Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria

What Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria does

The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1971 and headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, serving immigrants and refugees settling in the Capital Regional District. ICA operates as Vancouver Island's largest settlement agency, delivering a comprehensive portfolio of services including settlement support at the Immigrant Welcome Centre, free federally-funded LINC English classes, affordable English and CELPIP preparation courses, employment services with career mentorship and the Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants (CPSI) program, youth and family programs, 2S/LGBTQ+ newcomer services, gender-based violence support, private refugee sponsorship, and the Tools for Equity anti-racism training program. In FY2024/25 the organization served 3,982 clients from 110+ countries speaking 55+ languages via 22,510 direct services, supported by approximately 200 volunteers and a network of 500+ community partners.

ICA's revenue model is predominantly grant-funded, with primary income from federal (IRCC — LINC and Resettlement Assistance Program) and provincial (BC Newcomer Services Program / SAF/HAVN) government contracts, supplemented by foundation grants from United Way Southern Vancouver Island, Vancouver Foundation, Island Health, Victoria Foundation, BC Gaming, and others. Fee-for-service revenue is generated through low-cost English classes ($525–$595 per course), professional interpretation and translation services in 20+ languages at $1.40/minute, $10 annual memberships, and individual charitable donations. The organization's underlying technology infrastructure is modest: a Moodle-based LMS for online English instruction and a third-party client registration system. FY2023/24 total expenses were $9.85M CAD.

ICA is currently navigating a significant funding shock: a $1.2M federal funding reduction in spring 2025 triggered staff layoffs and a strategic restructuring focused on highest-impact programs, simultaneous with a 44% year-over-year increase in clients served through expanded eligibility. The organization is pursuing geographic expansion via a planned West Shore office and diversifying into anti-racism training for employers and migrant worker services to stabilize its revenue base.

Name

Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria

Legal name

Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria

Website

https://icavictoria.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1971 serving immigrants and refugees in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia. As Vancouver Island's largest settlement agency, ICA delivers free English classes, settlement support, employment services, youth programs, and anti-racism training to newcomers from 110+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Refugee, Crisis & Humanitarian Education Partnerships (EiE) (EDADALAG)

Keywords

• Immigrant settlement services
• English language training
• Refugee resettlement support
• Employment services for newcomers
• Interpretation and translation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Victoria

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary revenue source from federal government (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - IRCC) and provincial government (Province of British Columbia) for settlement services, LINC program, and BC Newcomer Services Program.
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting immigrant and refugee settlement services.
3. Interpretation and Translation Services: Professional interpretation and translation services in 20+ languages offered to the community for a fee of $1.40 per minute for interpretation.
4. Affordable English Classes: Low-cost English language classes (CELPIP Test Prep $595, Workplace Success $575) for those not eligible for free LINC program.
5. Membership Fees: Individual membership available for $10 annually, providing voting rights and AGM attendance.
6. Donor-Advised Funds and Stock Donations: Accepts donations through donor-advised funds and appreciated stock, providing tax benefits to donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) is a registered non-profit charitable organization founded in 1971 that delivers immigrant and refugee settlement services in the Greater Victoria region of British Columbia. As Vancouver Island's largest settlement agency, ICA provides English language training, employment and career support, youth and family services, interpretation/translation, anti-racism training, and newcomer settlement casework to immigrants, refugees, and other equity-deserving groups.

Product overview

The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) offers a comprehensive suite of settlement and integration services for immigrants and refugees, delivered as multiple interconnected programs rather than a unified software product. Core services include the Immigrant Welcome Centre providing holistic settlement support; English Language Services featuring free LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) classes and affordable conversation-focused courses; Employment Services including job search assistance, the Career Paths for Skilled Immigrants program, and Career Mentorship connecting newcomers with local professionals; and specialized services for Youth & Families, 2S/LGBTQ+ communities, and Gender-Based Violence survivors. ICA also delivers anti-racism training through its Tools for Equity and Bystander Intervention Training programs, operates the Greater Victoria Local Immigration Partnership (GVLIP) for strategic community partnerships, provides professional Interpretation and Translation Services in over 20 languages, and administers Private Sponsorship of Refugees. The organization serves as Vancouver Island's largest settlement agency, helping over 2,000 newcomers annually through its programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% of employment program clients found work in their field
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Governance, Healthcare, Education, and Housing Sector Leaders (GVLIP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Strategic partnerships with leaders in four primary community sectors (Governance, Healthcare, Education, and Housing) through the Greater Victoria Local Immigration Partnership (GVLIP) to conduct research on racism and develop equitable policies.
• Eagle Wing ToursminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for youth and family nature programs including whale watching and ocean conservation activities.
• Greater Victoria NatureHoodminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization partnering for youth programming focused on microplastics education and beach cleanup initiatives.
• 500+ Community PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtensive network of community partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, volunteers, and donors built over decades enabling comprehensive support services.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• COSTI Immigrant Services: One of Canada's largest immigrant-serving agencies, delivering settlement, language training, employment, and community programs in the Greater Toronto Area. Highly comparable to ICA in comprehensive wraparound model, reliance on government grants, and broad newcomer segments.
• MOSAIC: A Vancouver-based non-profit serving immigrants and refugees with settlement, English language, employment, and community programs. Direct peer given shared BC geography, similar BC Newcomer Services Program delivery, and near-identical service mix.
• Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS): Calgary's principal settlement agency offering resettlement, language, employment, and integration services to newcomers. Comparable in operating model, IRCC/LINC funding dependency, and breadth of services targeting refugees and immigrants.
• Centre for Newcomers (Calgary): Non-profit providing settlement, language training, employment services, and community connections for immigrants and refugees in Calgary. Matches ICA's community-led delivery, government contract funding, and focus on first-five-years integration outcomes.
• DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society: Surrey, BC-based immigrant-serving organization with settlement, language, employment, and refugee resettlement programs. Strong peer given shared BC provincial funding streams and highly similar service portfolio.
• Catholic Crosscultural Services: Toronto-area settlement agency providing language training, employment support, settlement services, and refugee resettlement. Comparable non-profit delivery model with IRCC-driven funding and overlapping newcomer segments.
• Peel Newcomer Services Group: Coalition of service providers delivering settlement and integration programs in the Peel Region of Ontario. Peer in funding model and service categories (LINC-style language training, settlement counseling, employment support).
• YMCA Newcomer Services (Greater Toronto): The YMCA of Greater Toronto runs extensive newcomer settlement, language, and employment programs. Comparable to ICA in wraparound community-led delivery, government grant dependence, and volunteer-driven operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ICAVictoria
• Facebookfacebook.com/ICAVictoria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria