News | Windmill Microlending

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Windmill and Michener partner to further support medical sector

The partnership between Windmill and The Michener Institute of Education at UHN (Michener) in Toronto has been a cornerstone in supporting healthcare students for several years. Michener is Canada’s only academic institution devoted exclusively to applied health sciences education and is part of the University Health Network (UHN). The integration is crucial because it embeds teaching in daily clinical practice and research and affords students with the opportunity to learn from esteemed experts within their fields.

June 27, 2025

Windmill Microlending rated highly effective by Impact Genome, reflecting four years of evidence-based impact

We’re excited to share that Windmill Microlending has received a 100% effectiveness rating by Impact Genome in their 2024 Verified Impact Report®. This rating reflects our measurable, data-driven impact in advancing economic mobility for immigrants and refugees in Canada.

June 23, 2025

Windmill Microlending earns prestigious AA 5-star rating from Veritas Foundation for second consecutive year

We are thrilled to announce that Windmill Microlending has received an AA rating for the second year in a row from the Veritas Foundation in their comprehensive 2025 Charity Ratings Review. The Veritas Foundation is a Canadian charitable research organization that evaluates charities based on their financial transparency, governance, impact and alignment with their mission.

June 4, 2025

Celebrating mentorship and impact: National Volunteer Week at Windmill

As we mark National Volunteer Week, we’re shining a light on the incredible individuals who generously give their time and expertise to support newcomers to Canada. One of these dedicated mentors is Hazel Hetimier, a Senior Manager at Scotiabank, whose commitment to inclusive communities and meaningful mentorship has left a lasting impact.

May 3, 2025

Windmill Microlending and RBC announce a new initiative to address shortages in primary healthcare nationwide

RBC’s $5 million donation will help accelerate careers of 850 internationally trained physicians in Canada

May 1, 2025

Giving back, moving forward: Manulife mentor shares her journey with Windmill

As part of National Volunteer Week, we’re highlighting the dedicated mentors who make a lasting difference in the lives of skilled immigrants across Canada. Today, we’re proud to spotlight Preetha George, a Manulife employee and committed Windmill mentor.

April 28, 2025

Donor spotlight: Bregman family establishes the Bregman-Waisberg Fund for Healthcare Workers

Vlad Bregman’s story is deeply personal. It’s a story of survival, hardship, and ultimately, the desire to help others who are walking a similar path—just as his family once did.

March 27, 2025

Scotiabank boosts newcomer success with $2.5 million donation to Windmill Microlending

Windmill Microlending is excited to announce an extraordinary new donation from Scotiabank of $2.5 million aimed at empowering skilled newcomers in Canada. This funding will provide vital support such as career coaching, mentorship and other resources designed to help immigrants and refugees achieve their full potential in the Canadian workforce. It is these essential support services that have garnered Windmill an outstanding reputation from a growing newcomer client base across the country.

January 22, 2025

How University of Toronto Continuing Studies micro-credentials help learners meet the needs of the job market

Micro-credentials are reshaping education in Canada as a practical, accessible alternative to traditional learning. The University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies leads this shift, offering programs tailored to modern learners and the job market. For newcomers and those upskilling, they provide a path to success in a competitive workforce.

January 14, 2025

Introducing our new loan program for healthcare professionals seeking reaccreditation in Canada

Windmill is pleased to announce expanded support for eligible healthcare professionals educated abroad who face barriers to resuming their occupation in Canada.

January 8, 2025

Manulife supports newcomers rebuilding careers in Canada

At Windmill, we are proud to work with high-impact corporate partners like Manulife, which has generously contributed towards our loan capital and career services since 2021, dedicated to helping skilled immigrants rebuild their careers in finance and healthcare. Their support has been instrumental in driving inclusive economic opportunity in Canada.

December 9, 2024

Sienna Senior Living's donation to Windmill empowers more healthcare careers

The Sienna for Seniors Foundation, the philanthropic branch of Sienna Senior Living, has announced a new pledge of $100,000 to Windmill, aimed at supporting the reintegration of healthcare professionals trained abroad as they return to their careers in Canada. Driven to cultivate happiness for their residents, 12,500 team members care for more than 10,000 residents across Sienna homes in Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

December 2, 2024

Innovative program boosts supply of Personal Care Attendants in Canada

Windmill is a proud partner of Keyin College in Newfoundland and Labrador whose offerings – including diploma, micro-credentialing and upskilling opportunities – are designed to meet the needs of our changing healthcare system. Their innovative International Personal Care Attendant program caters to foreign students wishing to become Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) in Canada, a critical resource especially as Canada faces a worker shortage and a rapidly expanding population of elderly residents requiring support.

October 28, 2024

Tatjana Lalkovic, SVP at Definity, encourages newcomers to not give up

Tatjana Lalkovic is the SVP & Chief Technology Officer, Technology Solutions at Definity. Definity is a generous donor to Windmill supporting our affordable loans and financial literacy coaching for clients. Tatjana is also a valued member of Windmill’s volunteer Board of Directors. Originally from the former Yugoslavia, she has made her mark on Canada as a digital transformation leader with global impact.

October 21, 2024

Supporter spotlight: Claire Kennedy interview

Claire Kennedy is an inspiring member of the Windmill community. A distinguished leader in the private and educational sectors, she is a champion of multiple causes and has received many recognitions for her meritorious service. We’re proud to count her among our supporters and pleased to share her insights from a recent conversation.

October 21, 2024

Windmill receives additional donation from TD Bank Group to help fund its support services

Since 2018, Windmill has received over $2 million in donations from TD Bank Group (TD), through its corporate citizenship platform, the TD Ready Commitment. TD’s latest three-year pledge of $450,000 will support continued enhancement of our services including coaching, mentorship and Canadian financial literacy training for skilled immigrants and newcomers like Trushar.

September 23, 2024

Why Windmill should be on every impact investor's radar

MJ Sinha is a responsible and impact investment consultant and advisor with extensive experience volunteering and working for nonprofits, foundations and family offices throughout Canada and abroad. MJ is also the inaugural Chief Investment Officer of the Rental Protection Fund in British Columbia. We sat down with MJ recently for a conversation about his journey and his thoughts on impact and responsible investing.

August 15, 2024

Uzma Bhutto wins the 2024 Windmill Empowerment Award

Windmill is proud to announce Uzma Bhutto as the winner of this year’s Windmill Empowerment Award, presented as part of the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards from Canadian Immigrant magazine and Western Union. Bhutto was selected from over 100nominations to receive this award in recognition of her exceptional efforts in the service of empowering immigrants and refugees in Canada.

August 8, 2024

Introducing our national campaign

Ambitious immigration targets have been set by the Canadian government to address labour shortages. The unfortunate reality is that thousands of internationally trained professionals land in Canada, only to get stuck in a survival job. Many Canadians would be surprised to learn this situation impacts newcomer doctors, nurses, engineers, accountants and many other highly-educated professionals.

June 25, 2024

New study demonstrates Windmill’s social Impact at national scale

We know from helping over 11,000 clients to date that Windmill loans can help immigrants convert their career potential to prosperity for themselves and their families. But what about prosperity for Canada? We set out to answer this question in a new social impact study commissioned from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) using nearly20 years of anonymized client data.

June 17, 2024

Coast Capital invests $500K to support skilled immigrants and refugees

March 1, 2024, (VANCOUVER, B.C.) Windmill Microlending is pleased to announce a half-a-million-dollar investment from Coast Capital, a significant boost for skilled immigrants and refugees across Canada. This partnership will unlock doors to career advancement and economic success for newcomers. The investment not only fuels low-interest loans for essential professional certifications, education, and training but also extends to vital services like financial literacy education and mentorship.

March 11, 2024

Globe and Mail Op-Ed: Having immigrant engineers and physicians driving Ubers is a national disgrace

This article first appeared in The Globe and Mail’s February 25 issue and has been duplicated below for the Windmill Microlending community to access.

February 26, 2024

Outcomes X announces innovative pilot transaction between Windmill Microlending and ATB Financial

We are delighted to participate in a new pilot transaction enabling us to attract more flexible and scalable funding. This pilot was brought to life with the help of Impact Genome’s robust verification methodology and signals an exciting shift in how social investment can be more transparent and efficient.

January 31, 2024

Inspirit Foundation Partners with Windmill Microlending for the new Cost+ ZERO loan

The Inspirit Foundation (Inspirit) has partnered with Windmill Microlending (Windmill) through a Community Bond investment of $250,000. The funds will support newcomers who are using Windmill’s new Cost+ ZERO loan.

January 11, 2024

New $1.1 million partnerships with the Definity Insurance Foundation and Definity Financial Corporation.

Windmill Microlending is delighted to announce a new $1.1 million partnership with the Definity Insurance Foundation. Their investment will help us offer even more low-interest career loans to skilled newcomers, enabling them to advance their careers in Canada.

January 9, 2024

Windmill Microlending featured in The Globe and Mail

Many newcomers to Canada require financial support to achieve their personal or professional goals. It can be overwhelming, as a newcomer, to understand all of the lending options available and how to apply for a loan. The Globe and Mail has created a Newcomer’s Guide to Finances series to inform newcomers about the best financial products and lenders on the market right now.

November 15, 2023

Windmill Microlending welcomes Lori Sterling as Chair of its Board of Directors

Windmill Microlending (Windmill) is pleased to announce that Lori Sterling has been appointed Chair of its Board of Directors, effective September 22, 2023. Lori will succeed Carsten Jensen, Windmill’s Chair since 2019, whose term expires in September.

September 25, 2023

Windmill and Prep Doctors partnership featured in The Globe and Mail

Read about Windmill Microlending and Prep Doctors' featured collaboration in The Globe and Mail, driving success for internationally trained professionals

August 16, 2023

Winner of The Windmill Empowerment Award announced at the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards 2023

Discover the inspiring winner of the 2023 Windmill Empowerment Award announced during the prestigious Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards.

August 16, 2023

CEO Message: Supporting clients in a period of economic uncertainty

Supporting Clients in a Period of Economic Uncertainty

August 8, 2023

Windmill Microlending and Prep Doctors launch Innovative loan program

Windmill Microlending and Prep Doctors have partnered to introduce Cost+ ZERO Financing, a new loan product designed to ease the financial burden on internationally-trained dentists to get their license to practice in Canada. The new loan will be available to Prep Doctors students and will provide a consistent and affordable repayment schedule, and greater peace of mind during a period of rising interest rates.

July 27, 2023

Windmill Microlending CEO featured in The Globe and Mail

Windmill Microlending CEO Claudia Hepburn writes an article for the Globe and Mail about helping internationally-trained immigrants use their skills.

June 15, 2023

Bill Young, social finance leader, on why he’s a donor and investor in Windmill Microlending

As one of Canada’s leading voices on social finance, Bill Young supports Windmill Microlending as a donor and a community bond investor.

June 14, 2023

Windmill Microlending recognized as the Fastest-Growing Charity

Windmill Microlending was honoured to attend the Veritas Foundation Awards and receive recognition as the top-performing charity in the Relieving Poverty sector.

February 10, 2023

Windmill Microlending provides inflationary relief with a 5.95% fixed interest rate for new loans

I am often struck by the bravery and resilience of our clients, but the stories that awe me the most are always the stories of parents.

January 13, 2023

Capital One doubles down on supporting Windmill clients

A champion for equity and inclusion issues, Shamira Madhany is also a member of Windmill’s Board of Directors and Chair of Windmill’s Loan Committee.

November 1, 2022

Changing newcomer lives in Quebec with help from our friends

Dan Robichaud, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Diagram Ventures and Myriam Dumont Robillard, doctoral (DCL) candidate at McGill University, speak about raising funds for Windmill's work in Quebec.

August 10, 2022

Record investment set to transform 500 newcomer lives

In May, Windmill/Le Moulin received a transformative $5 million investment from Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation.

August 10, 2022

A new virtual meeting place to strengthen newcomer connections

The Windmill Community Success Hub offers a variety of employment resources and a job board.

August 10, 2022

CEO Message: Your Help Empowers Newcomers to Reach Higher, Faster

If Windmill could reach immigrants sooner it could have a real impact not only on their lives but also on Canada’s prosperity.

August 10, 2022

Windmill to collaborate with other organizations to support Afghan refugees

Learn about how Windmill Microlending took action and became a founding partner of Lifeline Afghanistan to support Afghan refugees.

June 16, 2022

The GTAA invests in community building through Windmill

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) saw an opportunity to help newcomers who work at the airport gain skills, training and career development.

June 16, 2022

Shamira Madhany talks about how organizations can foster inclusive and diverse workforces

A champion for equity and inclusion issues, Shamira Madhany is also a member of Windmill’s Board of Directors and Chair of Windmill’s Loan Committee.

June 16, 2022

Paramount Fine Foods helps spread the word about Windmill Microlending

Mohamad Fakih, CEO of Paramount Fine Foods, is a passionate champion for immigrants and refugees and a supporter of Windmill Microlending.

June 16, 2022

Meet Shawn McCarty, Windmill’s Manager, Key Partnerships

Shawn McCarty heads a national effort to build an accessible network of service providers helping skilled immigrants achieve career success in Canada.

June 16, 2022

Meet our Canada-wide partnerships team

We work with settlement and immigration sector partners as well as employers and organizations to empower skilled newcomers to achieve career success.

June 16, 2022

Meet Onai Abote, Windmill’s Outreach Staff Member in Alberta

Onai Abote, Community Relations Specialist, has been supporting Windmill Microlending’s partners in Western Canada since August of 2018.

June 16, 2022

Meet Merette Mathieu, Windmill’s Outreach Manager in Québec

Merette joined Windmill's new Montréal office in April of 2019 and has since been building key relationships in the province.

June 16, 2022

Meet Dapo Bankole – A Former Client Who is Windmill’s Newest Board Member

Windmill’s Development Officer, Janet Eremenko, met with Windmill alumnus and the newest board member, Dapo Bankole to talk about his career.

June 16, 2022

Meet Daniel Beaudin-Hall, Windmill’s Outreach staff member in Ontario

Daniel Beaudin-Hall, Community Relations Specialist, develops partnerships and relationships with immigrant-serving organizations across Ontario.

June 16, 2022

Help your clients or students succeed with Windmill’s exclusive Trending Jobs Report.

We want to empower new Canadians with the knowledge they can use to plan their careers. This is why we created Windmill’s Trending Jobs Report using recent labour market data.

June 16, 2022

Dr. Nnamdi Ndubuka is an influential public health official who makes the time to give back to other Windmill clients

We sat down with Dr. Ndubuka to talk about his profession, his accreditation journey with Windmill and ways he gives back to the community.

June 16, 2022

CEO Message: The benefits—and pleasure—of volunteering

At Windmill, we love our volunteers, and like many charities, depend on them for a variety of skills.

June 16, 2022

CEO message: Windmill’s work in Québec is just beginning

Our loan numbers have doubled this year compared to the same period last year, and we’ve also doubled the number of French-speaking team members serving our francophone clients.

June 16, 2022

CEO message: Leading the way to greater inclusivity for newcomers

As an organization dedicated to the economic integration of newcomers, where at least 95% of our clients are visible minorities, Windmill is always looking for ways to become more inclusive and welcoming of diverse perspectives.

June 16, 2022

CEO Message: July 2019

We are excited to announce the launch of Le Moulin Microcrédits—Windmill Microlending in Quebec thanks to the support of our partners.

June 16, 2022

CEO Message: January 2020

January is Mentorship Month, and at Windmill, one of the promising new initiatives we launched in 2019 was our new Mentorship Program.

June 16, 2022

CEO message: From vulnerability to value

CEO Claudia Hepburn discusses what Windmill has learned about their refugee clients in the five years since the launch of the Refugee Loan Program.

June 16, 2022

CEO message: A year of silver linings

Welcome to Windmill Microlending. Our loans help internationally-trained immigrants and refugees continue their careers in Canada.

June 16, 2022

An Evening with Prem Watsa, Windmill supporter and Founder of Fairfax Financial Holdings

Windmill hosted an event on February 10, 2020 in Toronto with guest speaker, Prem Watsa, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive of Fairfax Financial Holdings.

June 16, 2022

A loan is only part of the key to immigrant career success

At Windmill, we not only offer microloans to help internationally-educated professionals continue their careers in Canada, but we also provide additional supports that are designed to give them the boost they need to succeed.

June 16, 2022

Windmill Microlending increases funds available to skilled immigrants and refugees by 50 per cent

Windmill Microlending is significantly increasing the value of low-interest loans offered to skilled immigrants and refugees up to $15,000.

June 14, 2022

Become a better leader by mentoring a skilled immigrant

Mentors influence the personal and professional growth of their mentees while improving their leadership skills. It doesn’t matter the career stage; no one is too successful to need a mentor.

June 14, 2022

Windmill Microlending announces new mentorship program

The aim of the Windmill mentorship program is to help equip mentees with the skills and tools required to find gainful employment in Canada.

June 2, 2022

Meet Anita Lal, Windmill’s first staff member in British Columbia

Anita's efforts will build on nearly two years of groundwork in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia by Windmill.

June 1, 2022

Windmill Microlending announces new expansion into Québec: Le Moulin Microcrédits

Le Moulin Microcrédits / Windmill Microlending, Canada’s largest charitable microlender for newcomers, is now aerving clients in Québec.

June 1, 2022

Windmill Microlending now supporting upskilling and retraining

Windmill Microlending has made changes to its policies in order to help even more immigrants and refugees achieve their professional goals.

June 1, 2022

New loan product for refugees

Windmill Microlending is pleased to announce a new program: an interest-free microloan specifically for refugees in Canada.

June 1, 2022

Executive Director named 2016 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award finalist

Windmill Microlending is proud to announce that Dianne Fehr, Executive Director, has been named a Finalist for the 2016 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards.

June 1, 2022

Record $5 million social impact investment made by Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation in Windmill Microlending

Windmill Microlending, a national charity that supports the advancement of skilled newcomers, has received a record $5 million investment from Quebec-based Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation.

May 17, 2022

Windmill volunteers share their passion

We interviewed three of our volunteers to learn what motivates them, the benefits they reap and the advice they have for aspiring volunteers.

May 3, 2022

Supporting newcomers and partners at the heart of Windmill’s virtual Career Success and Planning Centre

We launched our new virtual Career Success and Planning Centre to empower newcomers and highlight the work of our settlement sector partners.

May 3, 2022

Windmill support goes beyond offering loans

Besides offering low-interest loans, we provide additional benefits to clients. One way we can support you is through our Mentorship Program.

April 14, 2022

Beauty doesn’t rinse off, and neither does doing good

DECIEM established the DECIEM Named Loan Fund, a contribution which will provide microloans to support skilled immigrants and refugees living in Ontario.

January 31, 2022

Interview with Windmill Board Director – Miyo Yamashita

Miyo Yamashita is a market driven executive with a superior track record in generating sustainable profitable growth.

January 20, 2022

Hamilton Community Foundation invests $1 million in Windmill Microlending’s innovative Community Bond Program

Windmill Microlending has received a $1 million social impact investment from Hamilton Community Foundation.

January 20, 2022

Forced to leave her country, Diala is on a new path to success in Canada

Read about Diala, a Palestinian refugee who, with the help of Windmill and Talent Beyond Boundaries, moved to Canada to improve her life and career.

January 20, 2022

Collaboration is at the heart of our innovation with Referral Partners

We highlight some of the new partnerships we’ve developed with organizations that share our passion for immigrant career success.

January 17, 2022

Meet Peter Aghar – Venture Capitalist, Real Estate Developer & Windmill Director

Peter Aghar is a Toronto-based real estate investor, developer and venture capitalist, and Windmill’s newest board member.

January 5, 2022

Windmill appearance before House of Commons

Windmill Microlending appeared before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development.

January 5, 2022

Meet Leah Nguyen, Investment Director – TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good

Leah Nguyen works with TELUS' leadership team to build out the Fund's strategy to incorporate a "dual lens" approach to investing.

January 5, 2022

A COVID-19 update for Windmill supporters and donors

We are watching our indicators of portfolio health more closely during this pandemic, and our team is working in new ways to support our clients.

January 5, 2022

Partnership with the Magnet Network

Windmill Microlending is pleased to partner with the Magnet Network, a social initiative founded by Ryerson University with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

January 5, 2022

Windmill Microlending receives organization transformation grant from Calgary Foundation

We are pleased to accounce that the Calgary Foundation has contributed $8,000 to a software migration project at Windmill Microlending.

October 5, 2021

Meet Christopher Lau, Windmill’s Client Success Coach

Chris holds a Bachelor of Commerce from York University with a specialization in Marketing. He joined Windmill Microlending’s Toronto office in July 2019.

October 5, 2021

Help from Windmill to our refugee clients during COVID-19

In the face of great financial stress, Windmill Microlending is here to support refugees during COVID-19. We are introducing three immediate measures to help.

October 5, 2021

Windmill Microlending featured at Canadian Immigration Summit

Paula Calderon, Windmill's National Director of Client Success, spoke at the 2019 Canadian Immigration Summit.

October 5, 2021

Windmill selected as first participant in LIFT Philanthropy Partners’ new initiative

LIFT Philanthropy Partners (LIFT), with funding from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, has an excitng announcement!

October 5, 2021

Innovation in a multi-layered approach to supporting newcomers

From the moment they arrive until they thrive, immigrants find different barriers along the way, and unfortunately, some face more challenges than others.

October 5, 2021

Lifeline Syria and Windmill Microlending announce $400,000 initiative to help Syrian refugees

Lifeline Syria is pledging $100,000 to Syrian refugees from the Lifeline Syria Fund (via the Toronto Foundation) to Windmill Microlending.

October 5, 2021

Introducing Windmill Microlending

Welcome to Windmill Microlending. Our loans help internationally-trained immigrants and refugees continue their careers in Canada.

October 5, 2021

Windmill and CPA Ontario join forces for internationally-trained accountants

Windmill and CPA Ontario have partnered to jointly promote the availability of low-cost financing for internationally-educated professionals in Ontario.

October 5, 2021

Windmill Receives Grant from Hamilton Community Foundation

Windmill is pleased to announce receipt of a $50,000 Supporting Grant from the Young Fund through the Hamilton Community Foundation.

October 5, 2021

RBC to donate $50,000 to Windmill Microlending

Windmill Microlending is pleased to announce that RBC is donating $50,000 to our program. This gift will support 50 skilled immigrants in healthcare sector.

October 5, 2021

Windmill Microlending receives $1 million grant from the TD Ready Challenge

Windmill Microlending has been awarded a $1MM grant from The TD Ready Challenge, a signature initiative created and funded by TD Bank Group.

October 5, 2021

Help Windmill help more newcomers

Welcome to Windmill Microlending. Our loans help internationally-trained immigrants and refugees continue their careers in Canada.

October 5, 2021

New Partnership with LIFT Philanthropy Partners

Welcome to Windmill Microlending. Our loans help internationally-trained immigrants and refugees continue their careers in Canada.

October 5, 2021

Meet Musenga Simwawa, Windmill’s Client Success Coach

Musenga Simwawa joined Windmill Microlending in May 2012. His journey with the organization started in Saskatchewan before moving to Alberta.

October 5, 2021

Windmill Microlending partners with triOS College and Eastern College to support newcomers

Windmill Microlending is pleased to partner with triOS College and Eastern College, two Canadian-owned and operated private career educational institutions.

October 5, 2021

Loan Portfolio and Impact Update – October 2019

Windmill Microlending - Loan Portfolio and Impact Update, October 2019.

October 5, 2021