The City of Guelph, the County of Wellington and several partners are working to ensure our community is an inclusive, appealing and welcoming place that attracts and retains newcomers who bring skills, experience and investment to the area.
The need for an online immigration portal was identified by the Guelph Wellington Local Immigration Partnership in 2010.
The Guelph Wellington Immigration Portal supports the economic and social inclusion of newcomers before and after they arrive in our community. The portal is designed to:
- ensure the City of Guelph and Wellington County are welcoming communities where everyone thrives
- promote Guelph Wellington as a destination for immigrants to settle, work and invest
- support service providers by providing accurate, timely information and resources to share with clients
- provide employers and the business community with tools to support their recruitment and retention of global talent, benefiting the local economy
What can users find using the portal?
- A video featuring newcomers who are living and or working in Guelph/Wellington
- Local programs, schools, housing information, service providers, social groups, community events, and career services
- Business support services in Guelph/Wellington
- Tools for employers: how and why to hire immigrants
What languages are used on the portal?
Based on research about the most popular languages spoken in Guelph Wellington and immigration trends, the portal is translated from English to Simplified Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese languages
Who participated in developing the portal?
The portal was developed by the City of Guelph Community and Social Services (CSS) under the direction of a Community Advisory Group (CAG), made up of many stakeholders, including front-line service providers, individuals representing various ethno-cultural communities, and other economic development initiatives and organizations including:
Organizations
- 2nd Chance Employment
- City of Guelph, Community and Social Services, Human Resources, Youth Services
- Conestoga College
- County of Wellington
- Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington
- Economic Development for Centre Wellington
- Ethnocultural Council of Guelph Wellington
- Guelph Chamber of Commerce
- Guelph Public Library
- Guelph Wellington Local Immigration Partnership
- Immigrant Services Guelph Wellington
- Innovation Guelph
- Lutherwood Employment Services
- Norhtern Lights Employment
- Upper Grand Valley District School Board
- Volunteer Centre of Guelph Wellington
Community Members
- Member of the Iranian-Canadian Community
- Member of the Sikh-Canadian Community
How was the portal funded?
The Guelph Wellington Immigration Portal is hosted by the City of Guelph, and completely funded by the province of Ontario in the amount of $119,350.
The portal is hosted by the City of Guelph (zero dollar impact), and a maintenance/sustainability plan is being developed by the Community Advisory Group.
