News

From the Canadian Council for Refugees - Check out 9 myths about the world's refugees and the truth behind them. Myth 1: Most refugees are in Western countries. Truth: the vast majority of the world's refugees are in the Global South...

Free family event with entertainment, games, food and music! Free BBQ while supplies last. Bringing newcomers and current residents together to build relationships and make connections...

By Aamna Mohdin, Quartz, 05 September 2016. The Syrian civil war has raged on with no clear end in sight. The conflict, now in its sixth year, has resulted in a record displacement of millions of Syrians. By sheer geographic luck, some of the world’s biggest economies have been...

ISANS Executive Director Gerry Mills was interviewed on CTV News about how Syrians are settling in Nova Scotia. The interview starts at the 32:35 minute mark - watch...

By Even Webster, Chronicle Herald, 21 July 2016.  In the wake of the Syrian refugee crisis, Halifax has proven to be an inclusive, supportive and welcoming city for immigrants. But helping immigrants succeed is about more than just putting a roof over their heads and food on...

This year has been an extraordinary year for Private Refugee Sponsorship. Canadians, overwhelmed by the intense media coverage of Syrians fleeing their homes, banded together to sponsor and bring Syrian families to their communities. Now – more than six months later –...

Chronicle Herald, 11 July 2016.  Despite a small population bump last year, the long-term outlook for Nova Scotia’s growth is far from rosy. Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, both with rapidly aging demographics and a trickle-away population pattern, are particularly...

By Devon Goodsell, CBC News, July 4, 2016 The federal government is partnering with the four premiers in Atlantic Canada to launch a new Atlantic growth strategy aimed at stimulating economic development and increasing job opportunities in the region. The announcement was made at...

It’s been An Extraordinary Year and our Annual Report 2015-16 tells the story in full colour. The Syrian Refugee Initiative, the amazing Private Refugee Sponsorship surge, the launch of SOPA (Settlement Online Pre-Arrival) and the commitment of staff to our programs and...

We are pleased to announce the recipients of the seventh annual ISANS Awards, which were presented at ISANS Annual General Meeting on Thursday, June 23, 2016 at the Best Western Chocolate Lake Hotel. The ISANS Awards recognize an individual, community group, business or employer...

ISANS congratulates Halifax City Council on passing the bylaw to enable the Low Income Transit Pass Pilot Program. Providing support for those with low incomes to use transit will reduce isolation and make it possible for more people to access services around Halifax. They will...

On June 21 National Aboriginal Day is celebrating 20 years of strong vibrant cultures and traditions. This is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The...

From the UNHCR – Each day war forces thousands of families to flee their homes. People like you, people like me.To escape the violence, they leave everything behind – everything except their hopes and dreams for a safer future. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency believes that all...

Please join us for our Annual General Meeting - Thursday, June 23, 3:00 - 5:00 pm, featuring the 7th Annual ISANS Awards! This year's AGM will be held at the Best Western Chocolate Lake Hotel. Please RSVP to info@isans.ca ...

ISANS is thrilled to announce a new partnership with the J & W Murphy Foundation that will provide funding for the next three years to re-establish our very successful English as an Additional Language (EAL) Volunteer Tutor Program.  The EAL Volunteer Tutor Program will link...

Theodore Tugboat, a familiar face on the waterfront, has an important new role as the harbour Welcome Ambassador at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Theodore will help welcome visitors, including new Nova Scotians, to the community and serve as the mascot for the new Welcome...

By Carolyn Ray, CBC News – 7 May 2106 Refugee family working to resurrect chocolate-making business lost in Syrian war Antigonish’s first family of Syrian refugees says they’re doing so well with their new chocolate company, they’ll donate their profits in...

May 11, 7pm

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs and The ENRICH Project are pleased to present Part 3 in a four-part series on Racism: White, Black, Indigenous, and Immigrant Perspectives. How and why do the impacts of...

We are pleased to present the Newcomer Community Wellness Project's Guide to Mental Health & Wellness.This is a place for you to find suggestions about how you can support yourself and your family to maintain your mental health and well-being during the process of settling in...

April 10-16 is National Volunteer Week in Canada, and we have many people to thank this year! As ever, we are grateful to those who donate their time and energy to help us deliver our programs and services. We could not do it without our volunteers, and it has been especially...

From United Nations Human Rights – Racism compels us to address not just public policies but also private attitudes that perpetuate it. The ultimate success in the struggle to ‪#‎FightRacism‬ rests with ordinary citizens, speaking out against “ordinary” intolerance. We must...

Check out this interactive infographic depicting the number of Syrian refugee arrivals to Nova Scotia so far. We will update these statistics regularly to reflect the most current numbers...

February 18, 2016—Ottawa, ON – All refugees and asylum claimants will soon benefit from full health-care coverage through a restored Interim Federal Health Program, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, John McCallum, announced today. Starting April 1, 2016, the...

When the First World War broke out in 1914, African Nova Scotians responded patriotically. The men of the community wanted to volunteer to serve overseas, yet most were rejected. Recruiters told them things like: “this is a white man’s war” and Canada didn’t want a “checkerboard...