The province of B.C. has awarded a $4000 grant to a program aimed at making newcomers to Canada feel welcome.
The ‘Multicultural Community CafĂ©’ is a weekly event hosted by the Smithers Community Services Association (SCSA).
Guests can drop by, have a cup of coffee and practice socializing and making connections.
Petra Kost is the manager of English Language and Multicultural Services at the SCSA.
She says the café offers people new to Canada a chance to socialize and make connections in a safe, welcoming environment.
“It became this meeting point for people from different cultures, where they could share experiences and get advice from each other,” she says.
“It became a big connecting platform for multicultural communities.”
Kost adds that the money from the province will be used to help ensure the program continues, by paying for the coffee and food they provide.
If you’re interested in dropping by, the cafĂ© runs on Saturdays at Lalazar and goes from 10 a.m. until around noon.