Process underway to prepare for Ukrainian refugees in Okanagan

Mar 17, 2022 | 3:01 PM

It’s a work in progress.

That’s how a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Canadian community in Vernon describes the process to prepare for Ukrainian war refugees coming to Canada, and determining how many of them may want to relocate to B.C. and the Okanagan.

Andrea Malysh took part in what are now weekly meetings with the province on Thursday to get an update on the situation.

“The refugees; most are wanting to go back home, so they don’t want to come outside of Europe, but we are expecting [them], probably in two waves; certainly the exhaustive one of those wanting to come and be supported by families, and secondly, if the war does persist for a period of time, then we do expect another influx of refugees,” Malysh told Vernon Matters.

The federal government said about nine thousand Ukrainians have fled to Canada so far who are being supported by families.

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Malysh said several thousand Ukrainians are expected to end up in British Columbia at some point.

“We’re just all trying to work collectively with the federal and provincial governments and local communities, the Ukrainian communities pulling together and trying to work out a number of issues with the B.C. government in supporting those that are coming.”

Andrea Malysh (File photo/Vernon Matters)

Malysh explained the issues to be worked out include housing, food, education, translation services and health care.

“There is a lot of things to consider when trying to help refugees when they come into our country.”

An online forum has been started by the Ukrainian Canada Congress National (ucc.ca) to compile a list of Canadians willing to offer their homes to people from the war ravaged country, information that will be passed onto the provinces.

Malysh is also providing names of local residents who have contacted her to their provincial council.

“You have to understand, this is going to be quite an assessment program for any refugee that is coming in. There is a screening process,” she told Vernon Matters.

Malysh said the B.C. government is trying to transition programs used previously for Syrian and Afghan refugees to Ukrainians to provide some services.

“I’ve been meeting locally with Immigrant Services and trying to organize something locally so that if we do, and when we do, get people coming into our community, that we have things in place that we can help them with.”

Malysh has already had at least a dozen local residents contact her offering their homes or services like translation, transportation, along with food and clothing.

As of Thursday, the federal government began accepting applications from Ukrainians and their families who are fleeing the war and want to come to Canada while they decide their next steps.

An unlimited number of Ukrainians will be able to come to Canada for a period of up to three year, with family members of Ukrainian nationals also eligible regardless of their own nationality.

The government expects applications will take about two weeks to process for standard, non-complex cases.

Malysh said a local church has been compiling humanitarian relief and is now sending the items to Ukraine.

Her group, Sadok Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, is holding a fundraiser this Saturday night (March 19) at City Dance Studio, an open house to collect funds for the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Canada Ukraine Foundation for humanitarian aid.

Malysh said there is nothing she has seen with the war at this point that gives her reason for optimism.

“It’s very tragic what’s happening. I don’t see anything optimistic happening when you are dealing with a person like [Vladimir] Putin. That’s my personal opinion. I can only hope and pray for peace, but I don’t foresee that coming.”

by Pete McIntyre

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