Syrian refugees: P.E.I. to take in 100 refugees by end of the year
Another 150 refugees are coming in January and February of 2016
The Island is gearing up to accept 100 Syrian refugees by the end of the year, with another 150 coming in the new year, Workforce and Advanced Learning Minister Richard Brown announced this morning.
Those 100 individuals are now being processed to come to P.E.I., said Dan Doran, refugee sponsorship co-ordinator with the Catholic Diocese of Prince Edward Island.
It's not pleasant living in a refugee camp or in a country that's cracking at the seams.- Dan Doran, Catholic Diocese of Prince Edward Island
Most of the refugees will likely settle in Charlottetown and Summerside, but other communities will also welcome families, he said.
Brown said the main considerations are helping the refugees settle, responding to Islanders who want to help and making arrangements for accommodations.
A ministerial advisory council has been set up to ensure a smooth transition and to tap into offers of help, said Brown.
Islanders are "up for the challenge," he said, adding that he's been contacted by a number of individuals and groups asking how they can help.
"I just can't believe the efforts going on," he said.
Brown said taking in the refugees is P.E.I.'s gift to the world this Christmas.
'They are permanent residents'
Craig Mackie, executive director of the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada, said there are three keys to helping refugees settle on the Island: language training, finding employment and feeling welcome in society.
"They are permanent residents when they arrive here," he said.
The group is already putting together a housing inventory, and people are on standby to accept donations and offers to assist or volunteer.
"Islanders are terrific at being a welcoming society."
Mackie said his group has a lot of experience helping refugees come to the Island. The group meets refugees at the airport, helps them find accommodation, assists with school and language classes, and assists generally with their integration into Canadian life.
He congratulated the federal government on covering the refugees' transportation costs and helping with health coverage.
Privately sponsored refugees arriving first
The first group that will arrive on P.E.I are privately sponsored refugees who will stay with families or individuals who are sponsoring them, Doran said.
"We are really looking forward to receiving those families in the next four weeks," he said.
Most of the refugees are educated and looking for a better life, and Doran said 90 per cent of the cases he deals with involve reuniting families.
"They're just looking for a new opportunity to start a new life. It's not pleasant living in a refugee camp or in a country that's cracking at the seams," he said.
The Catholic Diocese of Prince Edward Island has a long history of private sponsorship of refugees, Doran said, adding the diocese partners with other faith groups and community organizations to help refugees.
Islanders who wish to offer support can call toll free 1-844-237-7734 or email the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada at welcome@peianc.com.
25,000 Syrian refugees coming to Canada
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the government's plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees will take two months longer to complete than originally stated.
Trudeau said 10,000 refugees will arrive by year's end and the rest by March 2016.
The federal government currently has agreements in place with organizations in the following cities to provide services to refugees:
- Atlantic Canada: St. John's, Halifax, Charlottetown, Moncton, Fredericton, Saint John.
- Quebec: Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Victoriaville, Drummondville, Sherbrooke, Montréal, Gatineau, Laval, Saint-Jérôme, Joliette, Sainte-Hyacinthe, Brossard, Granby.
- Ontario: Windsor, Ottawa, London, Toronto, Kitchener, Hamilton.
- Prairies: Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge.
- B.C.: The Lower Mainland.