Details on transfer payment programs of $5 million or more

Settlement Program

General information

• Name of transfer payment program: Settlement Program: Voted
• Start date: May 15, 2008
• End date: Ongoing
• Type of transfer payment: Contributions
• Type of appropriation: The program is appropriated annually through Estimates.
• Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2015–16, updated 2016–17
• Link to department's Program Inventory: Settlement

Description

Settlement refers to a period of settlement and adaptation by newcomers during which the government provides support and services. Services are provided until newcomers become Canadian citizens. Ultimately, the goal of integration is for newcomers to be fully engaged in Canada's economic, social, political and cultural life. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's (IRCC) Settlement Program assists immigrants and refugees to overcome barriers specific to the newcomer experience, such as a lack of official language skills, limited knowledge of Canada and the recognition of foreign credentials. The program provides language learning services for newcomers, community connections and employment-related services, settlement information, and support services that facilitate access to settlement programming. Most services are delivered by service provider organizations (SPOs) funded by IRCC, however, certain services (such as information provision) are delivered directly by IRCC in Canada and overseas. At the same time, IRCC works with mainstream organizations, municipalities, employer associations and francophone organizations to involve them in the provision of other services to newcomers and ensure that both Canadians and newcomers are engaged.

Expected results

The Settlement Program's ultimate outcome is:

• Successfully integrated and settled clients benefit Canada.

Intermediate results of the Settlement Program include:

• Clients access services they need;
• Clients make informed decisions about life in Canada;
• Clients use official languages to function in Canadian society;
• Clients participate in the Canadian labour market;
• Clients are connected to broader communities and institutions; and
• Communities foster a welcoming environment for immigrants.

Immediate results of the Settlement Program are:

• Settlement program delivery is consistent and responsive;
• Access to IRCC-funded services is facilitated;
• Understanding of client settlement needs and appropriate linkages to other services is deepened;
• Clients increase knowledge of life in Canada;
• Clients improve official language skills;
• Clients acquire knowledge, skills and connections to prepare for the Canadian labour market;
• Clients increase participation in communities and social networks;
• Partners deliver responsive and coordinated settlement and community services.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation

2017–18

Decision following the results of last evaluation

-

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

2021–22 (timing of next evaluation is subject to change given implementation of the new Policy on Results)

General targeted recipient groups

To fulfil IRCC's objective of promoting the successful integration of permanent residents into Canada, contribution agreements may be signed with the following eligible recipients for settlement services:

• provincial, territorial or municipal governments;
• international organizations;
• not-for-profit organizations including non‑governmental organizations, non-profit corporations, community groups, umbrella organizations, regulatory bodies and apprenticeship authorities;
• businesses, including those that provide indirect services (such as employers hiring newcomers, private language schools, conference organizers, Web or production firms for tool development);
• educational institutions (including school boards, districts and divisions); and
• individuals.

Restrictions:

• Unless specifically allowed in the contribution agreement, no user fees can be charged to clients for services funded by IRCC.
• For-profit organizations may be eligible for funding provided that the nature and the intent of the activity is non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supports program priorities and objectives.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients

Ongoing consultations with provinces, territories, municipalities, service providers and umbrella organizations are conducted to gather their input for settlement program priority setting activities.

Ongoing communications continue with the National Settlement Council, whose membership includes provincial and territorial governments, settlement service providers, umbrella organizations that represent SPO interests, and other settlement stakeholders. The Newcomer Language Advisory Body is also engaged in ongoing communications.

The Department uses an open and fair call for proposals process as its main approach for engaging applicants. Contribution agreements were signed in 2017 and are in place for the next three years.

In the fall of 2017, an Expression of Interest process was undertaken seeking service delivery improvement ideas. Contribution agreements will be put in place in 2018–19 for successful proposals.

In 2018–19, a pre-arrival services Expression of Interest or call for proposals will be launched with the anticipation that new contribution agreements will be in place by fall 2018.

Canada-Québec Accord Grant/Subvention versée en vertu de l'Accord Canada-Québec

General information

• Name of transfer payment program: Canada-Québec Accord Grant/Subvention versée en vertu de l'Accord Canada-Québec: Voted
• Start date: Financial compensation to the province (in the form of a grant) is based on the Canada-Québec Accord relating to Immigration and Temporary Admission of Aliens, which came into force on April 1, 1991.
• End date: The Accord does not have an expiry date.
• Type of transfer payment: Grant
• Type of appropriation: The program is appropriated annually through Estimates.
• Fiscal year for terms and conditions: Ongoing
• Link to department's Program Inventory: Settlement

Description

Under the Canada-Québec Accord, signed in 1991, Canada has devolved settlement and resettlement responsibility to Quebec, with a grant that includes reasonable compensation for costs. The grant to Quebec covers reception services and linguistic, cultural and economic integration services, provided that they are comparable to federally funded services in other parts of the country. One objective of the Accord is the preservation of Quebec's demographic importance within Canada and the integration of immigrants into that province in a manner that respects the distinct identity of Quebec. The Accord provides Quebec with exclusive responsibility for the selection of immigrants destined to the province (except for family reunification and asylum seekers in Canada) as well as the reception and linguistic and cultural integration of these immigrants (including resettlement of refugees). Under the Accord, Canada is responsible for defining overall immigration objectives, national levels, admissibility, selecting family category and asylum seekers in Canada, and citizenship. This program uses transfer payment funding from the grant for the Canada-Québec Accord on Immigration.

Activities: Quebec has responsibility for the selection of immigrants and their reception to and integration into the province. In accordance with section 26 and Annex B of the Canada-Québec Accord, Canada is required to pay compensation to Quebec for reception and integration services, where it is established that:

• the reception and integration services (referred to in sections 24 and 25 of the Accord) offered by Quebec correspond, when considered in their entirety, to those offered by Canada in the rest of the country; and
• those services are offered without discrimination to any permanent resident in the province, whether or not that permanent resident has been selected by Quebec.

Expected results

The Government of Quebec is responsible for developing and publishing its own immigration legislation and policies. It reports to the provincial National Assembly on its own expected results related to immigration.

While Quebec has jurisdiction over reception and integration of immigrants destined to the province, the Accord specifies that the services covered by the grant must correspond to services offered by Canada in the rest of the country. To that end, an annual comparison of services between Canada and Quebec is carried out by the Joint Committee (Annex A, section 23(b)) to examine the suite of reception and integration services provided by both jurisdictions and to ensure that comparable services continue to be offered to newcomers across the country.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation

Previous evaluation was completed in 2012.

Decision following the results of last evaluation

The annual comparison of reception and integration services between Canada and Quebec was one of the recommendations of the Evaluation of the Grant to Quebec. As part of the management response, the decision was made to carry out the comparison annually going forward. Since 2012 there have been four comparisons of services (FY: 2013–14; 2014–15; 2015–16; 2016–17).

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

Evaluation of the Grant to Quebec is currently under way with expected completion in FY 2018–19 (timing of next evaluation is subject to change given implementation of the new Policy on Results).

General targeted recipient groups

The Government of Quebec is the only recipient of the grant.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients

IRCC and the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Diversité et de l'Inclusion (MIDI) meet on an annual basis, through the Joint Committee (Comité mixte), to coordinate the implementation of Canada's and Quebec's policies related to their immigration and integration objectives outlined in the Accord. IRCC and MIDI also meet biannually, through the Implementation Committee (Comité d'application), to coordinate the implementation of the Accord and develop the necessary terms and conditions of operation.

Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP)

General information

• Name of transfer payment program: Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP): Voted
• Start date: 1951 (as the Adjustment Assistance Program; RAP in its current form implemented in 1998)
• End date: Ongoing
• Type of transfer payment: Contribution
• Type of appropriation: The program is appropriated annually through Estimates.
• Fiscal year for terms and conditions: 2017–18
• Link to department's Program Inventory: Refugee Resettlement

Description

The RAP's primary objective is to meet the resettlement needs of clients following their arrival in Canada by providing direct financial support and immediate and essential services. Eligible clients include government-assisted refugees and certain persons in refugee-like situations admitted to Canada under a public policy consideration. Similar services are delivered provincially to clients in Quebec, through the Canada-Québec Accord.

Income support is administered directly by IRCC and can be provided for up to 12 months if the RAP client’s income is insufficient to meet their own needs and the needs of any accompanying dependants. In most cases, RAP clients also receive start-up allowances for expenses related to furniture and other household supplies.

Immediate and essential services are supported through contributions to service provider organizations (SPOs). RAP services include, but are not limited to: port of entry services; assistance with temporary accommodations; assistance opening a bank account; life skills training; orientation sessions; and links to settlement programming and mandatory federal and provincial programs.

Limited services (port of entry services) are provided under the RAP to all resettled refugees, and refugees resettled under the Blended Visa Office-Referred Program may receive up to six months of monthly income support through the RAP.

The RAP also funds certain in-Canada activities to support the private sponsorship of refugees (such as the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program), as well as activities overseas (for instance, with the International Organization for Migration) to support resettlement and RAP objectives.

Expected results

The expected outcomes for the RAP include meeting the immediate and essential needs of RAP clients and ensuring that RAP services are timely, useful and accessible, while contributing to the departmental results "Immigrants and refugees feel part of and participate in Canadian society"; "Permanent residents are welcomed and benefit from settlement supports".

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation

An evaluation of the RAP, as part of the Resettlement Programs evaluation, was completed in June 2016.

Decision following the results of last evaluation

Not applicable

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

2020–21 (timing of next evaluation is subject to change given implementation of the new Policy on Results)

General targeted recipient groups

The RAP largely targets two types of recipients: (1) resettled refugee clients, and persons in refugee-like situations admitted under a public policy; and (2) service providers who provide immediate and essential services to eligible clients. All recipients must be outside the province of Quebec.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients

Refugee recipients undergo an intake assessment upon arrival in Canada to determine the level of support they need and the types of services they require. IRCC uses calls for proposals to award contribution agreements to service providers.