Yvette Ward, Founder of the Welland Heritage Council

The Welland Heritage Council and Multicultural Centre was founded in 1976 to assist the various ethnic groups in the City of Welland and surrounding areas of Port Colborne, Pelham, Wainfleet, and Fort Erie. We developed a satellite office in Fort Erie to assist the Vietnamese that wished to settle in that community. The Casa el Norte shelter assisted the newcomers with housing and the Heritage Council sent their settlement staff to help with other services. The Fort Erie Multicultural Centre Board of Directors was developed and opened their own agency.

Since 1976, the Welland Heritage Council and Multicultural Centre has become a non-profit charitable, service organization helping immigrants to overcome barriers to integration, and develop skills to work and live in Canada.

As the number of immigrants that needed our expertise grew we opened the Multicultural Network of Niagara Falls in 1995. We also offer satellite services for the Niagara Falls community.