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Whether they are immigrants, permanent residents, refugees, or temporary residents, Canada is constantly finding new ways to help newcomers settle and feel at home. New Canadians is a weekly national TV and web-based series that focuses on newcomers in Canada, assisting them at every step of their journey and integration. Produced by New Horizons Media Inc., episodes air on OMNI Television, with exclusive content posted on the New Canadians website (newcanadians.tv), YouTube channel, and social media platforms. Each 30-minute episode features valuable information and resources on immigration, settlement, education, employment, and entrepreneurship in local communities, and this week they are in Renfrew County.
For this specific episode, New Canadians has partnered up with the County of Renfrew, Algonquin College – Pembroke Campus, City of Pembroke, Town of Petawawa, Township of Laurentian Valley, and Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) – Lanark and Renfrew, to highlight what it is like for a newcomer to work, live, and play in Renfrew County. The episode features some of the local entrepreneurs and businesses that are significant to the community and serve newcomers in one way or another.
One such entrepreneur is Rupali Sharma, owner/operator of Bright Eyes and Bushy Tails. Sharma recently immigrated to the Ottawa Valley with her family after purchasing the longstanding Bright Eyes and Bushy Tails business based in Petawawa. Sharma opened their Pembroke location in 2021, amid the pandemic knowing that her extensive education focused on pet nutrition and wellness was a surefire path to success, and she was right! Sharma is not only a dedicated business owner; she is community-minded, participating in the Bee Successful Program run by Community Living Upper Ottawa Valley and hiring two new employees from that program. They are a business for the community, by the community and within the community.
This New Canadians episode will also focus on some of the other aspects of Renfrew County that make it an attractive destination for those looking for a new home. It is no secret to those of us who live in the Ottawa Valley that we live in a little slice of paradise. Surrounded by world-renowned water and nature, endless agritourism and community-oriented activities, why not let others in on our secret?
Canada aims to welcome 465,000 permanent residents in 2023. Highlighting the stories of business owners like Rupali Sharma and the other exceptional business owners featured in this episode is one way to share what to expect in the Ottawa Valley with those looking to better their lives and make a place to be safe and grow here in our communities.
Tune in and watch the Renfrew County-focused New Canadians episode on OMNI 2 (newcanadians.tv/omni) on Friday, February 24, 2023, at 9:00 am and 3:00 pm (ET), and on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at 12:30 pm (ET).
Follow this monthly column to explore the layers of culture, your role in reconciling cultural differences, and take the time to celebrate and recognize those in our community.
Local Immigration Partnership – Lanark and Renfrew is funded by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to bring together service providers, settlement agencies, community groups, employers, municipalities, and other key organizations to develop welcoming and inclusive communities for newcomers. In Lanark and Renfrew Counties, the work of the Local Immigration Partnership is administered by Algonquin College – Pembroke Campus. For more information, visit www.liplanarkrenfrew.ca.
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