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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2016 n Joel, centre, gets up close with a ball python, courtesy of Paul Sangster of the Westcoast Society for the Protection and Conservation of Reptiles, during the Exotic Reptile Show at the Richmond Nature Park on the weekend. More photos on page 25 and online at RichmondNews.com. Photo by Gord Goble/Special to the News
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ESL wait list set to grow Staff Reporter
ACAMPBELL@RICHMOND-NEWS.COM
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he burgeoning waiting list for English language classes in Richmond is about to get even bigger — after a round of federal government funding cuts. Both the Immigration Services Society of BC (ISSBC) and SUCCESS — which run the non-profit Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) programs — are in the process of figuring out how to deal with the reduction. The programs are funded by the government and free of charge to new residents to the country. ISSBC, which runs the LINC classes from its Alexandra Road and Cedarbridge Way offices in Richmond, told the News the program is facing a nine per cent funding cut and will have to slice at least two of its current 21 LINC classes.
The forced closure is expected to Smolic, for the service’s CLB (Canadian impact the service, where the waiting list Language Benchmarks) 1-4 (basic) for basic English classes already has 335 classes. people. “At our Richmond site, we offer classes “We also received supplementary from CLB 1-6 and the current wait period Syrian funding from IRCC (Immigration, to start classes ranges from one month Refugees and Citizenship up to a year, with the averCanada); however, as the age wait being three to six amount of supplementary months,” she said. ...the current wait funding received is limited, “The wait is often longer we are still facing close to for those clients who also period to start a nine per cent cut,” Diana need to access our onsite classes ranges from Smolic, ISSBC’s division childminding services.” one month up to a manager for the LINC proIn Surrey, where a large year... gram, said in an emailed number of Syrian refugees response to the News. are settling, the wait list at – Diana Smolic “We already have long SUCCESS English classes Immigration Services waitlists for our LINC currently sits at 1,300 Society of BC classes in Richmond and people. According to CBC by reducing the number of News, service providers (classes being offered), we have been told the federal expect longer waits for clients to access government is reducing funding LINC classes.” See MP page 6 Demand is highest in general, added
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ALANCAMPBELL
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