Community Celebrates Newcomers at Welcome Day Event

Abbotsford residents and newcomers gathered on September 19th to celebrate the Welcome Day event, hosted by the Abbotsford Local Immigration Partnership at Archway Community Services in collaboration with the City of Abbotsford. Held at the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium, the event invited community members to celebrate diversity as part of the national Welcoming Week.  

Attendee Ihor shared, “I can hear a lot of English language and meet many interesting people. I see immigrants who came to Canada 5 or 10 years ago and I see what they do now. It inspires me for my future in Canada.” 

Attendees were greeted by local officials, including Councillor Kelly Chahal, who emphasized the importance of fostering inclusivity: “as a council, we embrace diversity as our community’s greatest strength, and we want to make sure that people feel welcome here, no matter where you come from.” 

Mayor Ross Siemens sent a warm video message, “I know it can be a little daunting to start a new life in a new place but I am hopeful that with the support of Archway Community Services, its partners, and the many other organizations in our city that are here to help, everyone who now calls Abbotsford home, feels equally welcomed and truly a part of our community.” 

Chris Kelly, member of Semá:th First Nation and the Fraser Valley Métis Nation, shared a foundational introduction to Indigenous identities in Canada, and the importance of language for building right relationships in a shared community. Attendees also heard welcome greetings from the superintendent of Abbotsford School District and the Chief of Abbotsford Police. 

Speakers Sean Nosek (left), Kanta Naik and Kelly Chahal (centre) with community members.

Keynote speaker Kanta Naik, a decorated champion of diversity and immigrant herself, shared her inspiring journey and the importance of welcoming newcomers. Her moving speech resonated deeply with the audience as she recounted her experience adjusting to life in Canada and working tirelessly to support fellow immigrants.  

“To the newcomers that are here today, I want to leave you with the fact that you are so lucky to be in Abbotsford because the city, the teams that work together here at Archway, the school district… you are in a very, very, very good community. I say that because I was the newcomer here as well and I’ve worked with newcomers who come, and I know that you have a lot of resources available,” said Naik.  

Amanda Rahn, an instructor with the Archway Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada attended the event with her students. “The Welcome Day event was great! As a teacher to newcomers, I really enjoyed being able to take my students to this event and have them hear from different people in our community. They really enjoyed hearing Kanta’s story of how she came to Canada and what she shared about what it was like to be a newcomer in Canada.” 

The evening included a service fair where attendees could connect with local resources, making it easier for newcomers to access the support they need to thrive in their new home.  

Archway event organizer Amy Van Bergen expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of support from the community, as well as the City of Abbotsford, the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, and the many service partners that contributed to the success of the evening. 

 “It’s so powerful to see families who have arrived in Canada as recently as a few weeks ago, standing in City Hall with decision-makers and taking photos with new friends and fellow language learners. Abbotsford is a community that makes gatherings like this possible, and that’s something we can all be proud of.”