Alberta government releases update on ongoing efforts to support children, women and men fleeing violence as part of a national Syrian refugee humanitarian effort.
“Earlier this fall, Albertans came together to support families and people forced to flee their homes and their country because of ongoing, violent attacks in Syria. We are now stepping up to do it again. Alberta is a province of great compassion and solidarity, which is why our government will work hard to ensure we can help these newcomers find safety in Canada and Alberta.”
~ Rachel Notley, Premier
Members of the Samir family, from Daraa in southern Syria, rest after crossing the Greek border. The family has spent 20 days travelling through Turkey and Greece and is in FYR of Macedonia waiting for a train north to the Serbian border. Thousands of migrants have cossed through Macedonia since the beginning of June, 2015. (Red Cross)
The Alberta government is taking a coordinated approach to address the needs of refugees and the communities in which they are arriving. In addition to the $250,000 funding originally committed, government is designating $1 million to support refugee resettlement.
“The needs of both refugees and our communities will continue to emerge and evolve. That’s why we have developed a comprehensive response plan to ensure supports like housing, health and education are in place for refugees.”
~ Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour
Minister Sigurdson is coordinating Alberta’s refugee assistance efforts and has appointed a Provincial Refugee Coordinator to ensure critical and longer term supports are in place for individuals and families.
The province is also working collaboratively with federal, provincial, municipal and community partners to understand community capacity and address concerns.
The federal government has extended its deadline to resettle 25,000 refugees to Canada until the end of February 2016. The number of Syrian refugees anticipated to arrive in Alberta has not yet been confirmed by the federal government but is anticipated to be in the range of 2,500 to 3,000. Alberta continues to work closely with the federal government to ensure the best possible outcomes for all refugees.
Related information
- Alberta refugee information
- Refugee Resettlement Grant Initiative
- #WelcomeRefugees to Canada
- Donate to Red Cross to assist Syrian refugees
- Sponsor a refugee
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