Tailored Attraction, Integration and Retention Strategies for Northern Ecosystem (TAIGA RISE)

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A. Project Information

What is the TAIGA RISE Project?

TAIGA RISE addresses developing a suite of accessible, multilingual, and culturally responsive resources—such as welcome kits, integration toolkits, community Story Maps, videos, and interactive dashboards—tailored to support newcomers before and after arrival in Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. These resources aim to build knowledge, foster belonging, and emphasize socio-economic and cultural benefits of northern settlement, while also incorporating Indigenous histories and climate resilience strategies

What Does TAIGA RISE Aim to Do?

·       Adopt a community-centric approach to newcomer integration

·       Develop resources to attract, integrate, and retain Newcomers in Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

·       Create multilingual welcome resources and integration toolkits, including infographics, videos, Story Maps, and interactive dashboards tailored to the needs of newcomers considering relocation to Northern Alberta and the NWT.

·       Engage community stakeholders in the co-creation of settlement strategies through local partnerships and participatory design to build social cohesion and collective capacity.

·       Incorporate local knowledge and Indigenous practices into settlement resources to support social and economic integration in Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

Why Is This Important?

TAIGA RISE addresses a significant and urgent gap in Canada’s immigration system—how to effectively support the attraction, integration, and long-term retention of newcomers in rural and northern communities. Unlike urban centers, these regions often lack adequate settlement infrastructure, face climate-related challenges, and experience persistent population outflows. TAIGA RISE brings focused attention to these overlooked areas, offering a research-driven, community-engaged approach to building inclusive and sustainable models for integration.

What makes TAIGA RISE especially timely is its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion within a climate-conscious framework. By prioritizing the experiences of racialized, Indigenous, and equity-deserving populations, the project redefines integration as a two-way, participatory process rooted in justice, resilience, and belonging. It empowers local actors through co-designed tools and fosters collaborative innovation that bridges the gap between federal-provincial policy and regional realities. Ultimately, TAIGA RISE contributes not only to improved settlement practices in the North but also to a national reimagining of immigration as a catalyst for pluralism, reconciliation, and sustainable regional development.

B. Project Overview

Methods

The project employs a mixed-methods research design, combining qualitative community engagement and focus groups with quantitative analysis of demographic and labour market trends. Community partnerships are central to this process. Through co-design sessions, the project mobilizes northern residents, local governments, employers, and settlement organizations to collaboratively shape strategic plans and culturally informed service models. This model positions communities themselves as active agents in welcoming newcomers and sustaining population growth.

·       Service Scan:

Assess current settlement services in small and rural communities to identify gaps and opportunities.

·       Community Engagement &Co-Design:

Conduct qualitative and quantitative data collection through focus groups, interviews, and surveys with newcomers, residents, and service providers to map community needs, gaps in services and barriers to attracting/retaining newcomers.

·       Resource Development:

Produce culturally relevant and multilingual digital and print materials including:

            o   Regional Welcome Resource Hub

            o   Newcomer Integration Toolkit

            o   Culturally responsive info sessions

            o  Climate resilience guides tailored to local contexts

·       Capacity-Building &Dissemination:

Support rural and northern service providers with tools and training to deliver equitable, responsive, and sustainable settlement services.

Target Audiences

·       Newcomers and prospective immigrants considering Northern Alberta and Northwest Territories as potential destinations for relocation and settlement

·       Established immigrants seeking stronger community connections

·       Local governments, employers, Indigenous communities, and settlement service organizations

Expected Outcomes

TAIGA RISE also builds sectoral capacity by offering regional training, information sessions, and outreach to urban Service Provider Organizations (SPOs),highlighting secondary migration options and the benefits of life in northern communities. Emphasis is placed on digital communication tools and data-driven policy recommendations, leveraging sources such as the Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB) and the IRCC Newcomer Outcomes Survey.

The project aligns with IRCC’s Theme 2 under the SDI stream: Supporting Newcomer Attraction and Retention Settlement in Small and Medium Population Centres. Expected outcomes include:

·       Improved capacity among northern SPOs to provide coordinated and culturally responsive settlement services;

·       Increased newcomer interest and awareness regarding life in Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories;

·       Enhanced collaboration among local organizations, employers, and Indigenous communities in creating inclusive and welcoming spaces;

·       Evidence-based recommendations to inform future national settlement programming.

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