More than 850 newcomers went through work-experience programs in Waterloo Region last year, according to the Immigration Partnership’s annual report, which went to Regional Council on Tuesday.
The partnership is a network of public, private and non-profit organisations that has been running for seventeen years. Alongside the employment figure, the report describes coordinated support across dozens of providers for temporary foreign workers, refugees and international students, and says the partnership helped the Region secure federal funding for transitional housing for vulnerable families. One of the employment programs was a pilot the report says could be extended to other industries.
“Seventeen years ago, public, private and non-profit leaders doubled down on building regional infrastructure for newcomer integration, recognizing the long-term economic and social significance of immigration to regional communities,” said Tara Bedard, the partnership’s executive director.
Regional Chair Karen Redman said newcomers “come to Waterloo Region seeking opportunity and a sense of belonging, and they strengthen our community in countless ways.”
The report lands two days before Welcoming Week, which runs September 10 to 19 with about 40 events across the region. The schedule is on the Immigration Partnership’s website.
The release does not give a dollar figure for the transitional housing funding or name the federal program behind it.
Source: Region of Waterloo, “Report shows gains in newcomer support ahead of Welcoming Week”, September 8, 2026.
