Relaunching the Newcomers Survey: Building Bridges with St. John Brebeuf Parish
We are excited to share progress toward building on the 2019-2020 Newcomers Survey findings and learning. This concerted effort notably aims to explore and better understand the evolving needs and demographics of English-speaking newcomers in Quebec, and their engagement with parish communities. To advance this initiative, the ESCC’s Executive Director and Communications and Projects Coordinator visited St. John Brebeuf (SJB) Parish on October 22, 2024.
The dialogue with Fr. George Zachariasand members of his team was both fruitful and insightful. ESCC shared highlights from the original survey, showcasing St. John Brebeuf’s significant participation, with 115 parishioners contributing their perspective.
In 2019-2020:
- 63% of respondents from St. John Brebeuf Parish were born outside of Canada.
- 49% of respondents reported receiving assistance from their faith-based community with employment, housing, or language training.
- 63% noted that their parish provided them with a sense of belonging and a vital social network upon arrival.
The discussion was grounded in specific survey questions that explore the relationship or reciprocities between parish communities and their members. We also touched on possible nuances to original questions and discussed introducing a few questions that align more fully with the current parish reality.
For all parishes involved, the 2019-2020 findings confirmed the essential role of faith communities in contributing to the welcome and integration of newcomers while identifying “service gaps” and opportunities to engage them, honor their agency and diversity more fully. Through a renewed survey, ESCC aims to support their capacity-building to help newcomers navigate life and thrive in Quebec.
We hope that St. John Brebeuf Parish’s collaboration and the social impact of the pilot project will inspire other parishes. We will support it, as needed, in completing the Community Health and Social Services Network’s [CHSSN] questionnaires so that it becomes the first to enrich the mapping with parish- and faith-based services while benefiting from the resource-driven application covering the GMA (recently broadened to encompass the Laval and the Montérégie areas). As mentioned in our last newsletter, the CHSSN tool integrates a broad range of 2021 Census data, easing an understanding of the cities’ or boroughs’ demographics and their relative wealth in senior wellness and mental health resources. The data also helps identify questions and issues to delve into locally in 2025.
With a promising dialogue underway, ESCC awaits a timeline and a confirmation of questions from St. John Brebeuf’s leadership to move forward. Together, we can ensure the survey drives meaningful support and inclusion for newcomers on the basis of distinct parish communities and their evolving reality.
Photo Credit: Karine Joly – St. John Brebeuf LaSalle