Newcomers are a fabric of Canada—we all know someone who is a newcomer, says MOSAIC’s Director of People, Culture and Inclusion Payvand Gonzalez. MOSAIC—also known as the Multi-lingual Orientation Service Association for Immigrant Communities—marks five decades of service this year. For Gonzalez, the milestone not only celebrates community and belonging, but also the ways in which support “ripples” throughout society.

“We have folks, who have been clients [or] volunteers of MOSAIC, who have now become employees and staff members,” Gonzalez says. “Support leads to belonging, belonging leads to contribution.” 

The idea of ripples is also reflected in the ovals and crescents of their 50th anniversary logo. Designed by Quw’utsun’ (Coast Salish) artist Charlene Johnny, these shapes represent how one drop creates outward-moving waves—a metaphor for how each individual can strengthen community. 

Stories of belonging

MOSAIC annually supports 33, 000 clients across 51 service locations, offering various settlement services including language, employment and wellness guidance.  

Gonzalez adds that clients seeking support on the “minutiae of small things” are also very welcomed.  

“People will just walk through the door and say, ‘Help!’” Gonzalez recalls. “They can literally walk into MOSAIC, and whatever it is that they’re experiencing, ideally, we’ll be able to point them in the direction of the support that they’re looking for.” 

The director recalls a former client from Ethiopia who faced employment barriers. Through MOSAIC’s SCOPE (Social and Civic Opportunities: Pathways to Equity) program, the individual was able to build confidence and a network—eventually landing a government job as a social policy researcher. 

“That journey really reflects what inclusion can look like at its best: people gaining confidence, finding community and being able to contribute to systems that help shape all of us,” she says. 

MOSAIC also supports migrant workers, offering services in a variety of languages including Punjabi and Tagalog. Their Migrant Workers Program works with both newcomers and their employers—helping each side understand the province’s workplace legislation. 

“We also work with people who face multiple layers of barriers at once, including disability, language and financial insecurity,” the director shares. 

Building bridges

MOSAIC has a responsibility to share Canada’s history of colonialism with newcomers and engage them in learning about reconciliation, says Gonzalez. 

She adds that MOSAIC’s Centre for Diversity partnered with the University of British Columbia’s First Nations and Indigenous Studies—creating Connecting Communities: A Guide to Building Respectful Relations Between Newcomers and Indigenous Communities.

“Our responsibility is: How do we bridge this knowledge? How do we make it accessible to folks that are creating programming in different spaces?” the director reflects. “The guide is designed to help MOSAIC staff foster cultural awareness and build respectful, ongoing relationships with Indigenous peoples.”

In 2025, MOSAIC also partnered with the City of Burnaby, delivering two workshops on Canada’s history of colonialism and its ongoing impacts. Last year, they also hosted an Indigenous Business Fair featuring 9 businesses—a first for the non-profit organization. 

“We’re not just celebrating that culture and innovation but also creating pathways to ensure those Indigenous organizations are part of our future procurement and partnership planning,” Gonzalez shares, noting the fair gave MOSAIC’s departments an opportunity to form those relationships “organically.” 

Gonzalez emphasizes that MOSAIC’s settlement work strengthens the province’s broader community. She envisions the next 50 years to involve “more and more support”—all the while “doing it better.” 

“As a country that speaks so much of interculturalism and multiculturalism, what does that mean if not working in collaboration with those who are coming from those different spaces?” she says. “When the pendulum swings to the space of negative rhetoric, it’s important for us to do the work louder and harder.”

MOSAIC kicks off its anniversary celebration with a launch reception (March 6) for key stakeholders, community leaders, sponsors and media. As part of the celebration, the public can join MOSAIC Moves Community Walkathon (Aug. 16)—a fundraising walk and outdoor festival. Closing the celebrations is a 50th Anniversary Gala Luncheon (Oct. 16).

For more information on MOSAIC, see https://mosaicbc.org/.