2-day expo in St. John's aims to help newcomers get settled

For Modupe Abewale, the My New St. John's Expo is a chance to learn how to navigate her city.

She came to Canada three years agoand is now living and studyingin Newfoundland.

Abewale, who's happy with the roots she's established, said the expo is a chance to find out what she needs to know about living in St. John's.

"I hear a lot of information on what I don't know before," she said.

Held over two days at the St. John's Farmers' Market building, the expo is a gathering of more than 40community groups, all there to help newcomersaccess to the broad range of programs, services and organizations available to them in the area, andanswerbasic questions like,"How does the city's bus system work?"and "When is the YMCA open?"

There are also academic organizations andgovernment departments.

Among those looking to helpis LloydettaQuaicoe a member of the St. John's Local Immigration Partnership counciland founder of the group Sharing Our Cultures, which has a booth at the expo.

"As you can imagine, it is frustrating when someone comes to a new country, a new city, and they have to try to go from place to place to find out what they want, the information they need,"Quaicoesaid.

"Having all the information under one roof, where they can just spend a few hours and go from one booth to the next to get all the information they need and also to be able to speak with the people hosting the booth and providing those services is really essential for their resettlement process herein thecity."

Quaicoesaid some booths are specifically about resettlement and immigration, noting the City of St. John's will be on board,along with the Association for New Canadians, to share programs with people.

"Some of the other issues they have, they don't know all the rules or regulations of the city," she said. "They don't know really, if they need support, where they can go for themselves or for their children."

The event includes workshopson employment and skilled labour, somethingQuaicoesaid are the "future skills" needed for people to settle and remain in Newfoundland and Labrador full time.

"Sometimes when newcomers come they have their credentials and sometimes it takes them some time to find work within their area of expertise and training," she said.

St. John's Mayor Danny Breen said the event is a way to help newcomersadjust to life in the city, anda small piece in a larger puzzle of how the city is working to keep them there.

"They're coming in and getting the information they need, and being able to sometimes get information that they didn't think they needed," he said.

It also drew in people from outsidethe area.

Dieudonne Keumegnecame to the expo all the way from Wabush, where he's been working in project management. Originally from Cameroon, he came to Labrador from Dubai and has become a member of the region's French-speaking community.

He said he found it easy to move to Newfoundland and Labrador because "peopleare very friendly, and the people are ready to welcome people."

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