Board Chair and CEO’s Message

Dear Friends,

We want to express our gratitude for your interest in and support of ISSofBC’s mission. We are proud to share our 2023 / 2024 Annual Impact Report with our community, partners, and stakeholders.

Last year, we celebrated welcoming more newcomers — refugees, migrants, families, international students, and others — than ever before. A year later, we are thrilled to have supported thousands more in achieving their goals: making a home in Canada, learning English, studying, finding jobs, starting businesses, and more.

Every day, organizations like ours support newcomers to Canada, including those seeking refuge from violence and persecution. We lead and innovate in the settlement sector, continually improving our practices.

Over the last year we were part of 26,000 unique stories of strength, determination, and resilience, a few of which we are thrilled to share in this annual impact report. Behind each of these stories is our dedicated team of nearly 500 talented and diverse staff members, driven by our shared values and diverse experiences. We thank them all. We also extend our gratitude to our volunteers, funders, partners, and donors for their unwavering trust, support, and commitment.

Immigration enriches Canada’s cultural, economic, and social fabric. However, we also acknowledge that the Canadian immigration system is under stress. Over the past year there has been continued focus on immigration levels, goals, and impacts. While debate about Canada’s immigration policies is important, we continue to believe in our country’s ability to welcome and integrate newcomers and in ISSofBC’s ability to ensure that this is done successfully.

Thank you for being part of our ongoing success.

Sincerely,

Alec Attfield, Board Chair

Jonathan Oldman, CEO