Last Updated On 15 September 2025, 12:50 PM EDT (Toronto Time)

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Canada’s government has announced itself as being keen on continued investment to fill labour shortages with the best talent in the world. It wants to build an ever-stronger economy, and to do that, they’ll be looking to encourage the integration of newcomers to the job market.

Powering this initiative, as announced by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, there will be $3.2 billion pumped into 520 organizations over the next three years. It’s one of many new investment policies coming out of the government that squarely targets increasing economic output.

Continuing Investment in Growth

Across the country, provincial governments have been looking for ways to spur growth. The Canadian government proper has clearly set a mandate to increase national growth, so targeted funds have been established. Some provinces have brought in hefty funds to make this a reality.

One has even gone as far as to create a $7.5 million fund, which is specifically targeted at helping businesses go digital. For small and medium-sized businesses, they’re offering matched private investments in key technologies, as well as assistance from expert consultants to power up SMBs across the province.

It follows the flow of customers and custom into digital spaces, where convenience, accessibility, and variety are driving forces behind rapid change. Entertainment has been one of the most visible examples of this shift, with streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime transforming how audiences consume film and television, replacing fixed schedules and physical rentals with instant, on-demand access. The gaming industry has undergone a similar evolution, with console and PC gaming complemented by a thriving mobile gaming market, esports competitions, and interactive live streams.

Even traditionally location-bound activities have embraced the online model. The iGaming space, for example, has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry, offering everything from poker and sports betting to immersive live-dealer casino games.

Across Canada, online slots have become big business; where once they were limited to bars, racetracks, and gambling halls, they now reach vast and diverse audiences through regulated online platforms.

Going digital and embracing new technologies is becoming even more pressing with the rising availability of artificial intelligence. Still, long before ChatGPT announced itself to the world, the BDC noted that, in 2021, 91 percent of Canadian SMBs had invested an average of $118,000 in tech, but that only one in 20 used digital tech effectively. Getting digital tech adoption right is a clear path to growth, as is integrating newcomers correctly.

Making the Most of Newcomers to Bolster the Labour Market

The aim of the new $3.2 billion fund over three years is to enable the better integration of newcomers, including by getting them into the job market in key areas to reduce labour shortages. Organizations aren’t merely being given cash from the pot, though.

All 520 organizations receiving funding to deliver resettlement and settlement programs across Canada all had to submit proposals to compete against one another. The government received proposals from organizations across all provinces bar Québec, due to the Canada-Québec Accord that gives an annual grant to the province already.

Despite the angles that an increasing number of countries are being voted into doing, immigration is good for the economy, and this model seeks to capitalize on Canada still being an outwardly friendly place for people to come and live and work. The programs will address three key areas in helping newcomers build successful lives.

Support will assist people in getting licenses and certifications for regulated professions. Training centres will also be established as a means of helping newcomers to learn English and French effectively. Plus, French-speaking newcomers will be offered more help in integrating into the Francophone communities beyond Québec. The approach is to help social, cultural, and economic integration to establish long-term gains from having another productive citizen of Canada.

Sidak Singh Dhanoa

I am a born Canadian citizen and growing daily with my content on INC – Immigration News Canada, developing into an empathetic person and knowing the other side of the story. Born in Toronto, exploring Canada from coast to coast, embracing the nomadic lifestyle.