2.C Settlement and Integration
C.2 What arrangements are made for housing?
(iii) Who is responsible for making initial and permanent housing arrangements?
How Canada Does It
Sponsors undertake in their sponsorship application to arrange for initial and permanent housing for the sponsored refugees, including ensuring that homes are equipped with basic furniture and household essentials. With support from sponsors, refugees select their permanent accommodations (see 2.C.2(ii)).
In addition to sponsors, Canada funds a network of settlement agencies across the country (except in Quebec) that can provide support to sponsors and refugees looking for housing. Through its Settlement Program, Canada funds organizations to provide programming such as Needs Assessment and Referral Services to formally identify client needs and connect them to available supports.
While sponsoring groups are ultimately responsible for finding adequate housing for their sponsored refugees, they may reach out to organizations like Roofs for Refugees to secure temporary housing while seeking permanent accommodation for the sponsored refugees. Roofs for Refugees allows community members to offer their homes or spaces in their homes to refugees at reduced rates. Spaces are registered online and Roofs for Refugees works with local settlement agencies to match refugees with appropriate hosts. This is another example of ways communities can engage in welcoming refugees beyond sponsorship.
See 2.B.5 for more information about sponsors’ responsibilities.