About TBMA
Vision
To facilitate newcomer settlement, promote multiculturalism and help eliminate racism in our region through a full suite of services, community engagement and development and positive social equity framework. Thunder Bay and the region will be a culturally diverse and welcoming community, a destination of choice for immigrants who will contribute to, and benefit from, both social and economic development.
Mission
TBMA works toward a society in which all people from diverse ethnocultural backgrounds can participate fully in Canadian life, working together with respect, fairness and acceptance. To develop community capacity, programs and services to attract and retain immigrants.
Located at 17 N. Court Street Thunder Bay, ON, the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association, provides newcomer settlement services geared towards immigrants and refugees within their first years in Canada. We offer information, orientation, and referral services to resources in the broader community that help newcomers with their integration. We have an on-site Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) classes for various language levels. We also connect newcomers through mentorship and community events via our Community Connections Program.
Networking and becoming part of one’s community is important in newcomer settlement so we make efforts to connect with various businesses and community supports though our Local Immigration Partnership and Northern Local Immigration Partnership. We also provide interpretation and translation services to newcomers, businesses, and the general public, please inquire for applicable fees.
Guiding Principles
We value: respect, people, equity, anti-racism/oppression, community, cultural diversity, and partnership. To assist newcomers in settlement, integration and participation in our community. Helping to form social networks, evaluate priorities, plan their settlement and become involved in their communities. To provide high quality settlement, language, volunteer support, and various programs to address the needs of newcomers to Northwestern Ontario. To address the short term and long term needs and goals of newcomers. To deliver exceptional language assessment and instruction classes. To promote anti-racism, anti-oppression, resilience and community development. To develop partnerships in the community and create a welcoming community in Thunder Bay. To celebrate diversity and culture with the annual Folklore Festival (since 1972) To continue to grow, evaluate and respond to the needs of newcomers and the community.
Encourage community participation
Identify opportunities and build on our existing strengths
Allocate/focus resources to address and resolve existing gaps
Work with all levels of government to maximize our ability to attract and retain immigrants
Treat our partners, immigrants and community members with integrity, respect, compassion, and acceptance
