Instead of getting about 240 government-assisted Syrian refugees over 14 months as proposed, Victoria is now scheduled to receive 290 by the end of February.
“We’ve got a challenging job ahead of us,” said Jean McRae, executive director of the Inter-Cultural Association, which will be supporting the newcomers. She said the ICA will be helped by the Red Cross and other organizations.
McRae said the association is part of an alliance of immigrant-welcome centres on the Island in Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Courtenay/Comox and Campbell River.
“My colleagues in those communities have agreed that they will do their best and are ready and willing to help take some of these refugees into their communities,” she said.
“So I don’t think the pressure will be entirely on Victoria to house those incoming folks, because it is a pretty big number.”
The first of the government-assisted refugees are expected within days, McRae said.
“We expect people will be arriving in batches over the next week or so, till the end of the month.”
She said the jump in anticipated numbers is part of federal efforts. “I think the government is working hard to have its commitment of having 25,000 Syrian refugees in the country by the end of February,” McRae said.
“It’s not just our community that’s getting more people toward the end of the month — that’s happening across the country.”
Government-assisted refugees are chosen on the basis of vulnerability and supported by the federal government for their first year in the country.
The region has already welcomed about 48 Syrian refugees supported by private-sponsorship groups run through the ICA and the Anglican Diocese of B.C., and it is expected that number will rise to 200 by the end of the year.
McRae said there are 35 local private-sponsorship groups in place through the ICA.
“The community has raised over $ 1 million of money that will go to support those privately sponsored refugees when they come into our communities,” she said. “That is a wonderful thing.”
More than $1 million has also been raised by supporters of the 28 local private-sponsorship groups co-ordinated by the diocese.
The new government-assisted refugee numbers were announced Thursday.
McRae said the new arrivals will typically be placed in temporary housing — usually hotels — for about two weeks.
Efforts are underway to secure enough permanent accommodation.
“We’re already working with a number of the groups, developers and landlords and housing groups in Victoria,” McRae said.
After getting acclimated, she said, the refugees will start using the settlement services — including language and cultural orientation — the ICA has been providing for many years.
“We provide settlement workers in the schools’ programming so that we are able to work very closely with our school districts to ensure that the children have a successful transition into our three school districts in our area.”
Trauma and other health issues will also be addressed, McRae said.
She said that in an average year, Victoria would likely get fewer than 50 refugees.
McRae acknowledged ICA funding support from United Way of Greater Victoria and the federal and provincial governments.
Anyone who can help with accommodation is asked to contact the ICA via icavictoria.org.
[email protected]More refugees coming to region, and much sooner than expected
