In March of 1980, the Kamloops Chinese Cultural Association responded to the need of settlement assistance for the large numbers of South East Asian refugees arriving in Kamloops. The Vietnamese and Immigrants' Community Centre was opened.
By 1981, the need for services for those arriving from various parts of the world became evident. As a result, the Kamloops Cariboo Regional Immigrants Society was registered as a non-profit society with the purpose of sponsoring an immigrant service agency. In the following year, the society became a registered charity. In 1985, the agency was renamed to Kamloops Immigrant Services.
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