Workforce Innovation and Inclusion Project (WIIP)

Talent shortages have become a major challenge for Canadian businesses, with organizations stressing the need for innovative strategies to address growing skills gaps. Yet despite the availability of programs that support the integration of highly skilled newcomers, immigrant employment outcomes are still far below that of their Canadian-born counterparts.
The Workforce Innovation and Inclusion Project (WIIP) is bringing together diverse employers, non-profits, and settlement agencies to address the employment needs of newcomers and produce a skilled, resilient Canadian workforce. Funded by the Government of Canada through Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the WIIP will identify and build on effective practices for supporting newcomer integration in order to drive innovation, economic growth, and social development across sectors.


- Identify proven methods for addressing economic and social challenges for newcomers
- Help determine areas for program improvements for underserved newcomer groups
- Broaden the talent pool by scaling effective skill-development programs
- Enhance partnerships between employers and the immigrant-serving sector
- Develop new models, partnerships, tools and programs that have high potential impact
- Increase employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for newcomers
The Workplace Innovation and Inclusion Project (WIIP) will map new, innovative service delivery models across Canada and create mechanisms for scaling these approaches. WIIP is engaging partners in the settlement sector and across multiple industries, representing the needs of both employers and the newcomer labour force.
Diversity Institute, Ted Rogers School, Ryerson University
Association of Canadian Studies
Halifax Local Immigration Partnership
Immigrant Employment Council of BC (IEC-BC)
ACCES Employment
Accenture
Blue Cardinal Capital
Brampton Multicultural Community Centre
Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council
Canadian Professional Counsellors Association
Canada‐Pakistan Business Council
Dalhousie University
Futurpreneur
Canadian Institute
Conference Board of Canada
iCanada Alliance
Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS)
Immigrant Services Society of BC
Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC)
Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC)
Midayanta
Morneau Shepell
Newcomer Centre of Peel
Nexus BC
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Ontario College of Trades
Scadding Court Community Centre
Skritswap
SPARC BC
SUCCESS BC
Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council
Youth Employment Services
YWCA Canada
Please direct all queries related to the WIIP to diversityinstitute@ryerson.ca
