The Manitoba government says nearly 300 Ukrainian refugees will soon arrive in the province as the Russian invasion carries on in their homeland.
Premier Heather Stefanson says officials have confirmed a federally arranged chartered plane will land in Winnipeg later this month.
“Since the beginning of this brutal war of aggression, we have been preparing for the potential arrival of thousands of Ukrainians seeking safety and refuge here in Manitoba,” Stefanson said in a release Tuesday.
“We will continue to welcome Ukrainians suffering unimaginable loss with open hearts and open arms.”
The exact date of the refugees’ arrival hasn’t been confirmed, but Stefanson says the province has been asked to prepare for next week.
Upon arrival, the refugees will be taken to Manitoba’s Ukrainian Refugee Reception Centre near the airport where officials will help them coordinate a place to stay, drivers’ licensing, work, school and more.
Stefanson says the government will provide “a full range of provincial support” including housing, health and mental health care, education, child care, social assistance, language services, and labour market assistance.
The flight is one of three arranged by Ottawa that will fly to Canada from Warsaw, Poland.
The province says the Ukrainian Refugee Reception Centre has already welcomed more than 340 people from Ukraine.
Manitoba has offered $800,000 in direct humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion started in late February, the province says.