Four local non-profit organizations are establishing a community service hub inside St. Michael's Adult Catholic High School in Windsor, where the majority of students are newcomers to Canada. The hub aims to provide essential settlement, employment, and training services directly on site, eliminating the need for students to travel across the city for support.
Partners and services
The hub will include the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County, the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario, Women's Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) of Windsor Inc., and Centre communautaire francophone Windsor-Essex Kent. Representatives from each organization, along with the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board, signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, June 25, 2026.
Douglas Sadler, principal at St. Michael's, highlighted the convenience for students: “The average student, to get here, might take two buses. It could be an hour and a half trip — but now they can get the services they need for Ontario Works, or references, or job opportunities, all in a one-stop shop.”
Student demographics and need
St. Michael's serves approximately 1,500 learners, including 800 daytime students, 300 night school attendees, and hundreds in virtual classrooms. At least 70% of students are enrolled in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, which has grown exponentially in recent years. Many of these students are recent immigrants to Canada.
The hub will offer one-on-one meetings, settlement and integration advice, skills training for minority women, educational workshops, and information sessions connecting individuals and families to community resources. Specialized support will also address personal and confidential issues, including gender-based violence.
Impact on newcomer retention
Daniel Beliciu, director of programs and development at the Multicultural Council, noted that more newcomers to Windsor-Essex are choosing to stay in the community rather than relocate. The hub, he said, will ensure “everyone that comes here has the opportunity to thrive.”
Rose Anguiano Hurst, executive director of WEST of Windsor Inc., emphasized the hub's potential to reach underserved clients: “We do outreach the best we can, but to be here in a hub, well known, like St. Michael's, in collaboration with other partners, it's going to be a game-changer for our organization to reach clients that need our services.”
Timeline
The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board expects the new offices to be operational by mid-September 2026, with more details to be announced closer to the opening date.
