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Weekly roundup. Victoria immigration organization says supporting newcomers is a positive investment.
Capital Daily Team
December 21, 2025
Good morning !
I hope you’re all having a cozy pre-holiday weekend. This will be our last Sunday edition before our team takes a break to unwind and spend time with our loved ones.
We’ll see you on Tuesday for our last newsletter of 2025!
— Robyn
Today’s approx. read time: 7 minutes
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Immigration support should be seen as an investment, not a cost, says Victoria ICA CEO
ICA clients take part in a newcomers’ nature walk on the Island. Photo: ICA Victoria
The head of Greater Victoria’s Inter-Cultural Association (ICA) says we’d all be better served if we approached immigration support as an investment in our economy and culture.
The implication is that it would be more appropriate and beneficial than interpreting funding as a de facto necessity that ticks off a box on our moral responsibility checklist.
“Let's see this as infrastructure investment, not as a cost centre—not as something that needs to be funded, but as something that needs to be invested in,” says Shelly D'Mello, CEO for the ICA, Victoria’s 54-year-old charitable settlement agency that supports the integration of immigrants and refugees into the CRD.
Established in 1971, the ICA has assisted more than 110K individuals and families as they transition to life in Canada, offering language training, employment and education assistance, and other supports.
“We are building a better CRD because of the people that come through our doors and how we service them and how quickly we service them,” D’Mello told Capital Daily.
But that kind of work takes time, kindness, volunteers—and yes, money.
The ICA had in the neighbourhood of 130 workers and volunteers until recently, when it had to scale back by about 30 workers following the lapse of $1.2M in federal funding in the spring.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said such funding cuts were tied to the federal government’s decision to reduce immigration levels over the next three years to ease pressure on housing, infrastructure, and social services.
This year, 395K newcomers were to be issued permanent resident status in Canada, down from 484K the previous year. In 2026, that number will be 380K and then 365K in 2027.
“There's been this concern amongst Canadians that our infrastructure isn't in the right place to be able to be welcoming so many people at once,” D'Mello said.
“We also know that our economy depends on skilled labour, and depends on the ability of people to contribute, and those policies may be in direct contravention of helping our economic infrastructure.”
In November, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and the Conference Board of Canada released The Leaky Bucket 2025, in which they concluded that while Canada is successful in attracting global talent, it’s struggling to retain it.
The institute cited “onward migration,” where one in five new Canadians leaves the country, often for better opportunities, with highly educated professionals leaving at twice the rate.
The ICA cites impressive success rates: it says it helps 4K+ clients each year, and 77% find employment and enjoy a positive settlement experience.
⚠️ Capital Bulletin
Missing person: Isabella Burns,15, last seen Dec. 17 in Colwood. [RCMP]
Temporary trail closure at Island View Beach due to storm damage. [CRD]
Times Colonist Christmas lights map.
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