About Immigration Partnership

Immigration plays an important role in the economic and social fabric of Waterloo Region. Immigration Partnership (IP) brings together organizations across sectors to support newcomers and help build a more inclusive and prosperous community.

We work with public, private, and non-profit partners to respond to a changing population and create the conditions for newcomers to settle, work, and belong, through collaborative structures including the Immigration Partnership Council and the Settle, Work, and Belong Steering Groups.

IP began in 2005, when community leaders came together through the Immigrant Employment Summit to address immigrant employment challenges in Waterloo Region. This led to the creation of the Waterloo Region Immigrant Employment Network (WRIEN), which later evolved into a broader partnership focused on the full newcomer experience.

Since then, partners across the region have worked together to strengthen services, improve coordination, and build a more inclusive community. This collaboration has helped break down silos, strengthen cross-sector partnerships, and support both economic and community development in Waterloo Region.

Our work is guided by shared principles that keep us collaborative, locally responsive, and focused on real outcomes.

How we work together

We strengthen collaboration across Waterloo Region by bringing partners together, sharing research and community insights, coordinating action across sectors, and supporting collective approaches to inclusion and immigrant success.

Ways to engage

Partners and community ambassadors play an important role in building a more connected and inclusive community. You can:

• Help identify community needs and priorities
• Coordinate efforts and strengthen partnerships
• Access research, data, and promising practices
• Contribute to collective advocacy and systems change
• Connect with organizations committed to collaboration, equity, and shared leadership