Refugee fund receives P.E.I. interest despite housing crisis

A refugee sponsorship fund has receivedits first commitment from a P.E.I. group and is looking for more interest in the face of the province's housing crisis.

The Refugee Hub, an Ottawa-based non-profit, hosted an outreach session in Charlottetown Friday for people thinking about sponsoring refugees through their fund. Itcovers six months of a refugees' stay in Canada, and the federal government covers the other six months. Sponsors need to cover small settlement fees like clothingand pantry items.

Jaz Dawson, a policy officer with the Refugee Hub, hopes Islanders will apply to sponsor refugeesbut knows housing is a severe roadblock sponsors are facing.

"It's a reality of life that if people aren't going to have somewhere to live when they're here, then they're not going to be able to be sponsored here," said Dawson.

Half a dozen inquiries

One P.E.I. family has now committed to applying to become a sponsor.

"I think it'll be interesting to see how they tackle the issue of housing," said Dawson, "and perhaps that will point to a solution."

Dawson said the non-profit has had"half a dozen"inquiries from P.E.I. and New Brunswick in the last couple ofweeks.

She said none of these interested groups cited housing issues as a possible deterrent to sponsorship, but said they've heard worries from people across the country.

'You really need now a benefactor'

Dan Doran is the volunteer co-ordinator for private refugee sponsorship for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown. He has helped many groups bring refugees into Canada, and attended the session as an observer.

Although Doran wants Islanders to sponsor, he said he has seen refugee groups leaving P.E.I. because of lack of housing, or because their homes are undergoing so-called "renovictions".

"You really need now a benefactor that has a house or an apartment set aside specifically for that reason," said Doran.

Despite the issues, Dawson hopes people will still find a way to sponsor through the BVOR fund, which links sponsors with refugees who do not have connections in this country.

"It's like the Canadian hug, where it's a group welcoming someone who they don't know,"said Dawson.

The deadline for applying to the Refugee Hub's fund has been extended to September 9, giving an extra timeto those interested.

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