Ontario is set to welcome 4,000 of the 10,000 Syrian refugees that are expected to arrive in Canada by the end of the year.
Service Ontario Policy Advisor, Cecil Fong, says Ontario is prepared to welcome them.
“This is very much the normal course of business and we have the capacity, we have the knowledge, the know-Province called onhow,” Fong said. “We would argue that Ontario would be one of the most prepared if not the most prepared province across Canada to handle not only the complexities of the incoming refugees, but to help them succeed as well.”
The majority of the refugees will be privately sponsored and will be permanent residents according to Peter Goodspeed, a Lifeline Syria volunteer. Each private sponsorship group is committed to taking care of the refugees for one year.
“That means feeding them, clothing them, giving them income to live on, assisting them with getting their medical care, helping them learn to speak English, find a job, get the kids in school, all those things that you’d do if you’re just bringing a member of your own family over,” Goodspeed said. “And making sure that they have everything they need to get established in Canada.”
The federal government plans to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of 2016.