TBC is a tri-partite partnership of St. Aidan’s, Beach United and the Community specifically created to respond to the Syrian refugee crisis of 2015. As noted above, TBC has welcomed two families and a young woman to Canada. Following the one year of legal sponsorship, the group retains contact with the families and the individual to assist them in specific aspects of their adaptation to Canada. In May 2023 TBC also agreed to host a couple fleeing the war in Ukraine. And, on January 30, 2024 received the five member of the young woman’s family to Canada. The family is now living in a 3-bedroom apartment in North York, learning English and volunteering with bothe BIOC lunches and OOTC meals.
While most of refugees come to Canada under the Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVOR) arrangements whereby the Government of Canada shares 50% of most of the first year of settlement costs, the five family members coming in 2022 or 2023 do not have BVOR support and the committee will have to raise an additional $25,000 . For more information contact Michael Van Dusen at mjpvandusen@gmail.com