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As Syrian refugees arrive, Islanders help rebuild lives

An anticipated influx of Syrian refugees to the capital region is underway and is expected to peak at about 170 people in the next few days.
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Terry and Beth Black in the living room of a Cobble Hill house being fixed up by volunteers so Syrian refugees can live there for three to five years.

An anticipated influx of Syrian refugees to the capital region is underway and is expected to peak at about 170 people in the next few days.

The group is made up of government-assisted refugees — those selected on the basis of their vulnerability and supported by the government during their first year in Canada. Others have arrived here through sponsorship by groups of private citizens operating through organizations such as the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria.

The ICA also co-ordinates residency for government-assisted refugees. Executive director Jean McRae said staff is working hard to get people settled.

A huge community effort all over Vancouver Island has laid out a welcome mat for the Syrians, who have fled the violence that has devastated their country.

The effort includes a grassroots project in Cobble Hill to fix up a home for rental to a refugee family.

So far, the split between adults and children has been about 50-50 with the recent arrivals, McRae said. “A lot of the children are young,” she said. “We’re working with the school districts so that there’s easy flow into the schools.”

Victoria was to have received 290 government-assisted refugees by the end of February — part of a national goal of bringing in 25,000 Syrian refugees in that time frame — but McRae said she expects things to stay as they are for now.

“We’re waiting to find out what happens,” McRae sad.

Government-assisted refugees are generally placed in temporary housing, such as hotels, for the first few weeks until other accommodation can be found.

Locating suitable homes has been a challenge, McRae said. “We’ve been scrambling.”

There are also plenty of other tasks to take care of, she said. “We’re busy setting up bank accounts and making sure that the paperwork gets done, so that will be happening over the next couple of weeks.”

Terry Black said a four-bedroom house in his neighbourhood in Cobble Hill had become run down and was unoccupied. He approached owner John Humbler with an idea to fix it up in exchange for having refugees live there for three to five years.

Black said he has been keeping up with the refugees’ plight through the Cowichan Intercultural Society. He has been inspired by his daughter Katie, who helped to start the Refugee Sponsorship Support Program, which trains lawyers across Canada to help sponsorship groups on a pro bono basis.

Black said Humber didn’t take much convincing to OK the project. “The big thing is his house was just sitting here, it was costing John money.”

Black said that, for the past five weeks, enthusiastic volunteers have been working on the house and have welcomed a seemingly unending supply of donations.

“We’ve had a core group here of about 10 people,” Black said. Work on the house will be finished by the end of March.

Satellite Park Ratepayers Association has been a prime source of labour, while donations so far have included a washer and dryer from Sears, paint from Benjamin Moore, flooring from Valley Carpet One and End of the Roll, and septic work from Save-On-Septic.

Black chokes up at times when he talks about the generosity he has seen. “It has been a wonderful project, just wonderful.”

Black said he and his wife, Beth, are well-suited for their organizing role because they have been refurbishing homes in their retirement.

“So we know what we’re doing when it comes to renovations,” he said with a smile.

Humber, who has been a regular part of the work crew, shares Black’s praise for everyone involved in the project.

“I can’t believe what has happened here.”

The need for accommodation for Syrian refugees continues, and anyone with space is invited to contact the ICA through icavictoria.org. A housing survey for people willing to get involved is available on the website.

jwbell@timescolonist.com