ukraine 2 canada travel fund

Are you a Ukrainian looking for a flight to Canada at no cost?

April 20, 2022—Halifax— The Government of Canada is resolute in its commitment to provide Ukrainians and their families with a safe haven while the unprovoked and illegal war continues in their home country. We recognize that some Ukrainians may need support in their travel and we are calling on Canadians and Canadian businesses to continue our proud tradition of helping the world’s most vulnerable.

Today, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced a new Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund, which will be launched in partnership with Miles4Migrants, The Shapiro Foundation and Air Canada and will build on our support for Ukrainians wishing to travel to Canada.

As of today, Canadians and Canadian companies can donate Aeroplan points to the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund through Air Canada or Miles4Migrants. For those who want to donate cash, the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto will be collecting donations on behalf of the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund. These partners are inviting Canadians to donate, with the goal of bringing at least 10,000 Ukrainians and their families on flights to Canada. In addition to a significant donation of 100 million Aeroplan points by Air Canada, The Shapiro Foundation will match donations by Canadians, with a donation equivalent of up to 50 million Aeroplan points.

Canadians who would like to donate their Aeroplan points can do so through the Miles4Migrants website. Canadians who would like to donate cash can do so through the  Travel & Settlement Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto , which will distribute these donations for the purposes of sponsoring displaced Ukrainians. Tax receipts will be issued for donations above $10.

The program will be open to Ukrainian nationals and their accompanying family members who hold valid Canadian travel documents and who have been approved for travel to Canada. Details on how eligible Ukrainians and their families can access the program will be made available in the coming weeks. 

This partnership follows the  recent measures announced  by the Prime Minister of Canada, which include targeted charter flights to Canada for Ukrainian nationals, short-term income support to ensure basic needs are met, and temporary hotel accommodation for up to 2 weeks for those who require support. 

“The outpouring of support from Canadians coast to coast who are stepping up to support Ukrainians fleeing Putin’s war has been remarkable. This new partnership with Miles4Migrants, The Shapiro Foundation and Air Canada is a testament to the Team Canada approach in supporting the world’s most vulnerable, and will help bring thousands of Ukrainians quickly and safely to Canada. We are grateful for their generous offers to help, and we’ll continue to do everything we can to support Ukrainians before and after they arrive in Canada.” – The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

“We are humbled to be able to play a part in assisting Ukrainian families who are being so warmly welcomed by Canadians. It has been a privilege to partner with the Government of Canada and our non-profit partners on multiple domestic and international community sponsorship programs over the past 5 years. We know that access to flights is a critical need, and we are excited to partner with Air Canada, Miles4Migrants and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on this critically important project.” – Edward Shapiro, Trustee, The Shapiro Foundation

“Our vision at Miles4Migrants is a world where displaced persons of all backgrounds can find safety and community in new homes. We are deeply honoured to join the Government of Canada, The Shapiro Foundation and Air Canada to help fly Ukrainians to safety in Canada. Miles4Migrants is excited to partner with Canadian citizens and corporations to transform their donated frequent flyer miles, credit card points, and cash into a life-changing force for good.” – Diane Padilla, Executive Director, Miles4Migrants

“Together with our employees, we are ready and prepared to assist and support the Canadian government’s plans to bring Ukrainian people to Canada. With our 100 million Aeroplan points contribution, we offer our global network and the strength of our Star Alliance partnerships, which will contribute to enabling people to travel to Canada as quickly as possible.” – Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada

Quick facts

Miles4Migrants is a non-governmental organization that uses donated frequent flyer miles from airlines around the world, credit card points and cash to help people impacted by war, persecution or disaster reunite with loved ones and start new beginnings in safe homes.

The Shapiro Foundation, founded by Barbara and Edward Shapiro in 2000, is a U.S. charitable foundation focused on improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable populations. The foundation’s primary focus is on children, refugees and immigrants, as well as education, global health and humanitarian aid.

Launched on March 17, 2022, the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) provides Ukrainians and their immediate family members of any nationality the opportunity to stay in Canada as temporary residents for up to 3 years. They are also eligible for a free open work permit or study permit, which allows them to take a job with almost any Canadian employer or enrol in an education program in Canada.

Between March 17, when the CUAET was launched, and April 12, IRCC received close to 141,000 applications and approved over 46,000 applications.  Key figures  are updated on a weekly basis.

IRCC recently announced that  Canada is providing settlement services to Ukrainian nationals  coming to Canada through the CUAET. These supports, which are typically only available to permanent residents, will help Ukrainians arriving under this special, accelerated temporary residence pathway settle in their new communities.

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On March 28, 2022, the Government of Canada announced it would expand settlement support for Ukrainians coming to Canada. Ukrainian nationals will continue to arrive in Canada via several pathways , including the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) . All Canadians have an opportunity to support the arrival of displaced Ukrainians. Learn more about how you can help below by viewing our “ How Can I Help” flowchart .

On March 22, 2023, the Government of Canada extended the deadline to apply for the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) to July 15, 2023 . In addition, it announced that settlement services, including one-time financial assistance, will be available for displaced Ukrainians until March 31, 2024 (you can watch the video announcement on this link ).

Individual Giving

Many Displaced Ukrainians had to leave everything behind due to the war in Ukraine. The need for financial support is strong. Operation Ukrainian Safe Haven- Opération havre de paix pour les Ukrainiens accepts and redistributes financial donations on behalf of Service Provider Organizations across Canada supporting Displaced Ukrainians.

Corporate Donations

The Government of Canada has partnered withOperation Ukrainian Safe Haven- Opération havre de paix pour les Ukrainiens and the national network of settlement organizations to provide direct and critical support to those in need. Canadian businesses are invited to donate through the portal Call to action: Canadian Industry for Ukraine.

Each province or territory will coordinate short- and longer-term housing offers.

Employment Opportunities

You can access employment information to support displaced Ukrainians on this page.

Each province or territory will handle volunteer offers. Information in this section will be updated as it becomes available. In the interim, we invite you to contact local immigrant-serving agencies in your community to offer your volunteer support.

Operation Ukrainian Safe Haven- Opération havre de paix pour les Ukrainiens is accepting and redistributing cash donations from Canadian businesses on the behalf of service provider organizations across the country.

Supporting Partners

The Operation Ukrainian Safe Haven is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and coordinated in partnership with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress.

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Canada providing charter flights to facilitate the arrival of Ukrainian refugees

Over the next few weeks, Ukrainians who have been approved under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel  (CUAET)  and their family members will have access to chartered flights to Canada.

Those who have obtained their visa to come to Canada under the CUAET will receive an email from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) with details on how to register for the flights, IRCC said in a press release issued May 11.

The following flights out of Poland will be available to approved CUAET holders on a first-come, first-served basis:

• May 23 to Winnipeg, Manitoba;
• May 29 to Montreal, Quebec;
• June 2 to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Upon arrival in Canada, those who do not yet have accommodation will also be provided with temporary housing for up to two weeks.

This is the latest in a series of measures to assist Ukrainians that the Canadian government has put in place in recent months.

Ukrainians wishing to travel to Canada also have access to commercial flights, subsidized by a special fund. The Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund , established in partnership with Miles4Migrants , Air Canada , and the Shapiro Foundation , will provide approximately 10,000 free flights to people fleeing war in the country.

The CUAET, which was introduced last March, gives Ukrainians and their immediate family members, regardless of nationality, the opportunity to stay in Canada as temporary residents for up to three years.

They may also be granted an open work or study permit, which allows them to secure employment with almost any Canadian employer or to enroll in a Canadian educational program.

The Government of Canada is also providing temporary settlement assistance until March 31, 2023, to help Ukrainians arriving through CUAET settle in their new communities. This support includes language training, information, and services to help them access the labour market, including mentoring, networking, counseling, skills development, and training.

Canadian provinces have also announced numerous initiatives with their local Ukrainian-Canadian organizations, the settlement sector, community groups, and other non-governmental organizations to assist newly arrived Ukrainians. These initiatives include orientation services, temporary accommodation and meals, financial assistance, and access to health services.

According to the latest available data as of May 4, 2022, over 204,000 temporary resident visa applications have been submitted and nearly 91,500 applications have been approved.

Those requiring more information, can sign up to IRCC’s email updates on Ukraine immigration measures by clicking here or visit this IRCC page for the latest information.

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Canada extends emergency travel program for Ukrainians fleeing war

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser announced the extension of a special settlement program for Ukrainians on Wednesday.

Photo: La Presse canadienne / PATRICK DOYLE

Nearly a million Ukrainians have applied to the program in the past year

The federal government is extending a program that temporarily resettles Ukrainians fleeing the war with Russia in Canada.

Ukrainians will now have until July 15, 2023 to apply to the  Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel   (new window)  (CUAET) program. The program was set to expire on March 31.

It's a special measure that allows Ukrainians, and their family members of any nationality, to settle in Canada for up to three years. CUAET allows successful applicants to apply for work and study permits free of charge.

Russia and Ukraine have been at war since 2014, but Russia stepped up its invasion significantly in February 2022. The federal government has provided military, financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and has slapped sanctions on thousands of Russians and Russian entities. .

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Sean Fraser made the announcement Wednesday.

We're going to closely monitor the ongoing needs of Ukrainians and Ukraine, to see how we can continue to lend our support and help win this war, Fraser told a news conference.

• EXCLUSIVEInside the Canadian crash course training Ukrainians on Leopard tanks   (new window)
• Canada to accept more Syrian, Turkish residents after devastating February earthquake   (new window)

The government  has received   (new window)  just under a million applications to the program since it began in March 2022, and has approved 616,429 of them. Over 133,000 people have arrived in Canada through the program.

Fraser said the temporary nature of the program aligns with what Ukrainians want.

When I speak to the vast majority of Ukrainians who've arrived here, their hope is that Ukraine is going to win this war. They want to go home one day, Fraser said.

people to return, has allowed us to help tens of thousands of people more than what otherwise would have been the case under a traditional refugee resettlement model.","text":"To create a program that allows them to have temporary safe haven in Canada, while we await the circumstances on the ground becoming safe one day forpeople toreturn,has allowed us to help tens of thousands of people more than what otherwise would have been the case under a traditional refugee resettlement model."}}'> To create a program that allows them to have temporary safe haven in Canada, while we await the circumstances on the ground becoming safe one day for people to return, has allowed us to help tens of thousands of people more than what otherwise would have been the case under a traditional refugee resettlement model.

Fraser did not say whether the government would extend the program if the war continues beyond July 15. He said it will monitor the situation.

Ukrainian-Canadian organizations pleased with extension

Fraser made the announcement at Café Ukraine in Ottawa. The community cafe provides services, including language classes, to newcomer Ukrainians and host families.

We're only able to provide the support for Ukrainians because the government of Canada has generously opened the door for Ukrainians to come and find safe harbour here,  Yaroslav Baran, Café Ukraine's co-founder, said at the announcement.

to Ukrainians.","text":"The announcement that you've made today is a continuation of a long tradition, 130 years, of generous opening of doors by Canadato Ukrainians."}}'> The announcement that you've made today is a continuation of a long tradition, 130 years, of generous opening of doors by Canada to Ukrainians.

Vitali Hrechka poses for a photo with his wife Evelina, daughter Emiliia, and mother Hanna, after the St. Nicholas Day celebration at St. Demetrius Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Toronto on Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. The family recently arrived in Canada after leaving their home in Ukraine’s Transkarpathia region.

Photo:  (Chris Young/The Canadian Press)

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) welcomed the government's announcement.

Our community is also grateful to the thousands of Canadians from coast to coast to coast who have opened their hearts and their homes to Ukrainians, the volunteers who work tirelessly to welcome Ukrainians in cities and towns across Canada, and the settlement services which deliver essential programs and supports,  Alexandra Chyczij, the UCC's national president,  said in a media statement   (new window) .

With increased support from allies like Canada, this year can be the year that the Russian armies are driven out of Ukraine and peace returns to Europe.

Richard Raycraft · CBC New

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Minister Sean Fraser announced help to bring Ukrainians safely to Canada through the new Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund

Minister Sean Fraser just announced help to bring Ukrainians safely to Canada through the new Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund!

Canadian businesses and organizations are stepping up to help! This new fund will be launched in partnership with Miles4Migrants, The Shapiro Foundation & Air Canada.

Plus you can help too by donating Aeroplan points to the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund through Air Canada or Miles4Migrants!

Learn more: https://www.canada.ca/…/new-partnership-to-help…

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SMARTER TRAVEL, EXPLAINED

• Apr 20, 2022

Help Ukrainian refugees with a matched donation of Aeroplan points

A new non-profit partnership will allow Aeroplan users to donate points to help book flights for refugees fleeing the devastating war in Ukraine.

The new program, called the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund, is a public-private partnership between Air Canada, the government of Canada and non-profit organization Miles4Migrants, and states the goal of bringing 10,000 Ukrainians to Canada, with special immigration procedures fast-tracked by the government of Canada.

Air Canada has provided the Fund's first donation of 100 million Aeroplan points, followed shortly by a commitment by the US-based charity The Shapiro Fund to match up to 50 million additional points.

While the federal government has pledged to welcome an unlimited number of Ukrainians, who are eligible to stay in Canada for up to three years as temporary residents under the immigration program announced in response to the Russian invasion, the government is not matching donations or contributing financially to the program.

Eligibility for the program is restricted to Ukrainians and their families approved for travel to Canada. More than 16,000 Ukrainians have come to Canada under the program to date. Ottawa has so far approved travel to Canada for more than 46,000 Ukrainians.

Donations can be made directly through the Miles4Migrants website or directly through Air Canada .

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• Canada announces additional support for Ukraine

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Assistance captured in the Agreement on Security Cooperation between Canada and Ukraine

Financial and military support Funding: $3.02 billion for 2024 Canada will provide critical financial and military support to Ukraine in 2024, including new financial support for Ukraine to meet its balance of payments and budgetary needs and stabilize its economy. This also includes the first year of a new multi-year military assistance commitment that will enable enhanced contributions to the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) Armoured Coalition and Air Force Coalition, as well as military assistance previously committed to Ukraine that will be delivered in 2024.

New peace and security assistance

Demining assistance and cyber resilience Funding: $45 million This funding will support and help expedite demining efforts in Ukraine, including by supporting Ukrainian government and civilian demining agencies with demining equipment, training, and technical expertise to clear communities and agricultural fields from unexploded ordnance. In addition, in close coordination with likeminded partners, this funding will provide targeted capacity-building support to strengthen the ability of Ukrainian institutions to deter and counter cyber-enabled threats from Russia and Russian-affiliated non-state actors.

Support for Ukraine from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Funding: $30 million This funding will support ongoing engagement by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service with the Ukrainian Intelligence Service, including for intelligence collection, and enable the provision of material support.

New preservation assistance

Support to complete the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide Funding: $15 million This project funding will support the completion of the National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide in Kyiv, helping preserve the memory of victims and survivors of the Holodomor, a systemic and heinous campaign of deliberate starvation by the Soviet regime that killed millions across Ukraine in 1932 and 1933.

Allocation of development funding

Canada-International Finance Corporation Facility for Resilient Food Systems Funding: $15 million The Facility mobilizes private capital to address critical financing needs and disruptions to agricultural production and agri-food supply chains with the goal to enhance people’s food security, food system resilience, and well-being through improved food availability and food affordability. It provides advisory and technical services to local financial service providers, agri-businesses, and farmers along the food value chain to improve their long-term financial sustainability, gender responsiveness, and resilience to climate risks so they can continue to deliver much-needed food to communities experiencing poverty. Through Canada’s contribution of $100 million announced in May 2023, the Facility is providing funding to ensure financial continuity for MHP, a leading Ukrainian agribusiness group that produces and exports poultry, produces grain, and processes meat for domestic and international markets. This new investment has already played an essential role in mobilizing a total of $480 million in financing from other investors and donors.

Reinforcing essential mental health services Funding: $10 million Russia’s war on Ukraine will have long-lasting negative impacts on the mental health of Ukrainians. Men, women, and children experience mental health trauma in different ways, and require targeted and tailored initiatives. This project from the World Health Organization will contribute to strengthening the systems for and delivery of mental health and psychosocial support in Ukraine. Specifically, Canada’s contribution is supporting three key strategic priorities: strengthening mental health and psychosocial support; advancing Ukraine’s capacity to provide comprehensive and human rights-oriented mental health and social care services; and responding to the mental health needs of vulnerable populations during emergencies.

Supporting local development and reconstruction efforts in Ukraine’s hromadas Funding: $10 million This project from the International Organization for Migration will build on previous efforts to support decentralized recovery programming in Ukraine’s municipalities (or hromadas ). Canada’s contribution will help establish a small grants and technical assistance mechanism to empower community-based and civil society organizations to lead in the identification and implementation of local, community-level activities for recovery, reconstruction, and development. Up to five hromadas will be supported to implement inclusive, gender-responsive, and durable community priorities, through grant support and capacity-building training.

Support to Ukraine’s Reforms in Governance (SURGe) Project Funding: Up to $4 million Recovery must be developed in close consultation with local communities and take into consideration the needs of vulnerable populations. This new funding will support the SURGe Project’s Community-Led Inclusive Recovery component to help the Government of Ukraine develop a national approach for community-led recovery initiatives and roll out a national digital planning and monitoring platform. Technical experts will be deployed to provide expertise to 19 selected communities across seven provinces (or oblasts ) in order to build inclusive recovery plans that are aligned with national frameworks and priorities and respond to the specific needs of women and girls, returning veterans, marginalized groups, and those displaced by the war.

Allocation of humanitarian funding

Two years into the conflict, the toll on Ukraine’s population remains staggering. An estimated 14.6 million people (approximately 40 per cent of Ukraine’s population) are expected to require humanitarian assistance this year. Canada remains committed to supporting the lifesaving needs of those affected and is providing new funding to support trusted United Nations and Red Cross partners in delivering critical assistance, including emergency health interventions, protection services, shelter, water, sanitation, and food, as well as the promotion of respect for international humanitarian law. Today’s announcement includes the following new contributions, for a total of $22.5 million from our commitment of $352.5 million:

• $10 million for the World Food Programme to support immediate food needs through in-kind food assistance, multi-purpose cash assistance, and humanitarian logistics.
• $5 million for the United Nations Refugee Agency to assist internally displaced persons and other persons of concern in meeting their basic needs through shelter, water and sanitation, and health services, in addition to education and protection services.
• $4 million for the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund coordinated through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which channels resources to humanitarian partners, including local partners, in order to respond to the critical needs of conflict-affected populations.
• $3.5 million for the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide protection, emergency relief, and other essential services, and to promote international humanitarian law.

Allocation of peace, security, and stabilization funding

Building counter-nuclear smuggling capabilities in Ukraine Funding: $4 million This project from the United States Department of Energy seeks to reduce the threat to the Ukrainian population from stolen or illicitly trafficked nuclear or radiological materials. It will prioritize areas facing imminent threats and security vulnerabilities, including near sensitive nuclear facilities and Ukraine’s larger, most populous cities. Canada’s contribution will help provide radiation detection, communication, patrol equipment, and mobile detection vehicles to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, as well as related training on equipment operation and maintenance.

Gender-inclusive demining for sustainable futures in Ukraine Funding: $4 million This project from the HALO Trust aims to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of Ukrainians, including women and internally displaced persons, by addressing the threat of explosive ordnance present across vast areas of the country. Project activities include conducting non-technical surveys and subsequent manual clearance in targeted communities; providing capacity building to key national stakeholders; and establishing a gender and diversity working group to promote gender-transformative mine action in Ukraine.

Community-based protection and effective civil-military engagement in Ukraine Funding: $2.5 million This project from the Center for Civilians in Conflict helps prevent, mitigate, and respond to harm caused by armed conflict to Ukrainian civilians, who are often vulnerable and at risk during military operations. It advances sustainable protection solutions that better ensure the safety and security of Ukrainians by strengthening coordination and collaboration between military and non-military actors – including community leaders, local authorities, military administrations, non-governmental organizations, and security and defence partners – to address immediate and future threats resulting from military operations. Project activities include: capacity building on civilian protection strategies and tools for communities and protection actors; training for security and defence actors on how to improve the protection of civilians through co-operation and coordination; and analysis and policy development to track, mitigate, and respond to civilian harm.

Demining sustainability support to Ukraine Funding: $2.4 million This new funding, provided through the Canadian Commercial Corporation, will help ensure the ongoing operation and effectiveness of a fleet of 12 remote-controlled demining systems provided by Canada to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in 2023. It will support the provision of 12 months of on-site technical support, training, and mentorship and of a robust supply of additional spare parts for demining systems.

Rescue and resilience for Ukrainian civil society Funding: $2 million Two years ago, the German Marshall Fund (GMF) established a multi-donor emergency assistance program to provide support to Ukrainian civil society organizations to enable them to respond to emerging needs across the country. This new funding will enable GMF to expand support to Ukrainian civil society and local media actors, particularly in newly liberated and frontline areas where needs are high. To date, GMF has distributed over 240 sub-grants to local civil society organizations to strengthen their immediate physical and cyber-security as well as the security of community members, counter local disinformation, reintegrate displaced people, and support rebuilding and recovery efforts.

Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining’s Support Programme for Ukraine Funding: $1.5 million Canada recognizes the critical importance of decontaminating Ukraine’s territory as quickly and effectively as possible to allow for recovery and reconstruction and to protect people and communities. This funding will support the efforts of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining to enhance the capacity of Ukrainian mine action institutions to implement effective and gender-responsive mine action operations, develop country-appropriate information management solutions, and lead efficient mine action donor coordination platforms.

Strengthening truth, transparency, and democracy to counter disinformation Funding: $930,000 Canada is providing funding to Internews Ukraine to help enhance the literacy and fact-checking capabilities of Ukraine’s media in order to better counter disinformation in the country. This project includes a comprehensive skills-transfer program to enhance the capacity of Ukrainian journalists and civil society organizations to carry out fact-checking and verification; a new network of media literacy clubs across Ukraine to empower citizens to critically assess media content and identify disinformation; and a public awareness campaign on media literacy and fact-checking to help Ukrainians critically evaluate and verify information. This initiative will also address gender disparity issues in the Ukrainian media.

Support for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ (OPCW) Ukraine Assistance Programme Funding: $750,000 This OPCW project aims to enhance the capacity of first responders in Ukraine to prevent, detect, and respond to all manner of chemical-weapons-related threats. Project activities include the acquisition and delivery to the State Security Service of Ukraine of detection, identification, and monitoring equipment for first responders as well as the provision of capacity building training on the delivered equipment.

• Apr 25, 2022

Canada has launched a new partnership to help Ukrainians

The government of Canada announced a new partnership to support Ukrainian nationals wishing to travel to Canada on April 21, 2022.

Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), introduced a new Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund. The Fund will be launched in partnership with Miles4Migrants, The Shapiro Foundation, and Air Canada.

All Ukrainian nationals and their accompanying family members travelling to Canada under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) can access the program. As of now, Canadians and Canadian companies can donate Aeroplan points or cash money to the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund to support the initiative.

The IRCC recently announced that Canada provides settlement services to Ukrainian nationals arriving in Canada through the CUAET. Ukrainians arriving under this accelerated temporary residence pathway will be able to receive these supports, typically available only to permanent residents.

Miles4Migrants is a non-governmental organization that uses donated frequent flyer miles from airlines around the world, credit card points, and cash to help people impacted by war, persecution, or disaster reunite with loved ones and find safe homes.

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Canada-Ukraine Transitional Financial Assistance

The Government of Canada continues to support Ukrainians affected by the war. To help Ukrainians and their dependents arriving in Canada (as well as those who have already arrived) meet their basic needs, the Government has established the Canada-Ukraine Transition Assistance Program.

What is Canada-Ukraine Transition Assistance?

Canada-Ukraine Transitional Financial Assistance is a one-time financial payment to Ukrainians approved under the Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Permit (CUAET) program to help meet the basic needs of Ukrainians during their initial period of stay in Canada.

Who is eligible for Canada-Ukraine Transitional Financial Assistance?

Persons who have received a Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Permit (CUAET), arrived in Canada, and have a valid work permit, study permit, temporary residence permit, or visitor registration are eligible to apply for this assistance.

What is the amount of the lump sum payment?

Eligible applicants will receive a one-time direct payment in the form of a deposit to their Canadian bank account. Each adult (18 years of age or older at the time of application) will receive a payment of $3,000 Canadian dollars, and $1,500 Canadian dollars per child (17 years of age or younger at the time of application).

How to apply?

The application must be submitted online. Starting June 2, 2022, you can find out how to apply by visiting the transitional financial assistance website

How do I prepare to apply for payment?

To receive a payment, eligible applicants must open a bank account with a Canadian banking institution. It is important that the bank account is opened in the name indicated on the documents related to the right to temporary residence (work permit, study permit, temporary residence permit, or visitor registration).

Along with your personal information, you need to provide your:

• unique client identifier (UCI) number.
• number of the document on temporary resident status [IMM 1442].
• Your IMM 1442 should contain a note that you are here under CUAET.

Where can I find my UCI and IMM 1442 numbers?

Check out the sample images below to find out where you can find these numbers on your:

• work permit
• study permit

For families, one parent can apply for the whole family. After opening a bank account and starting the application process, clients will be able to apply online.

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Canada to supply Ukraine with over 80,000 unarmed small rockets, some warheads

Defence Minister Bill Blair speaks during a Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting, in southwestern Germany, on Sept. 6. DANIEL ROLAND/AFP/Getty Images

Canada plans to send 80,840 surplus small unarmed air-to-surface rockets to Ukraine as well as 1,300 warheads in the coming months, Defence Minister Bill Blair said in a statement on Friday.

Canada announced an initial shipment of 2,160 unarmed CRV7 rockets in June. Each CRV7 rocket can be equipped with warheads designed variously to hit buildings, tanks or soldiers.

Canada will also donate chassis assemblies from 29 M113 armoured personnel carriers and 64 Coyote armoured cars, which the Canadian armed forces are no longer using, Blair said.

Ukraine needs the ability to strike deep within Russia now, President Volodymyr Zelensky told U.S. and allied military leaders Friday as Kyiv more fervently pressed the West to loosen weapons use restrictions and allow it to target Russian air bases and launch sites far from the border.

Zelensky made the case during an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He appeared to make inroads with some of the defence leaders from the 50-plus partner nations who regularly gather to co-ordinate weapons aid for the war.

But he did not appear to sway the ally he needs most. After the talks, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pushed back on the idea that long-range strikes would be a game-changer.

“I don’t believe one capability is going to be decisive and I stand by that comment,” Austin said. The Ukrainians have other means to strike long-range targets, he said.

Zelensky’s request comes after a series of recent deadly Russian air strikes, including against a Ukrainian military training centre that killed more than 50 and wounded hundreds this week. On Friday, the Kremlin fired five ballistic missiles at the city of Pavlohrad in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, injuring at least 50 people, regional Gov. Serhii Lysak said.

“We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the divided territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace,” Zelensky said. “We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.”

The question remained whether Zelensky could convince President Joe Biden that the U.S. should ease its restrictions as well. While Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles into Russia in self-defence, the distance has been largely limited to cross-border targets deemed a direct threat, out of concerns about further escalating the conflict.

At the meeting Friday, multiple countries seemed to be persuaded that Ukraine should get the green light, which could add pressure on the Biden administration.

“Many countries (are) in favour,” said Laurynas Kasinas, Lithuania’s defence minister. “Many, many. But the question is not the number of countries, but countries who give (those) missiles.”

By announcing Lithuania’s support, Kasinas said, “I hope it will help to convince other countries.”

Canada’s defence minister, Bill Blair, said he hopes other Western allies also get behind the push. Canada does not have long-range munitions it could provide on its own, Blair said.

“One of the things President Zelensky and his ministers have made very clear to us is that they are suffering significant attacks from air bases and military installations located within Russia,” Blair said. “We support their request for permission, but it’s still a decision of our allies.”

Ukraine is now in the midst of its first offensive operations of the war while facing a significant threat from Russian forces near a key hub in the Donbas, and Kyiv is seeing that its time is running short to shore up ongoing military support before the U.S. presidential election in November.

Zelensky said Ukraine’s surprise assault inside Russia’s Kursk region has led to the capture of about 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) of Russian territory and killed or injured about 6,000 Russian soldiers. But it has not drawn away President Vladimir Putin’s focus from taking the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, which provides critical rail and supply links for the Ukrainian army. Losing Pokrovsk could put additional Ukrainian cities at risk.

While Kursk has put Russia on the defensive, “we know Putin’s malice runs deep,” and Moscow is pressing on, especially around Pokrovsk, Austin said.

The Pentagon chief said the U.S. will provide $250 million more in weapons to Ukraine, including air defence munitions and artillery.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement said that the new package would comprise “urgently needed weapons and equipment” and include “air defence missiles and support, munitions for rocket systems and artillery, anti-tank weapons, and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and other armoured vehicles.”

“This assistance will be deployed as quickly as possible to bolster Ukraine’s defence of its territory and its people,” Blinken said.

Zelensky, however, said promised weapons systems have been too slow to arrive.

“The number of air defence systems that have not yet been delivered is significant,” he said.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said those systems, particularly Patriot air defence systems, need to be in Ukraine’s hands so it can defend its electrical grid and infrastructure during winter fighting.

As well as resources for air defence and artillery, the meeting aimed to focus on shoring up gains in expanding Ukraine’s own defence industrial base so it could be on more solid footing as Biden’s term winds down.

Western partner nations are working with Ukraine to source a substitute missile for its Soviet-era S-300 air defence systems, Austin said.

The U.S. is also focused on resourcing a variety of air-to-ground missiles that the newly delivered F-16 fighter jets can carry, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, which could give Ukraine a longer-range cruise missile option, said Bill LaPlante, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer, who spoke to reporters travelling with Austin.

No decisions on the munition have been made, LaPlante said, noting that policy-makers would still have to decide whether to give Ukraine the longer-range capability.

“I would just put JASSM in that category, it’s something that is always being looked at,” LaPlante said. “Anything that’s an air-to-ground weapon is always being looked at.”

For the past two years, members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have met to resource Ukraine’s artillery and air defence needs, ranging from hundreds of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition to some of the West’s most sophisticated air defence systems, and now fighter jets. The request this month was more of the same, but it came in person from Zelensky.

Since 2022, the member nations together have provided about $106 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. The U.S. has provided more than $56 billion of that total.

The German government said Chancellor Olaf Scholz planned to meet Zelensky in Frankfurt later Friday.

With files from Reuters.

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Federal health transfers outpace provincial spending despite premiers' criticisms, analysis shows

Findings contrast the rhetoric that has punctuated federal and provincial health negotiations.

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Despite castigation from provincial premiers over lagging federal contributions to health spending, an analysis of 20 years of health funding data shows that federal transfers have mostly outpaced increases to provincial health budgets.

In 2023, federal health transfers amounted to $47.1 billion, a 212 per cent increase over 2005, when the transfers were $15.1 billion. Total spending by all 10 provinces grew in that time to $221.9 billion up from $86.2 billion, an increase of 158 per cent.

The Canadian Press, in partnership with Humber College StoryLab, collected data on provincial health budgets and federal health transfers from 2004 to 2023 to track annual spending from the launch of the 2004 federal-provincial health accord under former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin.

The findings stand in stark contrast to the rhetoric that has punctuated federal and provincial health negotiations over the last several years, as health systems struggled in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two years ago, a shortage of health workers led to emergency room closures and extreme backlogs for services across the country and premiers demanded the federal government pay a greater share of the health spending bill.

Ontario opposition leader concerned over 1.3% increase in health-care budget

Former Manitoba premier Heather Stefanson, after a meeting with her fellow provincial leaders at the end of 2022, said health spending used to be split evenly but the federal share had slowly dwindled over time.

Governments originally envisioned that health-care costs would be divided evenly between Ottawa and provincial governments in 1959, before most provinces even had medicare. But the funding model shifted drastically in the 1970s and has changed again many times since.

Rather than slowly dropping off over the last two decades as the premiers suggested, the data shows federal transfers actually grew at a slightly faster pace than provincial health spending since the Martin health accord in 2004.

In 2005-06, federal health transfers grew 39 per cent in one year while provincial health spending grew by six per cent.

That meant the federal share of total health spending jumped to 20.7 per cent from 17.5 per cent.

Federal health-care spending was far higher during the COVID-19 pandemic because of specific transfers. Those extra funds stopped flowing in 2022-23, by which time the federal share of total provincial spending had grown just slightly to 21.2 per cent.

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That reality wasn't acknowledged when premiers were clamouring for more federal money after the pandemic, federal Health Minister Mark Holland said in a recent interview.

It was also not acknowledged in his recent negotiations with provinces as part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's proposed $196-billion health deal, which involved signing one-on-one agreements with each province.

"I understand the position of the provinces — huge demands on them — but we have been ensuring that we're providing the dollars that are necessary and required to help them in their health systems," Holland said.

"Now what we need to do is to begin to transform how our system functions. We need to move from a crisis-based system where we wait until people are really sick and then we deal with it, to being upstream and avoiding illness and being engaged in prevention."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford declined The Canadian Press's interview request as chair of the Council of the Federation, the official organization of the premiers.

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A written statement said premiers "continue to urge the federal government to provide adequate and sustainable health-care funding," also reiterating their concerns that the agreements have an end date.

The premiers call that the "funding cliff," fearing they can't plan for long-term stability when federal offers all have expiration dates.

In February 2023, about 10 days after Trudeau tabled the latest health funding offer, the premiers issued a joint statement to reluctantly accept it.

"While this first step marks a positive development, the federal approach will clearly not address structural health care funding needs, nor long-term sustainability challenges we face in our health-care systems across the country," they wrote.

Who is contributing, and how much?

Getting a clear view of who is paying the growing cost of Canada's health care isn't straightforward.

No government is collecting health spending data on a national scale, and federal contributions are difficult to pin down.

It's important to know how much each government is contributing so that voters can hold them accountable, said Haizhen Mou, a professor with the University of Saskatchewan's graduate school of public policy.

"They have certain expectations on the quality and quantity of health care they receive, however, they cannot hold either level of government accountable, because there's no clear division of responsibility," said Mou, who studies health funding and politics.

"There's no clear, no transparent contribution ratio or expectation for this contribution from either government in the system so far."

The Canadian Press and Humber College StoryLab combed through decades of provincial public accounts and federal transfers to compile the data manually.

Territories were not included because health spending records couldn't be verified in some cases. The territories also receive additional support from the federal government to fund necessary travel and accommodations for some patients that can't be treated near their homes.

The analysis did not account for equalization payments and other federal contributions to provincial general revenues that could ultimately be spent on health.

Nor did it look at tax points transfers, which the federal government includes when it assesses how much money it is giving the provinces for health care. That dates back to 1977, when the federal government lowered its tax rates for personal and corporate income and the provinces could increase their provincial tax rates and take that revenue instead.

In 2023, after the latest health funding offer to the premiers was made public, Ottawa said tax point transfers amounted to $25 billion. However, the provinces do not include tax point transfers when discussing the federal share of health-care spending.

Holland says he's open to finding a way to make information about health spending more available as a way to cut through the political rhetoric.

"I think anything that provides transparency and allows us to get to talking about the material, consequential things that we have to be doing, as opposed to debating over dollar values, I think is helpful," he said.

Why Nova Scotia’s budget doesn’t skimp on health-care spending

The new health deals call on provinces to improve the collection of national health data, but makes no specific mention of tracking federal and provincial spending.

The one thing that is clear is that health care spending is growing.

Per capita, Canada's transfers for health grew six times faster than population growth, amounting to $1,115 per person in 2023, up from $427 per person in 2005. Those figures have not been adjusted for inflation.

Among the provinces, per capita spending grew at massively different rates, with Newfoundland's budget soaring 19 times faster than its population, while spending in Nova Scotia and Alberta grew less than two times as fast as the population.

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Minister Blair announces additional military assistance for Ukraine at the 24th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group

From: National Defence

News release

Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, and General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, participated in the 24th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany hosted by United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.

September 6 , 2024 – Ramstein Air Base, Germany – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Today, the Honourable Bill Blair , Minister of National Defence, and General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, participated in the 24th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany hosted by United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III .

Minister Blair announced that this week, Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) pilots arrived in Canada to begin fighter-lead-in-training (FLIT). Canada has taken over leadership of the FLIT element of the UDCG Air Force Capability Coalition (AFCC) – backed by an investment of $389 million over five years in F-16 pilot training for Ukrainian personnel. This package of support includes the launch of advanced pilot training. As part of our support to the AFCC, Canada will also be providing critical equipment and other support to Ukrainian air bases and fleets.

Minister Blair also announced that Canada will donate and transport 80,840 additional CRV-7 rocket motors and 1,300 warheads to Ukraine. This follows Canada’s initial delivery of 2,160 CRV-7 rocket motors, as pledged earlier this year. The additional 80,840 rocket motors are being prepared for shipment to Poland and will arrive in the coming months. The decommissioned rocket motors were previously used by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) on CF-18 fighter aircraft. Canada will also be donating 970 surplus C6 machine guns as well as 10,500 surplus 9mm pistols from our inventory.

In response to a specific request from Ukraine, Minister Blair also announced that Canada will donate decommissioned chassis from 29 M113s and 64 Coyote LAVs, formerly used by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) . These surplus vehicles, no longer operational in the Canadian Army, will be repurposed or used for spare parts by Ukraine.

Minister Blair also provided the following updates on other Canadian donations:

• An initial set of Armoured Combat Support Vehicles built by Canadian workers in London, Ontario has arrived in Europe, and training for the AFU on the vehicles is underway. Following training, the 10 ambulances will be delivered to Ukraine in September. The additional 40 vehicles (of the Troop/Cargo variant) will begin arriving in spring 2025 with full delivery by the end of 2025.
• Training with the AFU on Teledyne FLIR Skyranger drones donated by Canada will begin in Ukraine this month.
• In August, Canada delivered approximately $200,000 worth of IT equipment to support Ukraine’s cyber capabilities.

While in Germany, Minister Blair also visited the Security Assistance Group – Ukraine (SAG-U) in Wiesbaden, where he met with CAF members and American officers.  SAG-U is currently transitioning to NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), which will be comprised of approximately 700 personnel from NATO Allied nations – as announced at the NATO Summit in Washington earlier this summer.

Since 2022, Canada has committed $4.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. Canada will continue to support Ukraine until its victory.

“The UDCG is a testament to the unity and commitment of Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with the crucial capabilities it needs to fight for its sovereignty and security. What happens in Ukraine will help determine the trajectory of global security. Canada’s support for Ukraine remains unwavering and we will continue to do what it takes to help Ukraine win this war.” The Honourable Bill Blair , Minister of National Defence

Quick facts

The UDCG was created by the United States Secretary of Defense in April 2022 to allow Allies and partners to synchronize donations, consult, and coordinate military assistance to Ukraine, and build up the capabilities of the AFU. Convening monthly at the ministerial level, the UDCG now brings together more than 50 countries.

Canada is a member of the UDCG’s Armour, Air Force, and Drone capability coalitions.

Since February 2022 , Canada has committed over $19.5 billion in total assistance to Ukraine, including $4.5 billion in military assistance. This includes Leopard 2 main battle tanks, armoured combat support vehicles, anti-tank weapons, small arms, M777 howitzers and associated ammunition, high-resolution drone cameras, winter clothing, and more. Canada is also contributing to multinational efforts to train pilots and maintainers to support Ukraine’s F-16s .

Since the launch of Operation UNIFIER , the CAF has trained more than 42,000 members of the AFU. Canada has announced the extension of this mission until March 2026 , so the CAF can continue to respond to Ukraine’s training needs.

Canada continues to train AFU members under Operation UNIFIER, with approximately 300 CAF members currently deployed in the United Kingdom, Poland, and Latvia in various roles.

Since late March 2022 , the RCAF has been transporting Ukraine-bound military aid donated by Canada, allies, and partners. To date, the RCAF has transported over 19 million pounds of military donations.

Associated links

• Canadian military support to Ukraine
• Agreement on security cooperation between Canada and Ukraine
• Canada’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Operation UNIFIER

Simon Lafortune Press Secretary and Communications Advisor Office of the Minister of National Defence Email: [email protected]

Media Relations Department of National Defence Phone: 613-904-3333 Email: [email protected]

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