TCIR Team Builds New Partnerships in Fort McMurray for TAIGA RISE

CALGARY — On November 4 and 5, 2026, Kreisha Hilario, Senior Manager, and Fami Kazemi, Senior Researcher, from the TIES Centre for Immigrant Research travelled to Fort McMurray to share updates on Tailored Attraction, Integration and Retention Strategies for Northern Ecosystems (TAIGA RISE), a three-year initiative funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

As the project moves toward finalizing its resources, the team is widening its network of Northern partners. The visit introduced TAIGA RISE to key organizations in the Wood Buffalo region and helped the team learn how employers, educators, settlement and employment service providers, and community groups support newcomers to find work, settle and stay in Northern Alberta.

During the visit, the team met with a range of local stakeholders, including Melonie Doucette, Director, Business Retention & Expansion, Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development & Tourism; Dr. Benjamin Sey, Manager, Strategic Partnerships, Research & Innovation, Keyano College; Patricia Saha, Settlement & Case Management Coordinator, Francophonie Canadienne Plurielle (FRAP); Juliette Kouamo, Employment Counsellor, Parallèle Alberta; and Rasha Hassan, Operations Director, Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo.

In each meeting, the team shared the project's progress and invited the organization to collaborate on the next phase of the work. The conversations covered workforce needs, education pathways, francophone settlement and employment services, and community belonging, each offering new perspectives on what attraction and retention look like in the Wood Buffalo region.

The team was warmly welcomed at every stop, and we are grateful to our hosts for their time, openness and insight. We look forward to building lasting partnerships with these organizations as TAIGA RISE continues. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming months!

TAIGA RISE  Funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).