Description

The objective of the LINC program is to provide basic language instruction to adult newcomers in one of Canada's official languages. LINC facilitates the social, cultural and economic integration of immigrants and refugees into Canada. Included in the LINC curriculum guidelines for SPOs is information that helps orient newcomers to the Canadian way of life.

Shared Outcome(s)

The strategic outcome (objective) of LINC is to provide language training in one of Canada's official languages to adult immigrants in order to facilitate their social, cultural, economic and political integration into Canada so that they may become participating members of Canadian society as quickly as possible.

Governance Structures

The federal partner (CIC) is governed by Treasury Board approved terms and conditions and financial directives, the Financial Administration Act, the Settlement Manual, and the Contribution Accountability Framework (CAF), which is currently being implemented in stages. The CAF ensures the accountability of settlement expenditures through the monitoring of service delivery and the evaluation of program effectiveness. Information collected will also be used to identify program changes that will enhance the capacity of newcomers to integrate into Canadian society. There are five key elements in the CAF: performance measurement, evaluation, contribution agreement process, management control (where applicable, under an agreement), and provincial-territorial accountability. Service provider partners are governed by contribution agreements entered into with the federal government.

Settlement services are also provided to newcomers to Canada by provinces which have signed settlement services agreements with the Government of Canada. Settlement funding is provided through Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFAs). Currently two provinces have signed such agreements: British Columbia (latest agreement signed April 5, 2004) and Manitoba (latest agreement signed June 2, 2003). The two provincial governments maintain primary responsibility for the design, administration and delivery of settlement and integration services for immigrants in their own provinces. They provide and manage settlement services comparable to those offered by CIC. 

Settlement services in the province of Quebec are governed by the Canada-Quebec Accord, signed in 1991, under which Quebec receives federal funding in the form of a grant and has the responsibility for selecting immigrants and providing settlement services to newcomers.

Partners

Service Provider organizations partner with CIC to deliver LINC.

Federal Departments
Citizenship and Immigration (Canada)

Non-governmental organizations
Provincial, territorial or municipal governments
Businesses
Not-for-profit groups
Community groups
Educational institutions
Individuals

Contact

Contact Information:
Deborah Spurr
Director, Settlement
952-2301

Approved by:
Patricia Birkett
A/Director General, Integration
957-3257

Date Approved:
August 18, 2005