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| Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants |
| Abbreviation | OCASI |
| Type | Non-profit umbrella organization |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Region served | Ontario |
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants is a provincial umbrella organization representing settlement and integration agencies across Ontario. It coordinates service delivery networks, policy analysis, and sector capacity building for immigrant and refugee-serving organizations in the province, interacting with provincial and federal institutions such as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, and municipal authorities including the City of Toronto. The organization works alongside community partners, academic institutions, and advocacy groups to shape programs affecting newcomers from regions such as Syria, India, China, and Philippines.
OCASI was established in the late 1970s amid shifting federal immigration priorities after the adoption of the Immigration Act (1976), when settlement agencies sought coordination similar to national networks like the Canadian Council for Refugees and provincial coalitions such as the British Columbia Association for Immigrant and Multicultural Services. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s OCASI expanded in response to events including the Vietnamese boat people resettlement, changes following the Multiculturalism Act, and the arrival of refugees from conflicts like the Bosnian War and the Rwandan genocide. In the 2000s OCASI adapted to new federal instruments including the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and engaged with crises such as the Syrian refugee resettlement effort and the settlement needs raised by the Global Compact for Migration debates.
OCASI's mandate emphasizes coordination among settlement agencies, promoting standards that align with provincial frameworks like the Ontario Human Rights Code, and advancing access for newcomers to services such as housing, employment, and health through partnerships with organizations such as Mennonite Central Committee and Canadian Red Cross. Core objectives include capacity building for member agencies, supporting evidence-based policy through research linked to universities like the University of Toronto and York University, and amplifying the voices of immigrant communities in forums alongside bodies like the Canadian Bar Association and Community Legal Clinics.
OCASI provides training, resource development, and program models used by settlement providers including language instruction frameworks comparable to Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada programming, employment-related initiatives similar to services offered by YMCA of Greater Toronto, and targeted supports for refugees and survivors of trafficking linked to networks like the Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses. It produces toolkits and practice guidelines for service delivery used by agencies across municipalities such as Ottawa and Hamilton, Ontario, and partners with health sector actors including Public Health Ontario and community health centres to address newcomer needs.
OCASI is governed by a board drawn from member agencies and sector stakeholders, reflecting governance practices seen at organizations like the United Way and regional nonprofit coalitions such as the Toronto Foundation. Funding streams have historically included provincial program contracts from the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, federal grants from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, foundation support from entities like the Trillium Foundation, and project funding from philanthropic institutions including the RBC Foundation and Atkinson Foundation. Governance balances member accountability, regulatory compliance, and relationships with municipal, provincial, and federal funders.
OCASI engages in policy analysis and advocacy on matters such as settlement funding models, refugee sponsorship regimes including private sponsorship frameworks exemplified by groups involved in the Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) Program, and access to social supports under provincial legislation like the Ontario Works Act. It participates in coalitions alongside groups such as the Canadian Council for Social Development and the Centre for Social Innovation, submits briefs to parliamentary committees including those of the House of Commons of Canada, and collaborates with legal aid networks and academic researchers to influence policy on issues ranging from credential recognition to systemic barriers in public services.
OCASI’s membership consists of settlement and multicultural agencies, community health organizations, legal clinics, and employment service providers across Ontario, including agencies in regions like Windsor, Ontario, Sudbury, Ontario, and Thunder Bay. It maintains partnerships with national networks such as the Immigration Partnership initiatives, university research centres like the Metropolis Project, and service providers such as the Catholic Crosscultural Services and the Federation of Francophone and Acadian Communities. These relationships enable cross-sector initiatives with actors in housing, education, and public health.
OCASI has influenced settlement sector standards, contributed to refugee intake strategies during crises like the Syrian refugee resettlement, and supported capacity development that aided municipal newcomer integration in cities such as Mississauga and Brampton, Ontario. Criticisms have arisen regarding reliance on project-based funding models similar to critiques lodged against other nonprofit coalitions like the Canadian Red Cross in certain contexts, concerns about representation equity among urban and rural members, and debates about advocacy scope versus service delivery priorities familiar in discussions involving organizations like the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Internal evaluations and external audits have prompted calls for sustainable funding and broader engagement with Indigenous and racialized community partners.
Category:Immigration to Canada Category:Non-profit organizations based in Toronto