Nova Scotia donating $50,000 to Syrian refugee effort

WATCH ABOVE: Nova Scotia is ramping up efforts to help with the growing Syrian refugee crisis, by donating $50 thousand dollars to the refugee effort and promising to accept more refugees if given the go ahead. Global’s Marieke Walsh reports.

HALIFAX – Stephen McNeil’s government will donate $50,000 to the Syrian refugee effort.

In a statement, released Friday, the Premier’s Office said the money will be donated to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

“Around the world, there has been an outpouring of grief for the Syrian people and their plight,” said Premier McNeil. “Nova Scotians join in supporting the Syrian people in their time of need and I am proud to offer this support on their behalf.”

READ MORE: Federal leaders disagree on action for Syrian refugees after seeing drowned boy photo

The United Nations estimates that 6.5 million Syrians are internally displaced in Syria, and another 4 million Syrians are refugees. Most of those refugees are fleeing to countries like Turkey, Lebanon, and Egypt. However, more and more are also trying to reach Europe. At the end of August the UN said an estimated 300,000 people have already tried to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. The report said many of those people are refugees and migrants from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

In its 2015 update, the UNHCR said it needs $362.5 million USD to deal with the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

On Thursday, Deputy Premier Diana Whalen said the province has told the federal government it wants to accept more refugees. Since January 1, 2014 Nova Scotia has received 20 Syrian refugees.