More than 300 Ukrainian refugees set to land in Halifax Thursday

More than 300 Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country are set to arrive in Halifax Thursday afternoon.

One family will be staying in Maylia Parker’s basement apartment in Eastern Passage, N.S.

“I’m mostly just really excited and relieved that they’re on their way,” said Parker.

The family Parker is hosting couldn’t get a seat on the Canadian government flight chartering Ukrainians to Halifax, but will arrive the same day.

Carol Ailles is travelling from Saint John, N.B., to the Halifax Stanfield International Airport to meet the young woman she’s hosting.

“She speaks fairly good English but they are very nervous and concerned,” said Ailles. “They’re coming away from their families and coming to Canada.”

Many Maritimers have offered to host Ukrainians. Ottawa is offering a two-week hotel stay to anyone who doesn’t have a place to go — but some worry about what’s next.

“What’s happening to these people when their two-week hotel stay is up? There is no plan,” said Leanne Arnott.

Arnott said she’s spoken with about a dozen Ukrainians who are flying to Halifax without a place to stay. She’s secured host families for some but not others.

“Can you imagine, you don’t speak the language, you’ve got a couple of kids, you’ve left your husband to fight a war, you’re in a foreign land and you don’t know where you’re going to sleep in two weeks?” said Arnott.

“We have options available. We know landlords are providing support,” said Jennifer L’Esperance with Nova Scotia’s Office of Immigration and Population Growth.

“We’re onboarding onto community services and assistance if required. There’s homestay options, even the Annapolis Basin Conference Centre is offering rooms.”

The YMCA is one agency helping with everything from language classes to housing.

A team is ready, but there will be challenges.

“We have a less than one per cent vacancy rate in Halifax, and so that is without a doubt the biggest challenge,” said Lorrie Turnbull, YMCA’s chief development officer.

Parker believes her family is privileged to have this apartment available. She’s encouraging anyone else who thinks they can help to consider it.

“Over the coming months there’s going to be more and more Ukrainians coming to Nova Scotia,” said Parker.