Red Cross winding down supports for Ukrainian arrivals at Edmonton airport
Julia Wong | CBC News | Posted: June 30, 2022 12:00 PM | Last Updated: June 30, 2022
Alberta's Ukrainian community concerned by federal government decision
At the direction of the federal government, the Canadian Red Cross will be winding down its services for Ukrainian arrivals at Edmonton International Airport, but there are concerns from Alberta's Ukrainian community that new arrivals could be left to fend for themselves.
The agency has been at the airport supporting the needs of newly arrived Ukrainians since April 7. Its services will end after today, according to a Red Cross spokesperson.
Alternative plans will not be made for a local settlement services provider to be on-site, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) spokesperson Aidan Strickland.
"To date, there has not been a high number of Ukrainians arriving from overseas and even fewer newcomers who have reached out to the Canadian Red Cross for help," Strickland said in a statement to CBC News.
"Ukrainians who have no specific plans in place or who need support usually travel to large urban centres such as Toronto. Moreover, Ukrainians usually transit through other major airports such as Toronto, where they have a chance to interact with the Canadian Red Cross before landing in Edmonton."
Orysia Boychuk, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) - Alberta Provincial Council, said the move is worrying.
"We're concerned about vulnerable families coming and falling through the cracks and not being able to get the assistance that they need," she said.
Boychuk said the Red Cross has played a critical role the last three months, from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. daily, supporting arriving Ukrainians who don't have family or friends in Edmonton or Alberta.
UCC volunteers have staffed a welcome booth at the airport from approximately 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day but Boychuk said the organization may not have enough volunteers to have a presence at the airport 24/7.
"There's a bit of fatigue, volunteer fatigue, and it's going to be difficult to staff ... and ensure there's actually some presence to really capture the people coming through," she said.
Support also ending at Vancouver airport
Strickland said the Red Cross will be ending services at Vancouver International Airport after today, but local settlement services providers will step in to help on July 1.
The Red Cross will continue to remain on-site at Toronto International Airport.
At each of the airports, the agency has been providing translation and interpretation services, detailed settlement information and emergency assistance with short-term accommodation, transportation and essential items.
Data from IRCC shows that 21 people from 11 households sought emergency accommodation from the Red Cross at the Edmonton airport from April 1 to June 28.
In Toronto, 867 people requested assistance while in Vancouver, 124 people sought help with accommodations.
Boychuk said that while the numbers may have been small, they were crucial for those 21 people.
"Twenty-one families coming and not having a place to live, not having the shelter … fleeing from a war, I think it's important," she said.
Boychuk is particularly concerned for unaccompanied minors arriving at the airport. The UCC has been seeing more of them, she said.
"We're concerned they can be taken advantage of if there isn't that safety net at the airport," she said.