The idea of founding La Coopérative d'intégration francophone de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard was born in the fall of 2005, when members of local organizations were approached by representatives of a similar project in New Brunswick to become partners in the implementation of a pilot project in PEI. -PEI. A working committee was formed and ICF was incorporated in 2006.
At the time of its incorporation, ICF had a regional mandate limited to the Evangeline region. Its pilot project, the "Carrefour d'Immigration Rurale Évangéline" (CIRE), contributed to the development of a guide of innovative practices in rural immigration, to counteract the demographic decline of the region, and to develop reception and settlement tools for newcomers in the region. Over the years, it became apparent that ICF needed to expand its activities to serve the Acadian and Francophone community across the province.
As a result, in 2010, ICF ended the CIRE pilot project and took on a provincial mandate.
Since then, ICF has adopted a five-year strategic plan for 2011-2016, developed in conjunction with the PEI Acadian and Francophone Community Plan (PDG). It also adopted a new operational and organizational model to better meet its new provincial mandate.
Currently, ICF is an integral part of the community landscape in Prince Edward Island. Its outreach activities and services to newcomers are carried out across the province. Several partnerships have been consolidated, including with RDÉE PEI, the Association for Newcomers to Canada (ANCPEI), Collège Acadie and the provincial Immigration, Settlement and Population Office. ICF provides reception, settlement, French language assessment, matching and integration services to immigrants. It also organizes community and school outreach activities. The ICF also works on promotion and recruitment projects such as the Working Holiday Program (WHP) and the Destination Canada job fair.
ICF coordinates the Population Growth Committee, which focuses on the four components of population growth: refrancisation, francophilia, migration and immigration. A strategic plan and an action plan have been adopted by this committee. The ICF hopes to begin implementing the action plan in the coming year.
The ICF has also created a Réseau en immigration francophone (RIF), which brings together the main community, municipal, provincial and federal partners in Francophone immigration. There are 13 RIFs in Canada, established in 9 provinces and 2 territories. Still in its infancy, PEI's RIF will soon review its terms of reference and structure to link it to the Francophone Population Growth Committee.