Refugee fund that will cover full costs needs P.E.I. support

A fund helping bring refugees to Canada at no cost to sponsors is looking for applications from New Brunswick and P.E.I.

The Refugee Hub is a non-profit based out of the University of Ottawa that's running the "BVOR Fund."

Blended-Visa Office Referred (BVOR) is a certain type of refugee sponsorship program with the government that splits funding 50/50. The federal government will pay for six months of a refugee's settlement and six months are taken care of by public sponsors. 

With the Refugee Hub's fund however, the sponsors' half is taken care of.

"It's been wonderful," said Jessica-Rae Linzel, a program officer for the fund. "I'm looking at the inbox and everyday we're seeing applications coming in from all kinds of groups across Canada."

The only provinces they haven't heard from yet? New Brunswick and P.E.I.

"We're really hoping to get you guys on the chart and join the run here," said Linzel.

She doesn't want to put any blame on the provinces themselves though. Linzel knows people likely just don't know the funds are available, and her team is working to change that.

The Refugee Hub is holding outreach sessions across the country, and plans to hold one at the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada office in Charlottetown on Aug. 9 at noon.

"Anyone who has participated in sponsorship before," said Linzel, "is interested, or is just generally curious is welcome to come and have some questions answered."

Churches, families and groups of coworkers are all encouraged to apply as sponsors, said Linzel. Refugees still need someone to underwrite their sponsorship, which is the reason the Refugee Hub needs applicants, even with the funding in place.

What Linzel calls "start-up costs" will also need to be taken care of by sponsors: basic food and winter clothing for when the family arrives in Canada.

The organization has mostly been reaching out to smaller municipalities like Charlottetown because, generally, the job market is more open and housing is more available for refugees than in larger cities.

However, Linzel realizes this isn't always the case. P.E.I.'s capital is experiencing a housing crisis, but she doesn't want that to stop people from thinking about sponsoring.

"Housing tends to be one of the bigger challenges," said Linzel. "So far today we haven't heard of any groups saying it's impossible to find housing, just that it's really hard."

'Stranger sponsoring a stranger'

Also if people don't think they should apply because they don't have a connection to a refugee family — Linzel said that's exactly what the fund is for.

She calls it "stranger sponsoring a stranger."

"We're really looking at refugees that are waiting in camps that do not know anyone in any country," said Linzel.

In fact, that's precisely who the BVOR program is built for: refugees that are in higher need, in more vulnerable situations and will arrive in Canada by the end of the year.

Funds needed can run about $6,600 per adult, but Linzel said there's more than enough money in the BVOR Fund to cover all the refugees the federal government determined could be brought into the country this year.

The funding was originally seeded by the Shapiro Foundation and G. Barrie Landry, both from the United States.

Groups that are interested in sponsoring can email the Refugee Fund with a simple message of interest, and the organization will help from there. The fund will be available until Aug. 31.

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