Ukrainian newcomers in Sask. face months-long waitlist for English language classes
CBC
Roughly 7,900 Ukrainian nationals have fled Russia's invasion to find a home in Saskatchewan, according to government estimates. But local Ukrainian groups and English training centres say opportunities to learn the language haven't kept pace.
Mykola Zakharchuk, settlement co-ordinator with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) in Saskatchewan, said most people who come from Ukraine can't speak or understand English. He said that's led to a months-long backlog for classes.
Zakharchuk has been volunteering since the province started taking people in. He said he's worked six or seven days a week for the last two years.
He said he's seen situations that demonstrate the urgency for more English classes.
"We had a senior displaced Ukrainian who came here last year and she got lost on Eighth Street and she spoke basically no English. She was stressed out, she was walking on the street and didn't know how to talk to people. Eventually, someone got hold of us."
Zakharchuk spoke with the CBC in a Saskatoon classroom where UCC offers English classes. It was empty at the time.
"It's because we just don't have enough funding to run as many classes as needed, as we'd like to," he said.
"The issue hasn't emerged yesterday or today, it's been known for a while."
Zakharchuk said funding is just part of the problem. He said they also need more locations to hold classes.
The Russian invasion into Ukraine has cost thousands of Ukrainian civilians their lives, separate from the tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers who have died fighting the invasion so far.
Russia first invaded Ukraine on Feb. 22, 2022. In the two years since, Russia has shown a willingness to tolerate hefty losses of soldiers, tanks and ships. As of February, the war has displaced 6.5 million Ukrainians, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Dmytro Nimchynksyi moved to Saskatoon from Ukraine earlier this month. He said he still remembers waking up to air raid sirens.
"It's scary sometimes, you can hear the drones, the rockets, stuff like that," he said.
He said his move to Saskatchewan was also motivated by declining work opportunities in Ukraine as a result of the war.