Guelph and Wellington County could receive approximately 300 Syrian refugees through private sponsorship agreements.
Though a date has not yet been set for refugee arrivals, Guelph Wellington Local Immigration Partnership project manager Alex Goss said it looks like the community will be able to take in approximately 60 families or about 300 people total.
Jim Estill alone, a Guelph resident and CEO of Danby appliance company, recently announced he would provide over $1 million to sponsor 50 refugee families in Guelph.
However, for the intake of refugees to be successful, community members or groups need to take on the responsibility of the sponsorship agreement, Goss explained.
“They would be responsible for more the personal support and finding housing and holding those funds and being able to support the family with that money,” Goss said.
“So the idea behind … private sponsorship is that there are funds in place to financially support that family for a year, but it goes much beyond financial support … there’s a need for social support, a need to understand how systems work in Canada as well as emotional support.”
Goss noted the sponsorship experience is onerous for the Canadian volunteer.
“This family is becoming part of your family in a way and so it’s a fairly intensive commitment to be a sponsoring group for a refugee family,” he explained.
In addition to the 50 families for which Estill pledged support, Goss said there are about 12 active sponsorship groups throughout Guelph and Wellington looking to bring at least one refugee family to the area.
Goss confirmed there are a few active sponsorship groups in Wellington County, but he could not confirm the number or the specific townships.
Wellington County social services administrator Eddie Alton explained the county was not chosen as a host through federal or provincial programs, so all refugees coming to the area are through private sponsorships.
Neighbouring Waterloo Region is expected to take in up to 1,150 refugees. Over 800 of those will be government-assisted refugees largely expected to settle in Kitchener, one of six Ontario cities where government-assisted refugees will be settled (the others are Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Toronto and Windsor).
Private sponsorships
Refugee sponsorship agreements are for a 12-month period and the sponsor is responsible for providing accommodations for that time.
Once the year is up, the Canadian sponsor is no longer responsible for the financial needs of the refugee and the refugee can apply for federal and provincial social assistance programs.
The challenge in Wellington County is that there’s an average of a 1.8-year wait list for social housing.
Alton said the county social services department will assist refugees with language issues and any other aspects required.
“It’s a tough transition for the people coming but I’m sure that everyone’s going to work with them and try to make it as easy as possible,” he said.
Goss said the Guelph and Wellington area is a good place to bring refugees because it’s a welcoming community.
“There’s a lot of support and compassion here in understanding the challenges that refugees are leaving and hopefully understand the opportunities that the refugees can have in the community,” Goss said.
“The community has a history of welcoming refugees and because of that there are a range of services and supports that are currently available to newcomers, to refugees as well.”
The biggest concern will be making the refugees feel welcome when they arrive.
“That’s where we’re really focused, is that we want to make sure that as these families are starting their new lives in Guelph and Wellington County that they get the best possible start and that they want to stay in the community as well,” he said. “That they have a positive experience, they’re able to feel included and integrated in the community and are able to really feel like they belong in Guelph-Wellington.”
