About WelcomeAide
We are a British Columbia nonprofit society on a mission to ensure that no newcomer in our province has to navigate their settlement journey alone.
“The faster newcomers adapt and learn the Canadian way of life, the faster they contribute to our society and grow our economy.”
Why I Started WelcomeAide
In 2011, my parents, my sister, and I arrived in Canada. My parents spoke no English. At all. So at a young age, I became the one who had to figure everything out for our entire family — how to get a Social Insurance Number, how to open a bank account, how to enroll in school, how to find a family doctor, how to set up a phone, how to find housing. Everything.
Back then, there was not nearly as much help online as there is today. There was no one tool, no one place you could go to get answers. It was overwhelming, stressful, and isolating. We figured it out eventually, but it was far harder than it needed to be.
And here is what I have realized since: nothing has really changed. Even now, every single day, I meet newcomers who are in full panic mode. They cannot set up a bank account. They do not know how to get a driver's licence. They have no idea how to find housing, get a phone plan, or fill out a government form. The same confusion, the same fear, the same barriers that my family faced in 2011 — newcomers are still facing them today.
That is why I built WelcomeAide. I want to give every newcomer what my family never had: a complete, all-in-one package that welcomes them into Canada and walks them through every step of getting settled. Not just one piece of the puzzle — the whole picture. Bank account, health card, housing, phone, school, taxes, transit, employment — all of it, in their language, available the moment they arrive.
Because the truth is simple: when newcomers settle faster, everyone benefits. They find work sooner, start businesses sooner, pay taxes sooner, and contribute to the communities that welcomed them. Helping newcomers succeed is not just the right thing to do — it is an investment in Canada's future.
— Erfan Aghdasi, Founder of WelcomeAide
The Problem We Are Solving
With over 500,000 newcomers arriving in Canada each year, settlement services across the country are stretched thin. In British Columbia, newcomers frequently wait weeks to connect with a settlement worker. During those critical first weeks, many struggle to find a family doctor, understand their tax obligations, enroll their children in school, or access the benefits they are entitled to.
Language barriers compound the problem: while over 200 languages are spoken across Canada, most settlement resources are only available in English and French. Newcomers who need help the most are often the least able to access it.
WelcomeAide bridges this gap. By combining artificial intelligence with deep knowledge of Canadian settlement systems, we provide immediate, multilingual support that helps newcomers access the right services at the right time. We do not replace settlement workers — we ensure newcomers are better prepared and better informed when they do connect with human support.
Our Mission
Breaking down barriers between newcomers and the services that help them thrive. We leverage AI technology to provide immediate, multilingual settlement support to every newcomer in British Columbia.
Our Vision
A British Columbia where every newcomer, regardless of language, background, or circumstance, can access the information and support they need to build a fulfilling life from their very first day in Canada.
Our Approach
We work alongside existing settlement agencies and community organizations, not in competition with them. Our technology amplifies human expertise and fills gaps in the current system, ensuring no newcomer falls through the cracks.
Our Values
Everything we do at WelcomeAide is guided by these core principles.
Accessibility First
Every newcomer deserves access to critical information regardless of the language they speak, their digital literacy, or their familiarity with Canadian systems. We design every service with the most vulnerable users in mind.
Cultural Humility
We approach every interaction with respect for diverse cultural backgrounds and lived experiences. Our solutions are informed by the communities we serve, not imposed upon them.
Innovation with Purpose
We harness AI and technology not for its own sake, but as a tool to solve real problems facing real people. Every feature we build starts with a newcomer need.
Community Partnership
We don't replace existing settlement services — we amplify them. WelcomeAide works alongside settlement agencies, government bodies, and community organizations to strengthen the entire support ecosystem.
Transparency & Trust
As a nonprofit, we are accountable to the communities we serve. We operate with full transparency about our funding, our data practices, and the limitations of our AI technology.
Equity & Inclusion
We are committed to addressing systemic barriers that disproportionately affect newcomers from marginalized backgrounds, including refugees, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities.
Our Team
WelcomeAide is built by a passionate community of volunteers, advisors, and board members who share a commitment to newcomer success.
Board of Directors
Our board brings together experienced nonprofit leaders, immigration policy experts, technology professionals, and community advocates from across British Columbia. Board member profiles will be published following our inaugural board meeting.
Advisory Council
Our advisory council includes settlement workers, newcomers with lived experience, AI ethics researchers, and representatives from partner organizations. Their guidance ensures our programs remain grounded in real community needs.
Volunteer Team
WelcomeAide is powered by dedicated volunteers who contribute their skills in technology, community outreach, content creation, translation, and event coordination. We are always looking for passionate individuals to join us.
Interested in joining our team? We are always looking for passionate individuals who want to make a difference.
Join Our Team