Syrian refugees: only 400 arriving this year in B.C.

Out of the 10,000 Syrian refugees now expected to arrive in Canada before the end of 2015, only 400 will be coming to B.C., according to the Immigrant Services Society of B.C.

Two hundred of those people will be government-assisted refugees, who will be settled in Metro Vancouver.

The Lower Mainland is the only location in B.C. currently designated in the list of 36 cities across Canada with the capacity to provide immediate, specialized services for refugees, according to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. There are 13 cities in Quebec with that designation, and six in Ontario.

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The other 200 will be privately-sponsored refugees, who may settle wherever in B.C. they are sponsored, though ISS of B.C. did not have those details yet.

Nationwide, a large influx of refugees is expected to begin the week of Dec.7. They will be coming from refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and must be registered with the UN Refugee Agency or the government of Turkey.

Lower than expected

The number of Syrians now expected to arrive in B.C. by year-end is lower than earlier discussed.

Estimates had been around 2,700. Yesterday, Public Safety Minister Shirley Bond said the province had the capacity to help 3,500 refugees from Syria.

However, the 400 arriving in December is only the beginning. Another 1500 Syrian refugees are expected in B.C. before the end of February 2016, according to ISS of B.C.

The federal government has set that date as the revised deadline to bring 25,000 refugees into the country.

Destination cities for Government-Assisted Refugees

This list is provided by Citizenship and Immigration Canada, who says it is preliminary and expected to grow.

British Columbia:

• The Lower Mainland.

Alberta:

• Edmonton.
• Calgary.
• Red Deer.
• Lethbridge.
• Medicine Hat.

Saskatchewan:

• Regina.
• Saskatoon.
• Moose Jaw.
• Prince Albert.

Manitoba:

• Winnipeg.

Ontario:

• Windsor.
• Ottawa.
• London.
• Toronto.
• Kitchener.
• Hamilton.

Qubec:

• Qubec City.
• Trois-Rivires.
• Victoriaville.
• Drummondville.
• Sherbrooke.
• Montral.
• Gatineau.
• Laval.
• Saint-Jrme.
• Joliette.
• Sainte-Hyacinthe.
• Brossard.
• Granby.

Atlantic provinces:

• St. John's, Nfld.
• Halifax, N.S.
• Charlottetown, P.E.I.
• Moncton, N.B.
• Fredericton, N.B.
• Saint John, N.B.