Press Release
April 4, 2024
THE TOWN OF FOX CREEK IS SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING A GRANT FOR A TWO-YEAR NEWCOMER NAVIGATION SUPPORTS PROGRAM.
Alberta’s Government, through the Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism, has provided the Town of Fox Creek with $250,000.00 to support newcomers to the community.
The Town of Fox Creek is excited to announce that we have been successful with our application to leverage our unique long-standing community partnerships and increase efforts to meet these priorities by building community capacity to support the needs of newcomers through social inclusion and access to navigation supports.
The new position, which will be located at the Fox Creek Community Resource Centre will aim to bolster newcomer retention and support the newest residents to our community. The program will support intercultural awareness and understanding through programs, events and information campaigns, it will improve settlement information accessibility via support staff who are well-versed in newcomer and local supports and will build on our receptive capacity to better serve the needs of newcomers through learning and working with stakeholders to make our community more welcoming.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to continue to grow our community through increased staffing capacity and the ability to welcome and support newcomers to Fox Creek. Fox Creek continues to be a hub of activity that is garnering attention because of the economic opportunities, incredible recreation activities, and quality of life we are able to provide, one that is catching the interest of many from other parts of the Province, Country, and World. The retention of newcomers will contribute to the prosperity of the entire community, not only via Economic Development, but through their social and cultural contributions as well.” – Mayor Sheila Gilmour
“As the hub of Community Services in Fox Creek, we strive to offer the best supports to everyone who walks through our door at the Community Resource Center. There is no better feeling than identifying a gap through emerging trends and then securing the funds that will work to address it. Increasing community capacity to provide the supports needed to make Newcomers to the community feel welcome and choose to make Fox Creek their home long term, is something that we are so excited for. Fox Creek is a wonderful community for so many reasons, and we want everyone to be fully aware of everything we have to offer.” – Director of Community Services, Wendy Chaychuk-Rieger
In 2023, the Town of Fox Creek was successful in becoming a part of the Rural Renewal Stream Program, a program that has supported 15 businesses and 23 applicants to date and has seen many successful immigrants land employment in the community. The newcomer support program will aim to complement the successes being seen through the Rural Renewal Stream by supporting the individuals who have chosen to make Fox Creek home.
Fox Creek was successful in obtaining $250,000 that will support the full-time employment of a Newcomer Support Coordinator for a two-year period. The funding will also provide support through additional programming, barrier reduction, and promotional campaigns.
For more information, please contact:
Kristen Milne
Chief Administrative Officer
Town of Fox Creek
102 Kaybob Drive, PO Box 149,
Fox Creek, AB T0H 1P0
(P) 780-622-3896
(E) info@foxcreek.ca