On June 22nd and 24th, 2021, CYRRC partnered with Western SPO umbrellas – AAISA, AMSSA, MANSO, and SAISIA to host workshops on refugee mobility and retention rates and economic outcomes. The objective of these workshops was to build the capacity of Service Provider Organizations (SPOs) to access and use data from the Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB).

Facilitated by CYRRC researchers Yoko Yoshida (Western University) and Jonathan Amoyaw (Dalhousie University), the workshops provided specific instruction on:

• How to produce tables and charts based on the publicly available IMDB data products
• What this information means in the context of program planning and evaluation
• Limitations of the IMDB and who to contact for more information.

The examples and case studies referenced in the workshops focused on refugee settlement and the experiences of SPOs in Western Provinces (BC, AB, SK, and MB), however, the skills and tools taught can also be applied to explore broader immigration issues across Canada.