Allies in Action: Spring 2026
Allies in Action: Spring 2026
Spotlights on partnerships shaping the future of migrant integration research at Bridging Divides
PARTNERSHIPS IN PROGRESS
The Immigrant Education Society and researcher Anusha Kassan
Bridging the gap between international expertise and the Canadian workforce is a journey filled with both ambition and invisible hurdles, which is why the collaboration between Anusha Kassan and Katerina Palova is proving so exciting for the settlement community. The partnership between UBC-based Bridging Divides researcher Kassan, and Palova, who works at The Immigrant Education Society in Calgary, is looking closely at how highly skilled newcomers such as nurses, teachers, and IT professionals, navigate the digital world while trying to restart their careers in Canada.
Their project considers the lived experiences of immigrants through surveys and interviews, moving from research to real-world action with the creation of The Seeker. This digital tool acts as a specialized guide that moves beyond general advice to provide "wiki-style" support tailored to the specific needs of Filipino nurses, Indian IT professionals, and Ukrainian teachers. Combining university research with the expertise of private developers and community expertise, the partnership helps the team understand where digital supports are effective, where gaps remain, and how technology can be improved, creating a more personalized, digital roadmap to help immigrant professionals turn their global experience into local success.
Conseil qu茅b茅cois de la musique, Caroline Marcoux-Gendron and researcher Marie-Jeanne Blain
What are the pathways for immigrant artists to access Quebec鈥檚 professional music sector? How can this ecosystem be strengthened? These questions are at the heart of a partnership-based action research project conducted with the Conseil qu茅b茅cois de la musique and an intersectoral advisory committee bringing together organizations from the arts, immigration, and employment services.
Led by Caroline Marcoux-Gendron (Universit茅 du Qu茅bec 脿 Montr茅al and MITACS postdoctoral fellow at HEC Montr茅al) alongside co-researcher Marie-Jeanne Blain (Concordia University and Bridging Divides), the project explores how advanced digital technologies can be leveraged to better support the settlement sector.
Through sustained collaboration between researchers and practitioners, the initiative has successfully mapped existing resources for immigrant musicians while identifying the systemic challenges that continue to shape their career trajectories. One of the project鈥檚 central outcomes is the development of a specialized digital platform designed to provide clear, accessible information for both artists and the professionals who support them. Through an intersectional lens, the platform, available online, reflects the complex intersection of immigration, labour, and cultural systems that musicians must navigate. The English version of the platform is set to launch at the end of March 2026, with future plans to expand these vital connections to partners in other Canadian provinces.
Graphic Designer Sof铆a Donner and researcher Maria Cervantes-Mac铆as
When academic research meets creative design, the result is a powerful new way to tell stories that matter. Researcher Maria Cervantes-Mac铆as recently partnered with graphic designer Sof铆a Donner to transform complex findings from Cervantes-Mac铆as鈥� latest study into a vivid, research-based comic. While her paper in Digital Geography and Society explores the serious ways digital platforms and immigration laws shape the lives of migrant workers, from software engineers to delivery riders, the collaboration with Donner ensures these insights don鈥檛 stay locked behind academic walls.
This partnership is a masterclass in knowledge mobilization: the art of making sure research actually reaches the people it affects. Through the co-creation of a visual narrative, researcher and artist have turned data into a human story, illustrating how digital labour is "tethered" to the real world and how workers rely on one another across borders. This bridge between social science and graphic design proves that when we simplify the delivery without losing the depth, we create a more inclusive conversation about the future of work and belonging in Canada.
A visual representation of the latest study from Maria Cervantes-Mac铆as, created in partnership with graphic designer and artist Sof铆a Donner. The collaboration aims to transform complex findings on the serious ways digital platforms and immigration laws shape the lives of migrant workers into a vivid, research-based comic.
Environics and Scientific Director Anna Traindafyllidou
As liberal democracies around the world find themselves facing increased polarization, Canada is no exception. Despite historically positive attitudes towards immigration, economic instability, changing demographics, and global uncertainty, are taking a toll. To gauge the extent of shifting sentiment, the Bridging Divides research program is launching a definitive study exploring changing attitudes towards multiculturalism and diversity. Central to this initiative is a powerful partnership between Anna Triandafyllidou and the Environics Institute, combining 91福利鈥檚 academic rigor with Environics鈥� deep expertise in public opinion and social trends.
The project merges scholarly inquiry with real-world data collection, ensuring that research remains grounded in the lived experiences of over 6,500 Canadians. Together, the team is examining how systemic barriers and digital transformations impact social cohesion. This bridge between sectors does far more than data gathering, it translates complex academic insights into actionable knowledge. Once complete, the findings are set to become the authoritative benchmark for understanding the complexities of Canada鈥檚 diverse society.
Justice4TruckDrivers, Labour Community Services of Peel, West Coast Trucking Association and researcher 脡mile Baril
The Bridging Divides research program explores how emerging digital technologies are fundamentally reshaping the settlement experience for newcomers in Canada. A critical component of this inquiry focuses on changes to the labour market. Concordia-based researcher 脡mile Baril is uncovering the profound destabilizing impacts of tech-driven shifts within the trucking sector. His work highlights a concerning transition from stable, full-time employment toward precarious and temporary labour models that disproportionately affect migrant drivers.
This research gains its strength through deep insights gained through engagement with grassroots community organizations, including Justice4TruckDrivers, Labour Community Services of Peel, and the West Coast Trucking Association. These connections are allowing Baril to document the evolving landscape of the industry while amplifying urgent concerns regarding worker abuse and exploitation.
The project aims to expose critical regulatory blind spots and advocate for policy reforms that ensure technological progress does not bypass human rights by illuminating the lived realities and harsh working conditions of migrant truck drivers.
Small and Rural Alberta Municipalities and researcher Sandeep Agrawal
How do small and rural municipalities in Alberta develop and sustain welcoming environments for newcomers, and what factors truly influence their decision to stay? These questions anchor a Bridging Divides research project conducted in partnership with Alberta Municipalities (ABMunis). Led by Director of Research Rachel de Vos, ABMunis previously spearheaded the Welcoming Communities initiative to combat discrimination (2016-2022). This partnership builds on ABMunis鈥� experience, connecting it with evidence-based academic insights to inform local planning, service coordination, and provincial-municipal dialogues on regional development and immigrant retention.
Through interviews across six small Alberta municipalities, the University of Alberta research team (Areej Jamal, Nimil Hussain and Stephen Baffoe), led by Sandeep Agrawal, has identified that while attraction is a headliner, retention is the central challenge. Success depends heavily on localized governance and seamless coordination between municipal departments, employers, and settlement organizations. Mechanisms such as the provincially funded Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), which supports community-based services, are being leveraged, although FCSS is not specifically designed for newcomers' integration. Other innovative practices are emerging, such as anti-racism frameworks and "neighbourhood connector" programs. However, structural constraints like funding reductions and the new Provincial Priorities Act create hurdles for local implementation. Through workshops and dialogue, the partnership is bringing together diverse stakeholders to collaborate on policy recommendations that strengthen the capacity of Alberta鈥檚 smaller communities to serve as enduring homes for immigrants.
