Building Community Supports: Social Services
As a leader in Canada’s settlement sector, COSTI supports newcomers, including refugees and asylum claimants, in starting their new lives in the Greater Toronto Area.
Our Social Services Division offers compassionate, culturally responsive programs addressing settlement, housing, family and mental health, domestic violence, and the needs of seniors, youth, and women through a range of programs:
In 2023/24, COSTI’s Social Services Division delivered:
- settlement services 14,155 times to 4,483 clients
- stable accommodation to over 3,700 clients
- mental health support to over 1,500 clients
- art-based therapy to over 250 women and youth clients
Signature Initiatives
Orientation to Ontario / International Student Connect
As the Provincial Coordinator for the Orientation to Ontario (O2O) and the International Student Connect (ISC) programs, COSTI collaborates with various settlement agencies and educational institutions to offer bilingual workshops and digital resources to support international students and newcomers in meeting their diverse settlement needs, helping them to establish strong roots in their new lives in Canada.
Learn more: International Student Connect | Orientation to Ontario
Calabrian Benevolent Foundation (CBF) Seniors Day Program
The Calabrian Benevolent Foundation Seniors Day Program, facilitated by COSTI, provides culturally sensitive and age-appropriate care to older adults living with early-stage dementia or mild Alzheimer’s. The program is generously funded by the Calabrian Benevolent Foundation and the Ontario Health Toronto, with support from our valued partner, Humber River Hospital. Designed specifically for Italian, Portuguese and Spanish-speaking seniors, this program ensures that participants receive care tailored to their unique cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Learn more: CBF Seniors Day Program
Together We Thrive: Art Based Support Group Program
This program uses a trauma-informed art-based approach and provides a safe space for Muslim women who have been impacted by Islamophobia. Program participants learn strategies to help them cope with the resulting fear, anxiety, shame and loss of self-confidence due to discrimination.
Learn more: Together We Thrive
settlement services delivered
total individuals supported
individuals received settlement services
individuals received stable accommodation
individuals received mental health support
housing related support delivered
individuals supported through Ukrainian Housing Host Program
times O2O and ISC webinars accessed
O2O and ISC digital resources downloaded
O2O Chatbot accessed
