At ISANS, when we think of the future, it always centers on community and the important part immigrants play in shaping it. Our vision of a community where all can belong and grow depends on the cultural diversity, resilience, skills, perspectives, and economic growth immigration brings to Nova Scotia and Canada.  

In the coming pages, you’ll read wonderful examples of the ways ISANS strives to build a strong community through immigrant settlement and integration, and you’ll also find links to stories of our clients, both immigrants and community members, who share how ISANS has helped them grow and embrace new opportunities.  

In addition to those examples and stories, some other community-building work we’re proud of from the last year include our engagement of Mi'kmaw artist Lorne Alexander Julien to create a mural for our Mumford office with the theme of "Welcome." His beautiful, vibrant artwork – titled Mi'kmaki – has encouraged meaningful conversation among our clients, guests, and staff about the unceded, ancestral land of Mi'kmaki on which we work and live, and it stands as a sign of our commitment to honour and deepen our relationships with Indigenous people in Nova Scotia and beyond. 

I’m also pleased to share that, in the fall, our Settlement Digital Navigators won Digital Nova Scotia’s Diversity and Inclusion award for their work helping immigrants access and use technology and online tools to actively participate in community life. Our new Employer Engagement podcast – a speaker series that highlights Nova Scotian employers, employer supports, and tips for immigrant recruitment and retention – also represents the way we’re embracing digital tools to bring our wider community together. 

Our reports over the last four years have focused on the ways we help immigrants find their pathways to possibility through our services and programs. In that time, we have responded to humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine, developed sector-specific language and employment training, supported our clients with interpretation and family care, fostered opportunities for community integration such as gardening and field trips, as well as expanded pre-arrival services. 

No matter where we’re from, we all thrive when we live respectfully with one another. Communities offer us connection and a sense of belonging that are critical for enjoying a fulfilling life. When we give our support to those who need it, and when we welcome new people into our community, it encourages growth and reciprocity. More often than not, those who receive support are committed to give it back to others in countless beneficial ways. 

ISANS is deeply invested in helping immigrants build a future here. 

As we experience in our work, and as you will read in this report, immigrants are building their own future as well as our collective future as a province. It is exciting and inspiring to see the opportunities that lie before us.   

Thank you for your contribution to building pathways to community here.