Islanders welcome Ukrainian refugees to the province, offering temporary housing

A group of more than 20 Ukrainians has been greeted on P.E.I. with an outpouring of support from locals offering temporary housing.

Immigration and Refugee Services Association P.E.I. (IRSA) set up a database for Islanders interested in offering housing to the incoming Ukrainians. Various properties were offered, from empty rooms in farmhouses to full, family homes.

Bernadette Reynolds, IRSA's executive director, said the association has received more than 100 offers for housing so far.

"Islanders just want to see them here," Reynolds said.

The process is quite simple. Once someone applies with available housing, IRSA calls to find out if the applicant is still interested, then finds the best match for each family.

A similar process is being used by the federal government to find employment for Ukrainians and school registration for children. 

Support from fellow Ukrainians

Anna Cherepanova, who is from Ukraine, moved to the Island a few years ago. She has been involved with many charitable events raising money and support for Ukrainians.

She gets quite emotional talking about her friends and fellow Ukrainians who were forced to flee their country after it was invaded by Russia on Feb. 24.

Cherepanova said she can't change the past, but she can focus on the future and do what she can to help on the Island.

"We cannot take care of 40 million Ukrainian people in Ukraine or around the world, but of course we can help the people who do come here," she said.

Cherepanova said the efforts Islanders are making to help her fellow Ukrainians is amazing. Even the small things such as praying and donating make a big difference," she said.

"It's a lot of things, and I think by the small things, we're changing somebody's life," Cherepanova said.

Similarly, Reynolds said she is overwhelmed by the positive feedback from Islanders.

"It makes me very proud to be an Islander, and I think the response across Canada has been very similar," she said. "It's knowing that the Island has their arms open wide for these people that are fleeing war and that we're here for them."

More Ukrainians are expected to arrive on the Island soon, with a group of 14 on their way next week.

Since the federal government launched the visa application process for the emergency travel of Ukrainians to Canada, there have been more than 100,000 applications — and a large portion of these have already been approved.

Reynolds said the federal government is working quickly to process the incoming applications.