Alberta announces new funding to support Ukrainian newcomers
Posted March 21, 2023 3:47 pm.
Alberta is taking steps to provide a smoother welcome to Ukrainian newcomers.
The province announced an additional $2.1 million in support funding on Tuesday.
“Our government is committed to helping the thousands of Ukrainians seeking refuge here. Thanks to the efforts of so many tireless volunteers in addition to work by our government, Ukrainian newcomers have access to numerous resources available to them to integrate into communities across Alberta smoothly and successfully,” said Premier Danielle Smith.
The money will go towards boosting pre-arrival services and creating a dedicated helpline.
Those were two key recommendations made by the premier’s advisory task board on Ukraine.
“The Premier’s task force on Ukraine members has deep roots in the province’s Ukrainian community and heard directly from the community and those who are supporting newcomers. The task force has done an outstanding job of quickly determining what needs to be done to ensure effective services are available to help Ukrainian newcomers thrive here just like the generations of Ukrainians who’ve come before them have done,” said Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, parliamentary secretary for Ukrainian Refugee Settlement in a statement.
So far, more than 26,000 Ukrainians have moved to Alberta since the start of the war.
The province says that number could eventually reach 125,000 total newcomers.
