Feds considering incentives for Canadians looking to help incoming Ukrainians
The federal government is considering offering economic support to Canadians who are willing to take in Ukrainians who are fleeing the war, according to Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser.
In an interview on CTV’s Question Period, Fraser was asked whether Canada is considering implementing a program similar to what the U.K. is doing—offering households monthly payments for opening their homes to Ukrainian refugees—and he said that “everything is on the table right now.â€
“We're looking at different options right now to capitalize on the extraordinary goodwill of Canadians,†Fraser said.
The immigration minister said he wouldn’t rule out a tax credit as an example of a way the government could incentivize Canadians to help in what could become a massive resettlement effort, even on a temporary basis.
Citing the response he’s seen from Canadians offering their homes and other supports, Fraser said the government is working with non-profit organizations on how to best co-ordinate and “maximize†the offers coming in.
“We just want to make sure that we tailor the solutions for the needs of the people who are coming. A lot of the people who are coming have connections to family and friends from the Ukrainian community already, and they may require different kinds of support to people who are coming here with nothing and no connections,†said Fraser.
“So we're working right now to develop different kinds of solutions for those tailored situations, to make sure that the people who arrive have kinds of supports that they need in their individual cases.â€
Earlier this week, Fraser announced that Ukrainians looking to come to Canada temporarily will be able to stay for three years, instead of the previously announced two years.
Through the 'Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel’ program, which is now accepting applications, Ukrainians and their immediate family members of any nationality are being offered temporary residency and the ability to work or study while in Canada.
It’s expected to take an average of two weeks for people who apply through this temporary residence pathway to be approved through the online portal.
For those coming, the government is also so that Canadian employers can post available jobs and hire Ukrainians, something for which there has already been considerable interest.
For those looking to stay permanently in Canada, the government is setting up a separate family reunification pathway with help from Ukrainian-Canadian community groups.
As millions have fled to neighbouring countries, prompting a refugee crisis, the government has been prioritizing processing immigration applications from Ukrainians. As of Friday, Fraser said more than 9,000 Ukrainians have come to Canada since late January, with approximately the same number of applications still in processing.
“The early signs are that the system is working, large numbers of people are applying and more importantly, large numbers of people are actually arriving in Canada,†Fraser said, adding that he’s been working with his provincial counterparts about ensuring supports like housing and health care are there for Ukrainians when they land.
The minister also said that the government is still looking into whether airlifting Ukrainian refugees in larger numbers is feasible.
“This is something that we're working on with different partners right now. to understand what the best path forward may be. The prime minister obviously was discussing this potential idea the other day,†he said, adding that the current crisis is unlike other UN-managed refugee resettlement programs because many Ukrainians have access to travel through Europe.
“Many of them are going to the first place that they can find safety. They're not in a refugee camp next to an airstrip that we have access to, and it creates unique challenges that will require unique solutions,†Fraser said.
Get in touch
Do you have both Ukrainian and Russian family members? How are you handling the crisis? Email dotcom@bellmedia.ca.
- Please include your name, location, and contact information if you are willing to speak to a journalist with Â鶹´«Ã½.
- Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadians across the country mark Remembrance Day
Canadians gathered Monday in cities and towns across the country to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
Canada cancels automatic 10-year multiple-entry visas, tightens rules
Canada has announced changes to their visitor visa policies, effectively ending the automatic issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas, according to new rules outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Trump names Stephen Miller to be deputy chief of policy in new administration
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is naming longtime adviser Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, to be the deputy chief of policy in his new administration.
Mattel says it 'deeply' regrets misprint on 'Wicked' dolls packaging that links to porn site
Toy giant Mattel says it 'deeply' regrets an error on the packaging of its 'Wicked' movie-themed dolls, which mistakenly links toy buyers to a pornographic website.
Alien-like signal from 2023 has been decoded. The next step is to figure out what it means
If Earth's astronomical observatories were to pick up a signal from outer space, it would need an all-hands-on-deck effort to decipher the extraterrestrial message. A father-daughter team of citizen scientists recently deciphered the message. Its meaning, however, remains a mystery.
Twin port shutdowns risk more damage to Canadian economy: business groups
Business groups are raising concerns about the broad effects of another round of labour disruptions in the transport sector as Canada faces shutdowns at its two biggest ports.
A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.
Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people
Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.
Bleeding and in pain, a woman endured a harrowing wait for miscarriage care due to Georgia's restrictive abortion law
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision eliminated the federal right to abortion, miscarriage management has become trickier and in some cases, deadlier.
Local Spotlight
Should Toronto tear up its bike lanes to improve traffic flow? Critics say it's not so simple
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.