Montreal

Syrian refugees touch down at Montreal's Trudeau airport

Dozens of privately sponsored refugees arrived last night at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport, where many held their loved ones for the first time in years.

Quebec prepares to welcome 3,650 government-sponsored refugees by end of 2015

Privately-sponsored Syrian refugees held their family members upon arrival. (Raffy Boudjikanian/CBC)

Dozens of Syrian refugees stepped onto Canadian soil for the first time on Tuesday night in Montreal.

Privately sponsored individuals and their families arrived at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport, where many held their loved ones for the first time in years.

The first wave of state-sponsored Syrian refugees are supposed to arrive in Canada this week. Quebec is set to accept 3,650 refugees before the end of the year and another 3,650 in 2016.

Syrian-Armenian Kevork Kevork and his brother anxiously awaited to see their parents. The pair only arrived in Montreal a few days ago after they were separated from their parents in Beirut.

"We can't wait for them to get here," said Kevork.

Their mother Sossi and their father Nazareth had extra paperwork to fill out before they could leave Lebanon.

It was a moment of relief for the brothers when their parents crossed the gate at the airport. 

"I hope other refugees still in Syria soon get to experience this joy, too," said Nazareth Kevork upon arrival.

Quebec prepares to welcome refugees

The Quebec government unveiled Tuesday the process of how it will integrate and support incoming Syrian refugees. 

This includes setting up special refugee medical clinics and helping them find employment.

The City of Montreal, which will take on the bulk of Syrian refugees arriving in Quebec, announced a slew of measures including a special hotline.