9