Yorkton's Newcomer Welcome Centre officially opened for business with a ceremony at its Smith Street location last Thursday.
Operating in the city since March, the centre is one of 11 "newcomer gateways" around the province established to ease the transition of new residents into Saskatchewan. Joint provincial/federal funding keeps the centres in operation.
"Previously, a lot of the immigrants coming to the province and to our communities weren't really getting the support locally that they needed," said Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit at the grand opening. "A lot of people were doing really good work, but it was sort of a fractured approach."
"With more and more immigrants coming to Yorkton," continued program manager Cheryl Minke, "the need was seen for an area that was totally devoted to newcomers."
The Yorkton Newcomer Welcome Centre represents that dedicated approach. The centre is in place to help newcomers with almost any of their settlement needs. The four staff members on-site will help clients free of charge with filling out paperwork, finding a doctor, enrolling children in school, performing language assessments, and more.
"Even things as trivial as 'Where do I get my winter clothing?' or 'How do I work the thermostat?'" said settlement coordinator Edith Montesclaros. "As Canadians, you know where to go, but most often they don't. We will try to explain everything to them."
For many other common needs, such as finding employment or hobby groups, the centre can put clients in touch with the appropriate help.
Another priority of the Welcome Centre is building a community among new residents. The centre coordinates regular social activities such as the Conversation Cafe--where immigrants can come down to practice their English with one another--and International Women of Yorkton, which brings women together for monthly trips and activities.
In the past, said Ottenbreit, towns and cities the size of Yorkton had trouble keeping immigrants because many migrated to larger centres where they could join communities of their own people. The province's hope is that the newcomer gateways will help integrate immigrants into these smaller centres.
"We want them to have a community within the community where they feel comfortable, they have the support, and they can develop relationships with other immigrants and people who have been living here for many years."
With an ongoing labor shortage, he added, Saskatchewan cannot afford to lose its immigrants.
But the Welcome Centre is not just for immigrants from other countries.
"Of course our main focus is for newcomers to Canada," said Montesclaros, "but we also help interprovincial movers, because their needs are almost the same as a newcomer to Canada."
Canadians moving in from other provinces are typically much more comfortable with their transition, Montesclaros noted, but they are encouraged to come to the Welcome Centre with any problems they have.
