COSTI

COSTI COSTI provides educational, social, & employment services to help all newcomers in Toronto, Peel & York Regions attain self-sufficiency in Canadian society.

Last year, we served over 51,000 people.

Welcoming Week at COSTI was a time filled with culture, creativity and care!COSTI's ESL/LINC students shared their artwo...
10/02/2026

Welcoming Week at COSTI was a time filled with culture, creativity and care!

COSTI's ESL/LINC students shared their artwork representing their culture and their hope for the future at the Newcomers Arts and Crafts Exhibition organized by CCSYR as part of Welcoming Week in Richmond Hill.

York Region Public Health shared information with our newcomer students on disease prevention, mental health, primary care, child and family health, sexual health and safety, nutrition and hearing screening, along with library and community resources to help them feel supported in Canada.

Alt text:
Image 1: A smiling woman with short gray hair stands beside several colourful paintings on easels, including pink and purple flowers, a rainy Paris street with a red umbrella, and a woman in an orange dress walking toward a lighthouse. Framed artworks sit on a table in front of her.

Image 2: A smiling man in a black T-shirt sits behind a table displaying his framed watercolour paintings, including a brown horse, a couple embracing in a field, a striped lighthouse by the sea, and a sailboat on blue waves.

Image 3: A York Region Public Health staff member sits at a blue-draped table covered with healthy-eating recipe booklets while a visitor browses them. A second table in front holds rainbow lanyards, rainbow wristbands and small paper bags.

Build your digital skills with COSTI's Google Workspace Basics program!Learn to send and organize emails in Gmail, save ...
10/02/2026

Build your digital skills with COSTI's Google Workspace Basics program!

Learn to send and organize emails in Gmail, save and share files in Google Drive and create documents in Google Docs. You'll get lots of hands-on practice on both cellphones and computers. Next cohort starts October 26.

Join this online program today: https://buff.ly/T0qxgRX

Questions? Call 289-846-3627.

Alt text: Photo of five smiling adults gathered around a laptop, with one woman pointing at the screen. Accompanying text reads, "COSTI. Google Workspace Basics. Digital skills training for work and life - Gmail, Docs, Calendar and more. Get confident with Google Workspace. Practice hands-on, right from your phone or computer. Upcoming cohort: October 26. Program Fee: $180. For more information call: 289-846-3627. Limited seats. Register now."

On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, COSTI's Newmarket newcomer language students took a field trip to Mulo...
10/02/2026

On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, COSTI's Newmarket newcomer language students took a field trip to Mulock Park.

They explored the historic Mulock House, admired Indigenous and Canadian art in its gallery and learned about the Indigenous history of the land beneath their feet, the traditional home of the Anishinaabe, Wendat and Haudenosaunee Nations. They practised their English by chatting with fellow visitors, and the day ended with students and instructors singing O Canada together in the park's outdoor theatre.

Learning a language is about connection, and this day brought us closer to the community and to the stories of this land.

Alt text:
Image 1: Four people pose together inside a large green and white stamp-shaped frame labelled "Mulock Park" and "Canada." A white historic house and autumn trees are visible behind them on the lawn.

Image 2 (collage of two photos)
Top: Students sit on tree-stump seats in an outdoor theatre area of the park, facing a woman in an orange shirt who speaks from a wooden stage. Fall leaves cover the ground. Bottom: A group gathers around a glass display case holding small stone sculptures in a bright, white-walled gallery room. Several people wear orange.

Image 3 (collage of two photos)
Top: About a dozen students and instructors pose outdoors on a brick pathway in front of a white lattice fence, with two men crouching in front. Bottom: A larger group of about twenty people, many in orange, stands in rows on a paved terrace, with tall trees behind them.

Earlier today, over 100 COSTI LINC/ESL students at the Welcome Centre in Richmond Hill picked up brushes and markers to ...
10/01/2026

Earlier today, over 100 COSTI LINC/ESL students at the Welcome Centre in Richmond Hill picked up brushes and markers to create a shared mural. Participants came from Iran, China, Türkiye, Ukraine, Russia, Afghanistan and beyond, each drawing or writing a memory that celebrates a tradition from their culture.

In its fourth year now, events like this help newcomers build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging. For the wider community, they spark understanding and appreciation of the cultures that shape Ontario.

We thank CCSYR, our staff and our LINC/ESL students for making this year so special. The finished canvas will be displayed at the Welcome Centre in Richmond Hill for everyone to enjoy!

Alt text:
Image 1
Two people leaning over a large white paper mural covered in overlapping black outlined shapes, colouring in the shapes with markers and oil pastels. Finished sections show landscapes, geometric patterns, hearts and Arabic calligraphy.

Image 2
Top: Participants stand around a long table holding markers and phones while colouring the mural. A few shapes are filled in, and many are still blank. Bottom: A group gathers around the table from above, each person colouring a different section. Bowls of markers sit on the table.

Image 3
Close view of the mural, with bright, colourful sections including a red-orange shape with a banana, a blue shape with a lantern, a yellow panel with Persian calligraphy, a purple panel with a dancing figure, and a pink flower on yellow. Several blank shapes remain, and trays of markers sit on top.

Hello jobseekers in Mississauga!We offer free employment services for Canadians, permanent residents, refugee claimants ...
10/01/2026

Hello jobseekers in Mississauga!

We offer free employment services for Canadians, permanent residents, refugee claimants and convention refugees. You just need to walk into our office at 6750 Winston Churchill Blvd, Mississauga. No appointment required.

Google Maps link: https://buff.ly/ycXUDg9

Got questions?
Call 905-567-0482
Email [email protected]

Alt text: Satellite map of the intersection of Winston Churchill Blvd and Aquitaine Ave in Mississauga, with a red pin and a highlighted circle marking the COSTI office building. Text below reads: "Walk into COSTI today. Free employment services for Canadians, permanent residents, refugee claimants and convention refugees. COSTI Employment Services, 6750 Winston Churchill Blvd, Mississauga. No appointment required. Got questions? Call: 905-567-0482. Email: [email protected]."

An uncertain refugee process. Financial pressure. No family nearby. Franck Boris wondered whether he belonged.Then he jo...
10/01/2026

An uncertain refugee process. Financial pressure. No family nearby. Franck Boris wondered whether he belonged.

Then he joined netWORKS at COSTI. With mentors, workshops and a community that helped him see his strengths, he found clarity and purpose. Today, he's a Credit Analyst at TD Canada Trust.

Read Franck's story in our Annual Impact Report 2025-26: https://buff.ly/x9Xb3lf

Alt text: A smiling man in a gray suit and purple patterned tie stands with his arms crossed in front of a TD Bank storefront. A yellow quote reads, "netWORKS didn't just give me skills, mentors and connections. It gave me clarity and helped me discover my purpose. Read about the future Franck believes in - in COSTI's Annual Impact Report 2025/26." The COSTI logo and "Annual Impact Report 2025-26" appear at the top.

Happy National Seniors Day! More than 90 seniors from Calabrian Benevolent Seniors Day Centre,  Encuentro Latino and Eld...
10/01/2026

Happy National Seniors Day!

More than 90 seniors from Calabrian Benevolent Seniors Day Centre, Encuentro Latino and Elderly Persons Centre came together to celebrate the day with good food, music and laughter. It was also a chance to honour the many ways seniors have enriched our families, communities and society.

At COSTI, we love our seniors! Their joy of life and stories make working with them a delight. We thank everyone who joined us, including seniors, their families and our staff.

Alt text:
Photo 1 (two-photo collage): Two photos of a National Seniors Day celebration. Top: a black glitter banner reading "Happy National Seniors Day" hangs across a window. Bottom: a buffet counter with trays of sliced pumpkin bread and cookies, scarecrow figures, a small "National Seniors Day" sign, and autumn leaves.

Photo 2: A senior woman in a pink paisley blouse places a slice of pumpkin bread on an orange napkin at a buffet table. Other seniors stand in line, while a woman in a blue headscarf pours a drink from a pitcher. Autumn decorations hang from the ceiling above a crowded room.

Photo 3 (two-photo collage): Two photos of seniors at the celebration. Top: two smiling senior women chat closely, with other seniors seated behind them. Bottom: a bright room filled with seniors seated at tables with black tablecloths and red cups, with a screen showing live music and guitars on the wall.

Stay ahead of the competition. Sign up for COSTI's events and workshops today: https://tinyurl.com/hyzd9jfd Alt text: Th...
10/01/2026

Stay ahead of the competition.

Sign up for COSTI's events and workshops today: https://tinyurl.com/hyzd9jfd

Alt text: The graphic features a diverse group of adults sitting in a library. They have books on their laps and they are talking to each other. The accompanying text reads, "Workshops, Webinars, Information Sessions. From making strategic resumes to acing your interviews, learn how to stand out in your job search through COSTI’s workshops. Register now."

Today, we celebrate the wisdom and resilience of older adults in our community. From companionship through our Elderly P...
10/01/2026

Today, we celebrate the wisdom and resilience of older adults in our community. From companionship through our Elderly Persons' Centre, to culturally-rooted dementia care with our Calabrian Benevolent Seniors Day Program, COSTI is proud to support older adults in building meaningful connections, accessing resources, staying active and maintaining their well-being.

We treasure the experiences, cultures and stories that seniors share with our teams everyday and thank them for the lasting impact they have on our communities.

Alt text: Graphic celebrating National Seniors Day, October 1st, marking 15 years of celebration. Photo shows a smiling older man in a police-style cap and an older woman in a bucket hat serving plates of food across a stainless steel counter to two older men, one wearing sunglasses and a cap, the other in a light blue shirt reaching for a bowl. Teal, orange, and yellow graphic elements with text reading 'Happy National Seniors Day!' and hashtag ' .' Government of Canada wordmark in the bottom right.

Leaving accounts open can give others access to private information. Make it a habit to always log out when you finish u...
09/30/2026

Leaving accounts open can give others access to private information. Make it a habit to always log out when you finish using social media or email, especially on shared devices. Learn more: https://buff.ly/fQMR4C4

Alt text: The graphic features a woman standing and typing on a public computer. The accompanying text reads, "To prevent digital abuse, always sign out of social media and email accounts instead of just closing the tab. Learn how to recognize and stop digital abuse."

Address

Toronto, ON

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30am
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+14166581600

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