People open their homes to Ukrainians expected to arrive in BC soon

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Three weeks of watching the Russian invasion of Ukraine and hearing of more than three million Ukrainians fleeing its borders impelled a Surrey couple to open their home to any that come to Metro Vancouver.

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“I can’t imagine people in that situation and families despairing and not knowing where they will live,” said Randy Schultz, whose isn’t of Ukrainian heritage but whose Dutch father was interned in a camp in Indonesia, then a Dutch colony, when it was invaded by Japan during the Second World War.

“What can one person do? You can donate. For me, it’s such a clear decision. I’m in a privileged position and we can easily accommodate a family. Why wouldn’t you? said the musician and retired teacher.

“I just want to do something. … I just can’t stand it. I just want to do something.”

The Schutlzes are one of 200 families who have signed up with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, which intends to pair hosts with several thousand Ukrainian displaced persons expected to arrive in BC over the coming weeks.

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Others are signing up with UkraineTakeShelter.coman app that hopes to pair hosts with arrivals in cities worldwide, including in BC It was developed by two Harvard students, Avi Schiffmann and Marco Burnstein.

Entering Vancouver brings up several full of people willing to host Ukrainians, including Brian Knox, who has two spare rooms in his Surrey home.

“It’s the Lower Mainland and anyone looking for a place to stay, they’re going to have a struggle,” said Knox, who isn’t of Ukrainian descent but grew up with many Ukrainian Canadians in Stony Plain, Alberta.

He doesn’t need financial help to host refugees and said the arrivals could stay as long as they like, he said.

Ottawa announced on Thursday it is making it easier for Ukrainians to come to Canada by allowing them to apply for emergency travel authorization. Applicants need to apply for a visa, provide fingerprints and a photo, and will face the usual background checks.

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Those displaced by the war will be eligible for work or study permits and can apply to stay in Canada up to three years. Ukrainian visitors already here can also extend their usual two-year permits by a year.

The federal government will also make it easier for Ukrainians to apply under the family reunification program.

Michelle Krakowski of Vancouver has already briefly hosted a mother and daughter, who arrived from Ukraine more than a week ago. Ella’s women, plus their dog and cat, stayed with her for a few nights before finding a couple on the North Shore with a spare room.

Krakowski, who has dogs, cats and chickens, was asked by her Ukrainian language teacher if she could temporarily host the women and their pets.

“They had absolutely no other options,” she said.

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She said the experience has given her a taste of helping new arrivals and she plans to sign up as a host.

“I want to continue helping people coming from Ukraine,” she said. “It’s not only because of my Ukrainian heritage, it’s also because it (the war) is such a catastrophe, an unnecessary catastrophe, they honestly need any help they can get.”

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress can be reached at [email protected].

[email protected]

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