THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay will ask the federal government to identify the community as an “ideal location” for resettlement of Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of their country.
Mayor Bill Mauro's call for the step was unanimously endorsed at city council Monday. The mayor noted 14,000 Thunder Bay residents identified as having Ukrainian heritage in the 2016 census.
He's also called the situation an “opportunity” for the city, saying Ukrainians would make a welcome addition to a community struggling with a stagnant population and youth out-migration.
“We hope for the best for the Ukrainian population, we hope they get to return to their homes, but I think at some point we’re likely to see a significant number land on Canadian shores," he said Monday.
"This is about positioning us as a community to be a host, and at the same time as they deal with a very difficult circumstance, to help them, but at the same time maybe help Thunder Bay.”
Coun. Peng You agreed the city would happily host anyone looking for refuge.
“We warmly welcome people to come to Thunder Bay,” he said, adding those who come would find support and a good home here.
Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Patty Hajdu confirmed late last week she had held a brief discussion with the mayor on the issue.
“I of course reassured him that, if people wish to come to Thunder Bay from Ukraine, we’ll work with the minister of immigration to make sure that happens quickly,” she said.
However, she was noncommittal on what the federal government could or would do to direct refugees to certain communities.
“We’re willing to work with all communities that are interested,” she said. “In terms of the particular hub [proposal], it would depend on how many people from Ukraine wish to come to Thunder Bay. That’s always part of the determining factor – the government generally doesn’t dictate where refugees or immigrants will choose to relocate.”
Mauro’s resolution also called for peace, expressed support for sanctions imposed against Russia, and urged the federal government to “welcome those fleeing the conflict with Ukraine into our country with open arms.”
In an interview, Mauro said the government already appears to be doing everything it can to remove barriers for displaced Ukrainians seeking to come to Canada.
That has included creating a new emergency visa category that waives fees and allows an unlimited number of Ukrainians into Canada for up to two years, launching a dedicated phone line, expediting immigration applications for Ukrainians, and permanent residency applications for those who have family in Canada.
Some refugee groups and opposition politicians have called on the feds to go further, by temporarily allowing Ukrainians to enter the country without first securing a visa, something the government has rejected.
It remains uncertain how many Ukrainians may come to Canada temporarily during the conflict, or settle here more permanently, Mauro said. About 6,100 Ukrainians have arrived in the country so far this year, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The mayor said he'd opened preliminary discussions with the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB), as well as Lakehead University and Confederation College, about housing.
“We need to be able to support that population if they were to arrive,” Mauro said. “None of them were in a position to guarantee anything, I wouldn’t put that on them – of course, the DSSAB has a waiting list. But CAO [Bill] Bradica said there were some potential possibilities, as did the college and the university.”
The local branch of the League of Ukrainian Canadians has said securing employment for those who arrive will also be key.
Piero Pucci, a supervisor with the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC), said the agency has heard from some employers who'd like to offer jobs, particularly those in sectors like health and hospitality that face worker shortages.
“We’ve had some employers reach out to us asking about the potential for Ukrainian refugees and how they can potentially offer them work,” he said.
No councillors on Monday raised the possibility of a financial commitment to support Ukrainian refugees, something a small number of other Canadian municipalities have done.
Hajdu has noted the federal government is matching public donations to the Red Cross for the cause.
A copy of the council resolution will be sent to local MPs Hajdu and Marcus Powlowski, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Jolie, and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser.
