Home is a word that evokes the feeling of security and comfort, but for Ukrainians in British Columbia watching the destruction of their homeland, it causes acute pain.
“It’s being implemented in many different ways through different war crimes that are happening, through missile attacks, drone attacks,” Ukrainian Marko Zolotarov, who now lives in British Columbia, told Global News.
Since 2022, more than a million Ukrainians have fled their country and come to Canada, with more than 200,000 settling in B.C.
However, they are now facing more turmoil as they have learned that the funding is coming to an end.
“There is confusion and this fear of what will happen to us,” Zolotarov said.
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A federal grant that provides crucial programs and benefits to refugees will end on March 31.
This means that programs that help Ukrainians learn English or train them for jobs will now be in limbo.
“They have 100s, if not 1,000s, of displaced Ukrainians who are currently receiving services, but they know they won’t be able to in a few months,” says Sarosh Rizvi, AMSSA executive director, corporate affiliation and services. Multicultural Agencies of British Columbia
“There is no good plan in place right now where to offload these services.”
Zolotarov said many Ukrainians do not yet have enough points to apply to be permanent residents.
“I think it’s a very significant gap,” he said.
Currently, there are more questions than answers about how to fill this gap.
“A lot of people are currently receiving services, a lot of people are currently receiving services and a clock ticking.” Said Rizvi.
Ukrainians, watching the heartbreaking destruction of their former home, wonder if they will ever be able to call Canada their new home.
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