Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants and Syrian Refugees

Immigrant Services: About 7,000 Syrian refugees have already settled in Ontario since Dec. 10 and on Monday the premier announced details of some of the funding committed to helping them, according to CBC. Settled Syrian refugees can now identify family for sponsorship by Canadian groups Normal for Syrian refugees to want choice of housing, says parliamentary secretary Some refugees turning down housing options in Ottawa, centre says The Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants is receiving about $343,000 for trauma and mental-health training for front-line workers as well as a public education campaign, and COSTI Immigrant Services is receiving $283,000 to deliver workshops and orientation resources to refugees. The federal government is aiming to settle 25,000 refugees by the end of February, with about two-thirds expected to be government-assisted. That money is part of the $8.5 million Ontario pledged over 2 1/2 years to support refugees. There will always be situations where there are refinements that are needed, but we are rising to the occasion." The influx of Syrian refugee arrivals prompted agencies in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa to request a break in the action to hire extra staff and find permanent homes for those who have already arrived before any more are cleared to come to Canada. Wynne says the refugee resettlement has "been a remarkable success story," though she admits there have been "some timing issues." "We knew that a resettlement of this scale would not be without its challenges," Premier Kathleen Wynne said Monday. "We knew that a resettlement of this scale would not be without its challenges," Wynne said Monday. "We can be confident that our combined efforts are working, now, maybe not quite as quickly or as seamlessly as we would like in every single case. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.