Central Okanagan Local Immigration Partnership (COLIP)

The purpose of the Central Okanagan Local Immigration Partnership (COLIP) is to bring about community collaboration related to newcomer settlement and integration through:

• Engaging local service providers and other institutions in newcomers’ integration process
• Supporting community-level research and strategic planning
• Improving the coordination of effective services that facilitate immigrant settlement and integration

In April 2014, KCR made the transition from their Welcoming Communities Program, pioneered by WelcomeBC, to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) funded Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) initiative to foster welcoming and inclusive communities.

Past initiatives under the Welcoming Communities project (2007-2014) have included:

• A mobile interactive kiosk with touchscreen technology that delivers multicultural information, games, and videos
• “Scattered Seeds” videos portraying the stories of adaptation, integration, and contribution of four recent immigrants and their families
• “A World of Employees at Your Doorstep” video that explains the need for immigration and the value that newcomers bring to the work environment
• Diversity training to over 277 community businesses, organizations, and institutions
• “A Day in a Life Of” videos that profile the experiences of various immigrant families as they adapt to live in the Central Okanagan
• Multicultural content at public community events such as “Try a Turban”
• Policy & diversity plan template for consideration by non-profit organizations
• Production of three short video clips scrolling on wall screens located in high traffic facilities throughout the community
• “Talking Book” project where recent immigrants share information about their country of origin with others

The Central Okanagan LIP is driven by a Council of community stakeholders whose aims are to support newcomer settlement and integration through local community engagement and collaboration. Central Okanagan LIP Council members include municipal governments, cultural groups, immigrants, the school district, post-secondary education, employers, foundations, local media, umbrella organizations, and non-profit organizations from the four Central Okanagan communities: Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, and Peachland. LIP Council members serve as independent experts to represent the views of their organizations and stakeholder groups.

The mandate of the Central Okanagan LIP Council is to further the development of the Central Okanagan as an inclusive, welcoming, and vibrant community where immigrants can realize their full potential, racism is eliminated, and cultural diversity is valued and celebrated. The LIP Council shares a common commitment to the values of diversity, equality, social justice, social inclusion, and social cohesion.

The LIP has recently conducted community research to identify the assets and barriers in the Central Okanagan to inform their strategic plan. According to its strategic directions, the LIP will work in a more cohesive and integrated way to meet the identified needs of newcomers, strengthen economic opportunities for newcomers, and support and engage in community development and advocacy.

Recent COLIP Projects include

• Health Navigation Guide Translation and Recording Project
  Originally developed by the Refugee Response Team for the Okanagan Thompson region, the Healthcare Resource Guide helps newcomers navigate the Canadian healthcare system by outlining available services and where to find appropriate care, addressing common barriers such as limited English proficiency and unfamiliarity with how the system works. With funding from Thrive Okanagan, the guide is being updated and expanded from 5 to 9 languages, with audio recordings added in all 9 to further improve accessibility for those with limited literacy.
• Community DEI Sessions led by COLIP and UAD
  In partnership with United Against Discrimination, COLIP delivers two free-of-cost DEI workshop series for community partners and service providers annually. These focus on using interactive discussion and applied learning to build practical skills in addressing bias, intersectionality, and systemic inequities to strengthen participants’ ability to deliver more inclusive and responsive community services.
• Safe Listening Session
  In recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, COLIP and UAD co-hosted a Safe Listening Event offering a facilitated, trauma-informed space for community members, particularly from marginalized and racialized communities, to share lived experiences of racism, connect through peer support, and reflect collectively on the systemic changes needed to address discrimination in the Central Okanagan.
• Legal Aid Referral Pathways
  Recognizing that newcomers eligible for family reunification faced financial, language, and digital barriers to completing time-sensitive applications, COLIP established a strategic partnership with a local law firm to provide reduced-fee legal support and free interpretation services, improving equitable access to immigration pathways for newcomer families in the Central Okanagan.
• Employer Feedback Forum
  In partnership with the Immigrant Employment Council of BC (IEC-BC), COLIP and KCR hosted an Employer Feedback Forum in Kelowna bringing together 22 employers to discuss labour market pressures and workforce solutions for the region. The session sparked rich discussion on talent attraction, retention, and immigration pathways, with employer input helping to shape future workforce development initiatives and ensuring Central Okanagan businesses are represented in broader provincial and national conversations.
• NAARS Transformation Community of Practice (CoP)
  In support of IRCC’s NAARS Transformation Initiative, COLIP launched a regional Community of Practice, convening more than 20 community partners across sectors to strengthen collaboration on newcomer settlement and integration services in the Central Okanagan. Through two launch sessions in early 2026, service providers explored the implementation of NAARS as a standardized intake and referral process, shared promising practices, and identified opportunities for greater coordination, with further sessions planned to continue this collaborative work.

For more information or to get involved, contact ximena@kcr.ca or 250-763-8008 x 202