2020: A MILESTONE YEAR

As this historic and challenging year comes to an end, I want to share my thanks and recognition of the accomplishments we have celebrated. I have been impressed and touched by the resilience I have seen in our clients and our staff during such an uncertain time with a global pandemic. You have shown the best of what SOPA stands for – coming together to communicate, support and problem solve.

2020 was a milestone year for us at SOPA – we reached our 5-year anniversary of providing pre-arrival support to immigrants around the world. What we do at SOPA truly impacts the beginning of each and every newcomer’s life-changing journey. We celebrated this half-decade of programming and service delivery in November and are even more motivated to continue providing our clients with the support and resources that are so needed for a confident arrival in Canada.

To our SOPA team across Canada:

Your contributions, spirit and enthusiasm have propelled us through this exciting 5-year milestone. I am proud of the way we work together, from coast to coast, adapting to a strange, new world that has been disrupted by COVID-19. The success of our clients is our highest priority and we will continue to work to adapt in 2021.

To our SOPA clients:

We understand the stress and frustration the pandemic has created in your lives and we are working tirelessly to help assist and prepare you for your arrival in Canada. We are here to make the transition to your next life chapter as smooth as possible, providing you with the resources and support you need. We have been concerned about the global situation and the complications this pandemic has caused for your important immigration plans. Our hearts are with you and we will do all we can to see you through to your new lives in Canada.

I want to thank you for your patience and for sharing your challenges with us so that we can better understand and better serve you during this difficult time. We always want to hear your feedback and experiences so that we can continue to improve SOPA for you and for all future newcomers. From what I have seen in your resilience, hope travels faster than COVID-19.

We have exciting things planned for 2021 and will be revealing them soon! Be safe, be well and “see” you in 2021!

Sincerely,

Donna Safatli

SOPA Supervisor