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Refugee Resettlement Support

The New Canadians Centre was designated as a Welcome Centre for Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs) in April 2016. Since then, we have welcomed new families to our community every month.  Refugee families have arrived from a range of countries, including Syria, Iran, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Afghanistan.

We provide temporary housing, help families meet their urgent and basic needs on arrival, connect them to important medical and other services, introduce them to welcoming community members, and support them in achieving their goals.

Since the start of the crisis in Ukraine in February 2022, we have also welcomed and supported many Ukrainian families arriving in Peterborough through the Canada-Ukraine Authorisation for Emergency Travel (CUAET).

Resettlement of Ukrainians in Peterborough

Housing is a key need for families arriving in our area. We have developed a partnership with Community Counselling & Resource Centre's Housing Resource Centre so that you can post your homestay listing.

We will direct our clients to this site so that they may find accommodation in our area that best fits their family’s needs.

The Housing Resource Centre will also provide you with resources and support as a HomeStay Host. They also send out listings for rental accommodation weekly.

Resettlement of Afghans in Peterborough

We continue to welcome refugee families from Afghanistan through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP). Visit our Afghan Resettlement page

You Can Support Refugees - GAR Support Groups

Each Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) family is matched to a Support Group comprised of community members volunteering their time to support the family's new life in Canada, welcome them to Peterborough, make friends and learn about other cultures. These groups assist new families throughout the integration process and help them navigate the community. Support groups have made a tremendous difference to the families who have arrived. Our goal is to match every family with a support group - you can help us reach that goal!

To learn about this opportunity, please visit our Volunteer page.

If you are not able to commit your time to being part of a support group, you can also support newcomers by making a donation or by collecting household items for new families.

If new needs arise, we will update this page and social media.

Learn more about Lisa and Charles' stories as volunteer support group members.

Resources for GAR Support Groups

 

Resources for Sponsorship Groups

Any community group or group of five individuals can sponsor a refugee family. To sponsor a family, you need a desire to help and a one-year commitment to take care of all the family’s financial and other needs. Here is an information package about private sponsorship created by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peterborough. For more information on sponsoring refugees, please contact our Settlement Services Coordinator.

Here are some resources to support sponsorship groups: