Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria and Wait Lists

Winnie Lee: Friesen says the worst wait lists are in Surrey and Coquitlam, communities that, because of lower housing costs, are expected to receive a large number of the Syrian refugees bound for B.C. Finding Refuge: Syrian arrivals prepare for a new life But the problem isn't just on the Lower Mainland, according to CBC. Winnie Lee, the director of operations for the Intercultural Association of Greater Victoria said their LINC courses are full, with wait lists of six to nine months. Friesen says, depending on the city, federally-funded Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada courses have wait lists of up to a year or more. "If it not tackled soon, then those wait lists could potentially be a year and a half to maybe even two years," he said. It is possible that refugees won't see the worst of the waits, because in some cases they get priority on the lists. Ahmad Hindawi, a father of three who arrived in Canada in October 2014, says he had to wait 11 to 12 months before being accepted to an English course. Waiting nearly a year for English courses But at least one Syrian refugee in Surrey has already felt the brunt of the wait lists. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.