One Ukrainian family's journey on finding a place to live in N.L.
Serhii Koretskyi and his family have been living in temporary housing since December
After months of looking for somewhere to live in eastern Newfoundland, Ukrainian refugee Serhii Koretskyi, his wife and their four children are finally moving into a home.
Set on a quiet residential street in Paradise, the house has three bedrooms and is almost ready for move-in day. Most of their furniture and clothes are already there — including a larger-than-life dollhouse for Koretskyi's young daughters, donated by a community member.
They had one like it back in Ukraine, said Koretskyi.
"It's a good place. I like it. My kids like it," he said.
More than anything, they're excited to get out of their hotel — just in time.
Koretskyi and his family — along with nearly 250 other refugee families — have been living at the Holiday Inn in St. John's since they arrived in December.
In April, the Association for New Canadians sent some of those families letters letting them know they'd have to find somewhere else to live within 45 days.
At the time, they were allowed to apply for an extension to their stay. But for many — including the Koretskyi family — those extensions expire on Aug. 3.
Koretskyi and his family are lucky. Not all of the refugee families have been able to find somewhere more permanent to live.
The housing market in the St. John's area is tough, with renters facing a housing crunch because of a lack of affordable options.
Koretskyi's search began in February — after securing a job as a cabinet maker — with a dream of buying a house.
"I decided that I want to stay here with my family. I don't want to move to another province. I have work here, my kids have school and friends," he said.
But after he saw how much a down payment would be, he realized he would have to look for a rental in a hot market, making it hard to find an affordable place big enough for his family.
There were five families hoping to rent the place, said Koretskyi, but he's happy that his family was chosen. It's expensive, he said, but he'll be able to pay rent and have enough left over for food.
For the other Ukrainian families still trying to find a home outside the hotel, Immigration Minister Gerry Byrne said there won't be any evictions for vulnerable people living there, but there is an expectation for others to move out.
"Some have found upwards of, and this is what has been reported to me, 10 potential locations to live and they've just chosen not to be there … because it may not necessarily meet their immediate expectations. Well, after a period of time, it's really important for them to get out in the community."
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