Plane carrying 300 Ukrainian refugees scheduled to arrive in Halifax next week
Volunteers are busy less than a week before a government-chartered plane carrying Ukrainian refugees arrives in Halifax.
Rick Langille has spent weeks gathering donated items for Ukrainians and packing them in storage units. And he’s not expecting to slow down anytime soon.
“Donated furniture. housewares, kitchenware, microwaves, clothing,” Langille said.
There are bikes, dressers, dining tables, car seats and more.
“We’ve been working hard to try to stock up and stack to the rafters,” he said.
Truckloads have already gone to newcomers.
However, with a plane of Ukrainians arriving next week, there’s a need for more items like beds, box springs, mattresses, student desks and car seats for children.
Langille is also searching for a centre to distribute the items because the owner of the storage facility where they’re currently storing furniture and items has told them it’s against policy to distribute goods from there.
“A warehouse, or an empty store, or an empty office building temporarily,” he said.
A chartered flight carrying more than 300 Ukrainians has already landed in Winnipeg. The same will happen this weekend in Montreal and again on Thursday in Halifax.
“Each charter will likely be in the range of about 300 or a little bit more,” said Immigration Minister Sean Fraser.
Maritimers like Langille are opening their homes. Agencies like the YMCA and the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) have set up supports. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is preparing to help with translation and networking.
“We actually don’t know how many will stay. The charter is coming to Halifax but some of them most likely will go to P.E.I., New Brunswick, Newfoundland,” said Lyubov Zhyznomirska with Nova Scotia’s chapter of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
While Ukrainians can start to apply for assistance -- a two-week hotel stay and six weeks of income -- from the federal government as of June 2, some refugees who have already arrived say finding housing is challenging.
Anna Zherdetska and her family have been staying at an Airbnb that was donated to them since early May, but every time they’ve tried to apply for a house or apartment, they’ve been rejected. It’s happened more than 10 times now.
“They reject us because we are new in the country. We don’t have credit scores,” said Zherdetska.
They have new bank accounts but no credit score. Her husband has a job and her two kids are settling in school. She wants landlords to give newcomers a break.
“Just a little trust and help, that’s it. Just trust us. We will pay on time. Just trust and a little help,” she said.
A sentiment echoed by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.
“I would like to encourage apartment buildings and properties being leased or rented out that some flexibility is applied to these people,” Zhyznomirska said. “There is a system to come up with answers to be able to rent to people who have no credit history.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.