Toronto-area municipalities prepare help for refugees from Ukraine

'These people are coming with nothing'

Yorkregion.com
April 13, 2022
Kim Zarzour

For those in the Toronto area whose hearts are breaking over the crisis in Ukraine and who wish to know how to help, information is coming.

A regional table is being formed among the GTHA municipalities to co-ordinate an approach for the expected influx of families fleeing violence, Lisa Gonsalves, York Region’s director and strategies and partnerships, said at a York regional council meeting on April 7.

Gonsalves was responding to a question presented by Newmarket Mayor John Taylor, who said many local residents want to provide support.

“I know this is a federal issue, but I’ve been signing sponsor for a Syrian family a number of years ago and now part of a group sponsoring a family from Afghanistan, and it takes a team of people to do this,” he said. “It was often a little bit hard to navigate a lot of work, and took a network of support.”

Gonsalves said the Region of York has begun discussions with local settlement organizations and plans to set up a formalized table to work with the GTHA one.

Federal and provincial levels of government are preparing programs as well, she said.

“We need to connect our residents to those programs so if they are planning to host a family, they’ve got information in advance of people arriving into our communities.”

Richmond Hill Mayor David West said local Ukrainian churches and cultural organizations are “chomping at the bit” to help.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti and King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini said residents in their municipalities have already begun opening their doors to refugees from the war-torn area.

“We already have two families in King with children,” Pellegrini said. “We’ve got to get moving. We’re already doing fundraising and trying to arrange everything. These people are coming with nothing … They need to get jobs and furniture and everything, so this is quite the task ahead, but many are opening their homes and it’s awesome to see.”

Scarpitti called for solidarity among local politicians.

“Back during the Syrian (crisis), a couple of our councillors went to protests for not trying to accept refugees in our communities,” he said. “It’s important we try to be as unified on this as we accept these people who are in desperate need for sure.”

Further information is expected to be presented to a York Region council meeting later this month.