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Home My WebLink AboutCAO-11-014 - Waterloo Region Business Network1 I~ITCHEI~TE~,. Staff Report CA~sO~~e www.kitchenerca REPORT TO: DATE OF MEETING: SUBMITTED BY: PREPARED BY: WARD(S) INVOLVED: DATE OF REPORT: REPORT NO.: SUBJECT: Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee June 20, 2011 Shelley Adams, Director of Innovation, 519-741-2476 Yuan Yuan Sui, MSW Intern All Strategic Planning and June 7, 2011 CAO-11-014 WATERLOO REGION NEWCOMER BUSINESS NETWORK RECOMMENDATION: For information only BACKGROUND: Over the past 10 years, the unemployment rate for recent immigrants in the Waterloo Region, like other municipalities across Canada, is significantly higher than either established immigrants or Canadian-born residents. Research indicates that employment barriers such as a lack of language ability, recognition of foreign credentials and Canadian work experience in their relevant field result in immigrants not being well integrated into the local workforce. Although there are employment programs designed to help immigrants attain employment in local companies (such as those offered by Waterloo Region Immigrant Employment Network, Lutherwood Employment and YMCA), these programs do not address the needs of immigrants who wish to sustain themselves through self-employment in the Waterloo Region. Around 50 percent of recent permanent residents destined to Waterloo Region are economic immigrants: people who are skilled workers, self-employed, entrepreneurs or investors in their countries of origin. They have potential and desire to develop businesses in the Waterloo Region. Providing opportunities for newcomers to become involved in the local economy through starting a business is another viable settlement approach. Located in the centre of Waterloo Region, the City of Kitchener has a long history of welcoming newcomers and has the 7t" largest proportion of immigrants in Ontario. It is important to recognize that the municipality plays a critical role in getting the newcomers well settled and including them in our community, culturally and economically. The impact of developing an immigrant business program and assisting immigrants in becoming self-employed will fuel the local economy and improve the image and reputation of the City of Kitchener as a potential destination for talented immigrants. REPORT: IF1 - 1 1 I~ITCHEI~TE~,. Staff Report CA~sO~~e www.kitchenerca With the input from the immigrants and immigrant service agencies, the City of Kitchener and the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre (WRSBC) have come to understand the necessity of developing a Waterloo Region Newcomer Business Network (WRNBN) program and entrust the WRSBC with facilitating this program, based on their mandate and resources. The priorities and directions will be flexible and closely aligned with the stakeholders' needs through consistent discussions between immigrants, immigrant agencies, the City of Kitchener and the WRSBC. The proposed program (WRNBN) recognizes that self-help and strengths-based models of intervention play an effective role in community development. Based on research, the program development team understands that recent immigrants' strengths -their skills, experiences and assets -can be valued through self-employment. Instead of exhausting financial assets for survival and living in poverty afterwards, they can invest in the development of local business initiatives as early as possible and reap the benefits. WRNBN is tailored to serve newcomers (immigrants and new Canadian citizens) in the Waterloo Region. The goal of the program is to encourage and assist immigrants in starting or maintaining businesses through the following components: • A one-day business forum (for up to 100 people) includes multiple workshops and provides networking opportunities for a wide variety of people. • 3 networking meetings (first networking meeting scheduled for June 13, 2011) with 3 workshops (regarding Canadian business culture, import & export protocols, or other optional topics as requested) annually, which enables access to at least 20 immigrants and provides in-depth conversations with the participants. • At least 10 mentorship matches annually with established business owners within the region. • Partnerships with ethnic group associations for joint events/workshops in languages as requested by participants (dependent on the available resources). • A WRNBN advisory committee to get immigrant business owners and members from the related sectors engaged in planning the networking meetings and entrust them with the tasks. • Sustainable sponsorship with municipalities as well as private sector corporations. • A website to offer a sustainable platform for the participants to share their business experiences and ideas, expand their network, advertise their businesses and get the latest information and resources. The following evaluation criteria are set to monitor the program: • Number of workshops, networking meetings and participants • Number of businesses and individuals assisted • Number of businesses registered and jobs created • Number of businesses sustained over the long term • Number of mentorships between entrepreneurs and newcomers established • Feedback from each event IF1 - 2 1 I~ITCHEI~TE~,. Staff Report CA~sO~~e www.kitchenerca ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The proposed program is consistent with the following priorities of the City of Kitchener's Strategic Plan. Quality of Life: Waterloo Region Newcomer Business Network (WRNBN) emphasizes improving newcomers' quality of life through embracing the diverse cultures of origin and providing a platform for them to get engaged with the community and share their experiences, ideas and different cultures. Diversity: WRNBN focuses on enhancing the equity and inclusion of minority individuals culturally, socially and economically. It provides foreign talent and investors with trainings and opportunities to reach their capacities and maintain their wellbeing. Development: WRNBN addresses the barriers of integrating newcomers into the local labor market. Through assisting foreign talent and investors in being self-employed, more job opportunities will be created and the local economy will be developed. The proposed program is also consistent with the following goals of the City of Kitchener's Economic Development Strategy. Talent Development: WRNBN helps recruit foreign talent and investors and assists them in reaching their capacities through business trainings and networking opportunities. The successful establishment of their businesses within the region will help attract and retain more talent and maintain our community's economic sustainability. Support Small Business Development: WRNBN mainly emphasizes encouraging and assisting newcomers to start and run a small business in this region. This is consistent with the corporate belief that small businesses play an important role on the local economy, which will economically strengthen our community. Through continuous communication with the municipality, the program can be guided by future priorities and directions to meet the changing needs of the community. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The Waterloo Region Small Business (WRSBC) has agreed to facilitate the program and be responsible for all the costs related to this program. There are no financial implications to the City at this time. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The priorities and directions of Waterloo Region Newcomer Business Network (WRNBN) are grounded in the consultations with various stakeholders (immigrants, immigrant service agencies, the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre and the City of Kitchener including Corporate Strategic Planning and Economic Development). Discussions with immigrant service agencies - Identified the need of developing a business program for immigrants Discussions with the City of Kitchener and the WRSBC - Confirmed that the program meets the needs of the community - Supported the program development team to conduct an exploratory survey and a pilot network meeting IF1 - 3 1 I~ITCHEI~TE~,. Staff Report CA~sO~~e www.kitchenerca Discussions with immigrants - A survey of 38 participants at Global Skills Conference (March 3, 2011) ^ Identified interests and desire to develop businesses - A pilot immigrant business networking meeting at the WRSBC (May 3,2011) ^ Tested the format of the networking meeting with 41 participants ^ Got positive feedback with some suggestions for the program CONCLUSION: The proposed program will be a valuable option in integrating newcomers into our local economy through business which fills the gap that the local existing employment programs have not addressed. Getting more involved in the community through a web of business connections, newcomers will feel more welcomed and included. The acceleration of local small businesses will contribute to the local economy while supporting the goals of a safe and healthy Kitchener. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Shelley Adams, Director, Director of Strategic Planning and Innovation IF1 - 4 Waterloo Region Newcomer Business Network Monday June 13, 2011 1 pm to 3:30pm Kitchener City Hall Waterloo Region Small Business Centre 200 King Street West City Hall Underground Parking Garage on Young Street Free Parking Passes or Bus Tickets will be provided 3~ ~ ^. I~ ~~~ . . u .~ . ~ . .. j . i t ~a IF1 - 5 f