The Calgary Airport Authority and the Calgary Newcomers Collaborative lead the nation in opening the first voluntary immigrant services program at YYC  

Calgary, Alberta, December 7, 2022– The Calgary Airport Authority (The Authority) and the Calgary Newcomers Collaborative (CNC) celebrate their partnership and the newly established Immigrant Arrival Centre at YYC Calgary International Airport today. CNC is a collaboration of newcomer serving and other broad based social service agencies working together to respond to the needs of immigrants and refugees in Calgary and the surrounding area.  

The Ukrainian community, The Authority and CNC worked together to create the Immigrant Arrival Centre and respond to the influx of Ukrainian nationals to the Calgary area. The Centre is designed to support all newcomers and is a booth where immigrants and refugees can comfortably ask questions, seek support, and establish connections to services immediately upon arrival.  

“We’re the first airport in Canada to host voluntary immigrant services in-terminal,” said Chris Miles, VP of Operations & Infrastructure with The Calgary Airport Authority. “Calgary is a collaborative and welcoming city and the Calgary Newcomers Collaborative Immigrant Arrival Centre reflects the diverse communities we serve.”   

The Centre is a first-of-its-kind partnership with The Authority and nine newcomer-serving organizations and open to more. The organizations are:  

The Centre is located near Door 12 on the Arrivals level between international and domestic terminals. CNC representatives staff the booth every day from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and are there to welcome newcomers as they land and inform them about resources available to help them start building their new lives in Canada. 

“The Immigrant Arrival Centre allows us to respond to the needs of newcomers right at the point of their arrival and ensures they receive essential support at the beginning of their settlement process. This innovative approach decreases the chances of newcomers slipping through the cracks or missing important resources that could significantly benefit them. We are optimistic that the Immigrant Arrival Centre will have far-reaching positive impacts for new Canadians as they adjust to their new home,” said Anila Lee Yuen, Chair of the CNC, and CEO of Centre for Newcomers. 

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ABOUT THE CALGARY AIRPORT AUTHORITY 

The Calgary Airport Authority is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the Regional Airports Authorities Act of Alberta and is responsible for the management, operation and development of YYC Calgary International Airport (YYC) and Springbank Airport (YBW). The Authority’s commitment to safety remains a top priority and our #FlyHealthyYYC program has received the Airport Health Accreditation by Airports Council International. Our airports are important economic generators for the city, region and province, supporting thousands of jobs and generating billions in GDP through associated economic activity. The Authority was also recognized as one of Alberta’s Top Employers for 2021. 

ABOUT CALGARY NEWCOMERS COLLABORATIVE (CNC) 

The Calgary Newcomers Collaborative (CNC) powered by Gateway is a collaboration of newcomer-serving agencies working to respond to the needs of immigrants and refugees in Calgary and the surrounding area. The founding members of the CNC includeAction Dignity, Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth, Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association, Centre d’Accueil pour Nouveaux Arrivants Francophones, Centre for Newcomers, Immigrant Services Calgary, La Cité des Rocheuses, Portail De L’Immigrant Association, and The Immigrant Education Society. One key differentiator of our work is the use of the Gateway platform to communicate. 

 

Media Relations 

The Calgary Airport Authority 

P: 403 735 5899 

media@yyc.com 

 

CEO, Centre for Newcomers 

Anila Lee Yuen, (English) 

P: 403.606.9293 

E: a.leeyuen@centrefornewcomers.ca 

 

Director General, La Cité des Rocheuses 

Hervé Stéclebout, (French) 

P: 403.561.4417

E: direction@citedesrocheuses.com