Kitchener-Waterloo

Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo to get 69 Syrian refugees

At least 69 privately sponsored Syrian refugees are on their way to Waterloo Region according to data from the federal government.

A federal map shows how many privately-sponsored refugees are on their way to Waterloo Region

Zaineb al Omar (top left), her husband Ibrahim Tonbari and two of their four children are pictured on their last night in Daousse, Lebanon. The first Syrian refugees to arrive in Canada as part of the Liberal government's resettlement plan, they reached Windsor, Ont., on Nov. 30, 2015 (Susan Ormiston/CBC) (Derek Stoffel/CBC)

At least 69 privately sponsored Syrian refugees are on their way to Waterloo Region, according to data from the federal government. 

The Government of Canada has released a map, showing where privately-sponsored Syrian refugees are going once they arrive in the country. 

The map shows at least 69 refugees will settle in the tri-cities:

  • 43 in Kitchener
  • 15 in Waterloo
  • 11 in Cambridge

The 69 privately-sponsored refugees are among 4,511 Syrians on their way to Canada, more than half of whom will settle in Toronto.

West of Waterloo Region, London will be welcoming at least 141 Syrian refugees. 

Guelph is not represented on the federal map, despite a pledge from city business magnate Jim Estill to spend $1.2 million to sponsor 50 Syrian refugee families. 

The federal government suggests the online map is by no means complete and says the numbers are as of Nov. 24. 

"We anticipate more communities will get involved in supporting the settlement and integration of these refugees," a written statement on the website says.