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Immigrant Welcome Centre Success Stories
Our Success Stories feature the voices of Immigrant Welcome Centre clients who share their immigration stories, including some of the challenges and how our organization helped them settle and thrive on the North Island.
Every day is full of anticipation!
Moving to a new country to start a new life is challenging. After Joanna arrived in Canada, she quickly realized she needed help due to
A good life in my new home – Canada!
My name is Chun-Chi. Six years ago, in 2015, I made a goal to become a Canadian, and in December 2021, I took my oath
Giving other immigrants hope
My name is Jihyun Lee. I’m a Youth Pastor at the Comox Valley Korean Baptist Church. I immigrated to Canada in 2018 with my wife
Newcomer Entrepreneur Stories - 2022
The Welcoming Communities Coalition presents the Newcomer Entrepreneur Series with The Comox Valley Record and locally produced Holding Heritage podcast.
The goal of this series of interviews is to learn more about and amplify the voices of newcomers who own businesses in the community. The Coalition has interviewed four entrepreneurs in the Valley who immigrated to Canada. These four residents talked to us about the challenges and surprises they experienced settling and finding employment, why they decided to own and operate a local business and the ways in which they were welcomed and supported as they made this community their new home.
Newcomer Entrepreneur Series: Interview #4
To find one’s passions and align them with your day-to-day work is a lifelong dream for many. A few years ago, Thanu Eagalle took a
Newcomer Entrepreneur Series: Interview #3
Many people who are arriving in Courtenay for the first time drive north along Highway 19. They exit onto the Comox Valley Parkway and are
Newcomer Entrepreneur Series: Interview #2
Quite often, food is a gateway to another culture. People make connections through shared meals, experiencing a new dish or an ingredient used in a
#TheresMoreToMe - 2022
Three newcomers to the Comox Valley generously agreed to share their settlement stories and how they maintain a connection to their culture living in the North Island. They looked back on some of the challenges they experienced settling in Canada and what helped make the Valley feel like home for this video series, #TheresMoreToMe.
This project was created by the Welcoming Communities Coalition in partnership with CV/Arts and was funded by IRCC, the BC Arts Council and the Province of BC. These stories help highlight the cultural diversity in the Valley and hopefully show other newcomers that they are not alone in their experiences settling on the Island.
#TheresMoreToMe
Thriving Together - 2020
Thriving Together is a series of stories collected during the pandemic by the Welcoming Communities Coalition. Thriving Together shares newcomers’ feelings about living through a pandemic in a new community and culture.
Thriving Together 5: Getting Creative During the COVID-19 Pandemic
My name is Daito Mitsumiya and I am from Tokyo; Japan and I am here for an exchange program. I arrived at Campbell River in January 2020, so I
Thriving Together 4: Difficulty Connecting to the Community Due to COVID-19
My name is Tony Kwon and I immigrated to Canada from South Korea last June. I spend most of my time with my family and
Thriving Together 3: Racial Discrimination Due to COVID- 19
Before I immigrated to Canada from South Korea, I spent less time with my family because I was working long hours. Since moving here, I
#UncommonCourage - 2016
Uncommon Courage is a video series produced by the Immigrant Welcome Centre in partnership with Shaw TV North Island. The series shares the stories of former refugees who settled in Campbell River.
