Some Ukrainians refugees returning home due to K-W housing crisis: grassroots group
CTV
An organization that helps Ukrainian refugees resettle in Waterloo region says some are having so much trouble finding housing in Canada, they're opting to return to the war-torn country.
An organization that helps Ukrainian refugees resettle in Waterloo region says some are having so much trouble finding housing in Canada, they're opting to return to the war-torn country.
"Finding a place to stay is very close to another issue, finding a job," said Anzhelika Khven, a Ukrainian who moved to Canada last year. "These two things are very time consuming."
Khven was able to resettle, living with a host family in Waterloo region, but said not everyone fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine has had the same luck in Canada. It's something Waterloo Region Grassroots Response is seeing firsthand.
The volunteer-led organization is raising alarm over difficulty securing housing, claiming an increasing number of Ukrainian newcomers are facing homelessness upon arrival.
"People are arriving at the airport or have been in the government assisted hotels or shelter for two weeks and they didn't know where else to go. They felt they were going to become homeless," said Stephanie Goertz, an organizer with Waterloo Region Grassroots Response.
"When they come here, it's such a shocking culture change and everything is so car dependent that it's extremely hard, and so, many of them do consider going back, even though it's not safe."
Waterloo Region Grassroots Response helped 45 families resettle in March, but doesn't have exact figures for the number of families who may have decided to go back to Ukraine after arriving.
