Pathways to Prosperity: Ontario

The provision of information is a fundamental component of assisting immigrants with their settlement and integration needs. This report is a synthesis of recent literature on how information can be used to address settlement and integration barriers experienced by newcomers to Canada. The review points to many gaps in our knowledge of how best to provide information to newcomers to Canada. In addition to describing specific topics in need of future research attention, a model of information provision and use by newcomers is presented. The model suggests that information providers must consider the intended targets of their messages, the content and format of messages, and the source and context of information provision. This model can be used to organize the previous literature in this area, guide future research, and ultimately facilitate the development of strategies for the provision of information to newcomers that are most likely to be well-utilized and effective.