Update to IRCC funding cuts: Affected programs and new funding opportunities

Thanks to the generous support from community partners, Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) is pleased to announce that some settlement programs impacted by federal budget cuts will remain open, either temporarily or on an ongoing basis.

Earlier this year, we announced the decision from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to cut our entire funding, which has supported settlement programs at CNH for over 30 years. This decision was made with little time to coordinate a transition plan, which took effect on March 31, 2025, affecting hundreds of participants, multiple programs, 20 staff positions and overall access to key services in our community.

Since this announcement, CNH has been working to find solutions that address programs, staff and participants affected by this loss.

Within the last two months, we received assistance from the Dr. Bik May Wai & Chung Nin Lam Endowment Fund to support youth settlement programs, which allows these programs to remain open until March 31, 2026. We have also received a subcontract with MOSAIC to support LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers) levels 1 to 4, which will operate until the end of December 2025. In addition, we continue to receive ongoing funding from the provincial government, which provides one settlement worker and restorative circles.

CNH is grateful for this support, but we recognize that there continues to be a gap in services, especially as some of our funding sources are temporary. Further, we recognize that some staff and community members remain affected by budget cuts.

Up until March, IRCC was our organization’s second-largest funding source. While community members will not have access to the same level of service previously provided with this funding, CNH remains committed to providing settlement programs, if and when possible. As such, we continue to seek other funding sources to integrate into affected programs.

As we move forward, our priority continues to ensure the well-being of our staff, students and community members impacted. Currently, we are working with Vancouver Neighbourhood House Settlement Serving Organizations and the Association of Neighbourhood Houses BC to challenge the lack of settlement supports with federal parties.

For more information about affected programs, please see below. For additional questions, contact info@cnh.bc.ca.

Affected programs

Aurelia M. makes cookies with her two children at CNH’s community kitchen program in November 2024. Open to newcomers, the program allowed participants to gather and learn to cook together.

Ongoing and temporary programs

Art – ongoing with reduced hours
- Art classes, including our weekly Make Your Mark program (open art studio) and origami circle

Food
- Community kitchen for newcomers – paused due to limited capacity
- Food land programs (i.e. community gardens) – ongoing with reduced hours

Settlement
- BC Newcomer Services Program / BC SAF HAVN Program facilitated by one settlement worker – ongoing, through provincial funding
- LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers) levels 1, 2, 3, 4 – funded until the end of December 2025 through a subcontract with MOSAIC
- Restorative circles (new) – ongoing, through provincial funding

Youth – funded until March 31, 2026 through the Dr. Bik May Wai & Chung Nin Lam Endowment Fund
- After-school mentorship
- Leadership and pre-employment mentoring
- Music programming
- Sports programming

For program descriptions, visit: www.cnh.bc.ca/settlement

Programs closed as of March 31, 2025:

Employment services for newcomers
General settlement services provided by a team of settlement workers who work in multiple languages (i.e. navigating social services, finding employment resources, referrals for English language training and support, and life skills training and group workshops)
LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers) levels 5, 6, 7
LINC conversation circles
Women’s leadership development

Frequently asked questions

On March 8, 2025, the settlement team at CNH hosted its annual celebration for International Women’s Day. Program participants of all ages gathered over food, music and yoga.

Funding

What is IRCC?

IRCC stands for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. IRCC is a department of the Government of Canada. IRCC is responsible for immigration, refugees and citizenship in Canada.

How much funding is impacted?

All funding CNH receives from IRCC.

Why is there no funding?

Due to substantial reductions within IRCC’s budget, the CNH budget that relies on this funding has been significantly affected. Our funding with IRCC ended on March 31, 2025, which meant all settlement programs funded by IRCC would no longer be offered as of April 1, 2025, unless other sources of funding were found.

Will there be funding again?

As the IRCC budget is out of our hands, we are unsure. However, should funding become available again through IRCC, CNH will explore our options if eligible.

Programs & Resources

Does this affect all programs at CNH? How would this affect the program that I attend?

This only affects programs previously funded by IRCC. For all our current programming, visit cnh.bc.ca/programs or call 604-435-0323.

Where will I be able to access more settlement services? Where should I go for help?

For additional support, please call 2-1-1 or connect with Guadalupe Chebib, CNH settlement worker, at 778-707-9142.

The workers have my files and history, what will happen now? Would my files be transferred to a different organization?

To maintain privacy, this information will be cleared from all CNH computers, phones, etc.

Impact

Why does this matter? How does this affect CNH?

For over 35 years, CNH has provided settlement services to the Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood of East Vancouver. Through this loss, we are reminded of the importance of these services, not only in our neighbourhood, but across the region and beyond. In the last year alone, CNH has served approximately 700 newcomers with IRCC funding, connecting them to social services, employment resources, language training and support, healthcare, food programs and more.

This loss is significant for CNH, impacting approximately six programs, 20 staff positions and overall access to key services in our community.

Read more about how settlement programs have supported our participants:

https://www.cnh.bc.ca/empowered-immigrant-women/
https://www.cnh.bc.ca/family-bonding-through-food/
https://www.cnh.bc.ca/changing-lives-2024-garima-tiwari/

How many participants does this affect?

In the last year alone, CNH has served approximately 700 newcomers with IRCC funding, connecting them to social services, employment resources, language training and support, healthcare, food programs and more.

How many staff are affected at Collingwood Neighbourhood House?

20 staff positions. With additional funding, we were able to retain some staff or hire staff into alternative roles at CNH.

Supporting settlement services at CNH

What can I do to help and lobby for these services to be reinstated?

We encourage the public to reach out to all levels of government (federal, provincial, municipal) and share how these funding cuts affect you and/or your community.

For more information on the calls to action CNH is making with other neighbourhood houses, visit https://www.cnh.bc.ca/media-release-2025-03-14/.

Are there other ways I can provide support for CNH?

CNH also accepts financial donations for those interested and able to do so. Donations can be made at https://www.cnh.bc.ca/donate/. To allocate donations towards settlement services, select “05. General/Other” and specify in the private message field.