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The weekly roundup includes research, stories, and events of interest to the Canadian immigration and settlement community. Includes: How does Budget 2023 impact Canadian immigration? How Lethbridge, Alta., found a solution to its family doctor shortage, Ottawa may have to adjust future help for Ukrainian refugees: immigration minister, Refugee Rights Advocates Express Concern Over New US-Canada Border Deal, and more.

Digital transformation is more than the tech or software used to deliver services: it’s approaching current models for service delivery in ways enabled by technology. This makes digital transformation a human process as well as a technical one, requiring human support to implement. A settlement sector organization in Nova Scotia, ISANS, is addressing the human element of digital transformation in their support of staff and clients.

What has the settlement sector learned from the COVID-19 pandemic? What knowledge do we want to carry into the future? This article considers the need for innovation in online service post the COVID-19 pandemic, and propose sharing and dissemination of resources as the best approach to long-term project sustainability.

In the fall of 2020, ACCES Employment (ACCES) launched a virtual assistant powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). VERA (Virtual Employment and Resource Attendant), responds to inquiries about our programs and services, helps users self-register for upcoming events, and offers resources that are relevant to users’ queries. VERA is a chatbot interface on our website and operates behind the scenes within our Facebook Messenger app. She runs on IBM Watson Assistant and Discovery technology.

This article makes a case for understanding the experience and needs of immigrants and refugees with using virtual care in relation to its ability to deliver compassionate care—that is, characterized by trust, dignity, positive patient-provider relationship, empathy, and respect. Authors propose using intersectionality as a framework for this inquiry. By understanding if and how immigrants and refugees experience virtual care through a compassionate lens, we can ensure that their perspectives and needs influence how we design systems of care.

I’m always inspired when I chat with folks in the sector, but this Metropolis Conference session reminded me of the incredible wisdom, knowledge, and passion that exists if we just ask! I'm sharing what we did and what we learned here to try to keep the conversation going.

This article is my presentation for Wellesley Institute's Community Knowledge Program webinar. Instead of slides, I've decided to take participants on a web journey through my Knowledge Mobilization approach.

IRCC presented the findings from this sector survey at the March 2021 Metropolis conference. They have never released a report of their findings other than in this and maybe a couple of other presentations. And it's useful information for the sector as well as data for those also doing related sector research.

I read a good article that moves past AI and ChatGTP sensationalism and has lessons for our Immigrant and Refugee-serving sector. Focused on lawyers and AI in the law, the conclusion here makes sense for us as well. Throughout the text below, when you read "legal profession" think about "Settlement Practitioners."