Glossary
The list below includes some common terms and acronyms related to immigration and community services in Kingston.
ACFO-MI: Association Canadienne-Française de l’Ontario – Mille-Îles. A Francophone agency in Kingston that provides employment support and some settlement services.
ALCDSB: Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board. Catholic English school board for south-eastern Ontario, including Kingston.
CCMARD: Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination. The City of Kingston became a signature to the CCMARD declaration in 2010.
CIC: Citizenship and Immigration Canada. As its name implies, CIC is the federal ministry responsible for admitting new immigrants (both permanent and temporary) and supporting them through settlement services, as well as administering the process of becoming a Canadian citizen. CIC is the primary funding body for most immigration settlement services in Ontario, including ISKA and ACFO-MI.
Citizenship: Canadian citizenship can be acquired either through birth (being born in Canada, or being born to a Canadian parent) or through the process of naturalization.
CLIC: Le programme Cours de Langue pour les Immigrants au Canada. This CIC-funded program provides free French language instruction for permanent residents [and convention refugees? Up to a certain time period?]. The English language equivalent of LINC is CLIC.
CMA: Census Metropolitan Area. A geographical area defined by Statistics Canada, including Canada’s largest cities and the surrounding communities. The Kingston CMA includes the city of Kingston and surrounding areas.
COIA: Canada-Ontario Immigration Accord.
ELT: Enhanced Language Training.
Ethno-cultural association: A group of people brought together by a shared country of origin, ethnicity and/or cultural background: for some communities, the group may be based on a shared religion. Depending on the size of the community, such an association may be run solely by volunteers out of their homes, or by staff at a dedicated location. These groups often provide support and information for their members, as well as social events. They may also hold outreach and education events involving the broader community.
First generation: As defined by Statistics Canada, someone born outside of Canada. Children born outside of Canada who moved here at a young age are sometimes informally referred to as second generation or “1.5” generation.
HDH: Hotel Dieu Hospital
Host Program: A CIC funded program, where newcomers are matched up with established residents for the purpose of building social connections and language practice.
Immigrant: A person who moves to a new country, usually permanently (i.e. not including people living in Canada temporarily as a worker, student or visitor). This definition can include people who have lived in Canada for many years and those who have received Canadian citizenship: as a result, the term “newcomer” is often used to refer to people who have immigrated recently to Canada.
ISAP: Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program
ISKA: Immigrant Services Kingston and Area. This organization, part of KCHC, provides CIC- and MCI-funded settlement services to newcomers in Kingston, including settlement counseling, orientation events, social groups and events, and youth programming.
KCHC: Kingston Community Health Centres.
KEDCO: Kingston Economic Development Corporation.
KFPL: Kingston Frontenac Public Library
KGH: Kingston General Hospital
KIP: Kingston Immigration Partnership
KLS: Kingston Literacy and Skills
KT: Kingston Transit
LDSB: Limestone District School Board. Public English school board for the Kingston area, including Frontenac and Napanee.
LINC: Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada. This CIC-funded program provides free English language instruction for permanent residents [and convention refugees? Up to a certain time period?]. The French language equivalent of LINC is CLIC.
LIP: Local Immigration Partnership
Migrant: Sometimes used as a catch-all term to describe those who have arrived in Canada with the intention to settle here, though may also be associated with people in the country temporarily to work (temporary migrant).
MCI: Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. The Province of Ontario’s counterpart to CIC.
Mother tongue: As defined by Statistics Canada, “Refers to the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood by the individual”
Newcomer: Somebody who is new to Canada. Often used interchangeably with immigrant, including by government and service agencies. Some people and organizations use this term to refer to a new resident of Kingston, regardless of their origin or immigration status. Usually contrasted with long-term resident (who may or may not be an immigrant) or Canadian-born resident
NKCHC: North Kingston Community Health Centre. Main location of KCHC.
NSP: Newcomer Settlement Program. Funded by the Province of Ontario through MCI.
NWP: Newcomers’ Web Portal.
OCASI: Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants
OHIP: Ontario Health Insurance Plan. All new residents in Ontario, including immigrants, must live in the province for three months before receiving OHIP coverage.
Permanent Resident: A person who is legally in Canada on a permanent basis as an immigrant or refugee, but not yet a Canadian citizen (formerly known as landed immigrant).
PNP: Provincial Nominee Program. An immigration selection program that allows individual provinces to recommend people to CIC for permanent residency, usually based on local economic factors such as the need for workers with certain skills.
QUIC: Queen’s University International Centre
Recent immigrant: Someone who has moved to Canada within the past 5-10 years.
Refugee: A general term referring to individuals who have fled their country of origin due to fear of persecution or risk to their lives. Refugees in Canada receive support from either the government (government-sponsored refugees) or private citizens or groups (private-sponsored refugees).
Refugee claimant: A refugee claimant is a person who requests refugee protection status from within Canada. A refugee claimant whose claim is accepted becomes a protected person and may become a permanent resident of Canada. Refugee claimants generally cannot access CIC-funded services.
SAP: Strategic Action Plan
Second generation: As defined by Statistics Canada, someone born in Canada who has at least one parent born outside of Canada. Children born outside of Canada who moved here at a young age are sometimes informally referred to as second generation or “1.5” generation.
Settlement: The process of a newcomer arriving in Canada, having his or her basic needs met and integrating into Canadian society. While this term is often used as shorthand for government-funded settlement services, by itself (“little S” settlement) it can refer to broader community efforts to welcome and include newcomers.
SLC: St. Lawrence College.
SWIS: Settlement Workers in Schools.
Temporary Resident: A foreign national who is legally in Canada on a temporary basis as a visitor, student, worker or under a Temporary Resident permit. While most temporary residents return to their country of origin after the permit expires, they may also apply for permanent residency through application streams such as the Canadian Experience Class.
Third generation: As defined by Statistics Canada, someone born in Canada with both parents born in Canada.
Visible minority: The federal Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as ‘persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.’ This term, though used officially by government bodies such as Statistics Canada, has been criticized for a number of reasons, including the fact that such “minorities” are becoming the majority in cities such as Toronto and Vancouver.
