Waterloo Region Welcomes Refugees

Ways of Supporting Efforts to Alleviate the Current Refugee Crisis
 
Waterloo Region residents are able to support the response to this humanitarian emergency in many ways, including:
1.    Supporting global humanitarian relief efforts through local organizations such as the Mennonite Central Committee 
2.    Learning about and undertaking private sponsorship of refugees through Mennonite Central Committee, Canadian Lutheran World Relief and the Community Coalition on Refugee and Immigrant Concerns 
3.    Supporting local refugee-serving organizations: Reception House, Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support, Welcome Home, Kitchener Waterloo Multicultural Centre and YMCA Immigrant Services 
 
Waterloo Region residents who would like Canada to do more should consider contacting their MP to request that the Government:
1.    Consult with UNHRC and European States to establish progressive emergency resettlement targets and offer government-assisted resettlement to the thousands of refugees in need of such in Africa, Europe and the Middle East, over and above current commitments. 
2.    Expedite processes that cause delays in the resettlement of refugees to Canada to bring as many people in need of refuge here as quickly as possible, and employ sufficient staff to process applications.
3.    Allow Canadian citizens and permanent residents with direct family ties to Syrians seeking refuge to bring their immediate and extended family to Canada via expedited immigration processes, and increase targets for the private sponsorship of refugees in Canada.
4.    Increase support to refugee reception centres to accommodate an influx in arrivals.