For two years, refugees displaced by war have been welcomed at the ‘Ukrainian Village’ in Victoria, but next month the facility will be closing its doors. However, support in the community for those affected is going nowhere.
According to the Ukrainian-Canadian Cultural Society of Vancouver Island, refugees living on the Island still need help with accessing affordable housing, employment, language classes, food and as the war continues, there has been a “significant increase” in the number of people needing mental health support.
“We've gone from page one on the storyboard to page 25, this is not over,” said Alec Rossa, vice-president of Ukrainian-Canadian Cultural Society of Vancouver Island and president of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church. “It doesn't stop here just because the village is closing, the support is still needed and it still continues.”
Officially known as Kiwanis Village Society’s Heatherington House, located on Cook Street, the Ukrainian Village has helped 131 people escape the war and start a new life on Vancouver Island since August 2022.
According to Rossa, roughly 100 people have remained on Vancouver Island, with some moving to other parts of the country. About a dozen people have returned to Ukraine after struggling to adjust to the culture and learn English.
The village is closing next month as the cultural society’s lease is coming to an end. A steady decline in the number of refugees coming to the Island, caused by the end of Canada’s emergency travel program for Ukrainians wrapping up in March, has also been cited as a reason for its closure.
Rossa describes the closure as “bittersweet”, but says that he and his colleagues feel “very proud” about what they achieved.
“There was nothing like this in the entire country that I'm aware of,” Rossa said. “The thing I was most proud about is that we created a one-stop shop – helping them with medical tests, social insurance numbers, health cards and driving licences. It was somewhere they could feel safe and speak their own language.”
The remaining residents, around 10 people according to Rossa, will move out of the village by Aug. 15. Some have secured accommodation in the area, but others have found the search a struggle.
“There is still a need for affordable housing for these people,” said Rossa. “Or sponsor families that could provide somewhere for them to stay until they can find something.”
As village residents prepare to pack up and move on, the cultural society, alongside its partners at the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Help Ukraine Vancouver Island Society, show no signs of winding down other means of support on offer.
Food share programs in Saanich, Courtenay, Comox and Nanaimo continue to collect donations and purchase groceries to distribute to Ukrainians in need. Spiritual guidance and support remains offered at the church, and the cultural society remains committed to organizing events that create a space for people to connect.
“We're also continuing to meet with and help newcomers that are coming here from other provinces,” said Rossa.
But according to Rossa and the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees, the most pressing need is for mental health support.
The Victoria-based counselling centre has recently appealed for funding to help meet a “significant increase” in demand for their services, which has left their resources “stretched thin.”
“Your support is a lifeline for those who are struggling to overcome the trauma of displacement and rebuild their lives in a new country,” said Dr. Soraya Centeno, director of clinical services, in a letter to the community.
Rossa said that he and his colleagues intend to donate money and continue fundraising to help more Ukrainians access the support that they need.
“We hope to be able to help at least 30 people,” said Rossa, adding he hopes the community will also offer their support.
“From the beginning, the community at large has been incredibly supportive,” said Rossa praising local employers, benefactors and volunteers. “And I’m sure that won’t stop.”
To find out more about the Ukrainian-Canadian Cultural Society of Vancouver Island, visit: https://uccsvi.ca/ .
For more information about the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees and their appeal, visit: www.viccir.org.
