Surrey LIP Blog: Insights into Action: Key Takeaways from the 2025 Surrey LIP Community Stakeholder Forum

The 2025 Surrey Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) Community Stakeholder Forum – Facing the Future of Immigration: Advocacy, Innovation, and Community Preparedness was held on January 27th. The forum was attended by more than 60 individuals representing a range of services including immigrant and community agencies, K-12, post-secondary, health, policing, transportation, banking and funders. Amid shifting immigration policies and reduced funding, the forum focussed on the need for strategic collaboration, advocacy, and innovation in supporting newcomer integration. 

Attendees, guided by insights from panel discussion around facing the future of immigration, explored immigration trends, challenges and opportunities, the need for service adaptation, newcomer access to essential services, community preparedness and the capacity of the sector. The insights and ideas shared during these roundtable discussions were collated and themed and are presented below. 

The Surrey LIP is committed to working with its community partners to move the shared insights and ideas into actions. This blog provides an overview of how the LIP, based on the input collected, will advance its role as a convening body, advocate for supportive policies, standardize sectoral work, and create momentum for systemic change.

Surrey LIP: A Commitment to Collaboration and Advocacy

Surrey LIP is committed to fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for newcomers. Moving forward, the partnership will work to:

• Enhance Collaboration by creating dedicated platforms for knowledge sharing and networking.
• Advocate for Policy Reform to address barriers in employment, service access, and social integration.
• Innovate Service Delivery through technology-driven solutions and community-centered programming.
• Generate Sustainable Funding by pushing for long-term investments in settlement services.

Uniting Voices for Collective Impact

A key takeaway from the forum was the confirmation of the Surrey LIP as an important convening body—bringing together service providers, businesses, and government representatives to ensure alignment and coordination of newcomer supports and initiatives. By amplifying community voices and enhancing collaboration, Surrey LIP will work to:

• Organize campaigns against anti-immigrant rhetoric and in support of inclusive policies.
• Facilitate partnerships to improve service delivery and reduce duplication.
• Create shared resources such as a centralized information portal for newcomers and service providers.

Streamlining Processes for Greater Impact

With multiple organizations working towards similar goals, standardizing sectoral work is essential for efficiency and effectiveness. Key approaches for the Surrey LIP to take on include:

• Developing unified approaches to service delivery, including standardized navigation support for newcomers.
• Implementing best practices for DEI representation across organizations.
• Leveraging technology to bridge gaps in service accessibility.
• Aligning employment strategies by advocating for improved / expanded credential recognition and an increased number of mentorship programs.

Generating Momentum for Change

To drive systemic change, Surrey LIP needs to work with its partners and the community at large to shift the view of integration as a bureaucratic process to a community-driven imperative. This will require that the Surrey LIP continues to work to:

• Engage diverse stakeholders to co-develop solutions that address local integration challenges.
• Strengthen public-private partnerships to mobilize resources.
• Empower more newcomers through facilitating the development of more skill-building initiatives and leadership programs.

Inviting Organizations to Take Action

Surrey LIP recognizes that meaningful progress depends on collective action. Based on the sharing and the commitment expressed at the forum, organizations are encouraged to:

• Take on actions that support newcomer integration priorities.
• Participate in Surrey LIP initiatives to strengthen advocacy and collaboration.
• Champion newcomer-friendly policies within their networks and workplaces.
• Invest in sustainable solutions that address housing, employment, and essential services gaps.

Moving Forward Together

The 2025 Community Stakeholder Forum underscored the importance of a united approach in addressing newcomer challenges. The Surrey LIP stands ready to lead the charge in advocacy, collaboration, and innovation and invites all other interested parties and the community at large support these efforts. By working together, real gains towards achievement of the Surrey LIP Vision can be made.

Surrey LIP Vision Statement: “Surrey is a community where diversity is valued; social, economic, and cultural opportunities are accessible to all; and new and longer-term residents work together to build a more welcoming and inclusive city.”

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