When newcomers arrive in Canada, they bring with them memories of home and hopes for a better future. But adjusting to life in a new country isn’t easy – especially when language becomes a barrier to connection, employment, and confidence.
That’s where the Archway Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) program steps in.
The Archway LINC program not only teaches English to newcomers in Canada but also gives them the opportunity to learn about housing, employment, rights, and education in Canada.
In just three years, LINC enrollment has grown by more than 50%; the program went from just over 1000 learners enrolled in 2022-2023 to just over 1600 learners in 2024-2025.
Some newcomers arrive from countries with limited access to jobs, education, and personal growth opportunities. Others are escaping war, violence, natural disasters, poverty, or oppression. Upon arrival, they come face-to-face with a completely new set of challenges – navigating unfamiliar systems, coping with isolation, and overcoming economic and cultural barriers. These hurdles often take an emotional toll, leading to anxiety, self-doubt, and fear of the unknown.
To make the program more accessible, LINC offers daycare to parents who might not otherwise get a chance to study when they have children at home.
“During class times, we offer childcare at no cost to learners four days per week for three different classes for children aged 1-5. We often hear from students how grateful they are to have childcare available to them,” said Cindy Buhler, LINC Supervisor.
LINC students at the annual picnic potluck at Mill Lake
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LINC classes run year-round with continuous intake.
“During class times, we offer childcare at no cost to learners four days per week for three different classes for children aged 1-5. We often hear from students how grateful they are to have childcare available to them.”
The LINC program also provides its students with opportunities to develop a sense of stability and community outside of a formal classroom setting through community-building events like its annual picnic potluck.
“The picnic isn’t just about food; it gives students the chance to practice communication and social norms,” said Buhler.
Students deepen their cross-cultural understanding by sharing dishes from their homelands and forming connections in a casual group setting.
“This community, these relationships – they were built in classrooms first. But it is here where they learn to apply the ‘rules of the road,’” stated Marianne Yanes-Pawlowski, LINC teacher, in a written reflection.
Bridging the gap between arrival and belonging involves more than just learning the language; it involves cultural orientation and opportunities to form meaningful community connections.
Whether in the classroom or at a picnic table, LINC fosters the kind of learning that builds bridges – between cultures, between people, and between the past and a hopeful future in Canada.
“This community, these relationships – they were built in classrooms first. But it is here where they learn to apply the ‘rules of the road.’”