Immigration: Carrefour de la Vallée-de-l'Or Consults Employers
Carrefour de la Vallée-de-l'Or, a community organization dedicated to supporting young adults and immigrants, is launching a new consultation targeting employers in the MRC. After hearing from newcomers in 2025, the organization now wants to gather business perspectives to strengthen the reception and integration of immigrant workers.
Why a consultation of employers?
According to Michaël Pelletier-Lalonde, integration officer at Carrefour, employment is a central pillar of immigrants' settlement journey. 'Work is one of the main reasons these people came to settle in the MRC, and it's also where they can develop a social circle,' he explains. Building on the lessons of the 2025 consultation with immigrants, which highlighted the crucial importance of the professional environment, Carrefour now wants to survey employers. The objective: to learn about their experiences, challenges, but also their 'success stories' regarding integration.
Lessons from the 2025 Consultation
The previous exercise revealed that employment is not only an economic driver for newcomers but also a vector of social integration. Participants emphasized the need for personalized support both for themselves and for their employers. Based on these findings, Carrefour decided to delve deeper into the issue by directly asking businesses. 'Having the community's perspective allows us to adapt our approach and consider new initiatives identified as relevant by the community,' adds Mr. Pelletier-Lalonde.
How Can Employers Participate?
The consultation is open to all employers in the MRC de la Vallée-de-l'Or, whether they have already hired immigrants or not. Forms are available on the Carrefour de la Vallée-de-l'Or website and Facebook page. The organization guarantees the confidentiality of responses and will use the results to develop or improve its support services.
Concrete Initiatives for Integration
Carrefour does not limit itself to this consultation. It regularly organizes events such as 'Le Carrefour des talents,' a friendly job fair that connects employers and job seekers, and the 'Matinée diversité et immigration,' in collaboration with the Val-d'Or Chamber of Commerce. These meetings aim to equip businesses to foster harmonious intercultural relations in the workplace. The organization receives financial support from the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration (MIFI) under the Community Support Program.
Based in Val-d'Or, Malartic, and Senneterre, Carrefour offers free and personalized services to immigrants: job search assistance, information workshops, intercultural activities, etc. 'Their presence enriches our territory on human, cultural, social, and economic levels,' the organization emphasizes on its social media.
A Constant Commitment to Newcomers
With this consultation, Carrefour reaffirms its commitment to being a bridge between immigrants and the host community. By better understanding employers' realities, it can refine its services to meet the specific needs of the local economic fabric. The consultation results should be unveiled in the coming months, paving the way for new initiatives to make Vallée-de-l'Or an even more welcoming territory for international talent.
