Manitoba is a leader across the country in accepting and supporting Ukrainians. Since the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program started in March 2022, Manitoba has welcomed around 13,000 Ukrainians. Assistance to newcomers' families continues to operate thanks to the volunteers.

In this episode of "Community Hour" U-Multicultural journalist Yulia Kovalenko talks with Nick Krawetz, a volunteer supporting Ukrainian refugees in Manitoba. Nick speaks about the basic needs of Ukrainian newcomers to Manitoba and what has been done during the year to empower newcomer families.

Krawetz is a third-generation Ukrainian-Canadian and also an active volunteer with a Winnipeg Ukrainian community; since the full-scale invasion started last February, I've helped to initiate various efforts to welcome and support the 13,000 plus Ukrainian newcomers that have sought a haven here in Manitoba. 

Nick says being a volunteer is significant for him because the full-scale invasion in Ukraine has affected him personally. His immediate family and relatives have all been impacted by the war. 

Nick Krawetz says that the provincial government is a leader across Canada in welcoming Ukrainian newcomers. No other provinces have done what the province of Manitoba has done, he says. 

One example is the one-stop-shop Reception Center at the airport hotel. That is a unique model in Canada. He says that nowhere else is there a temporary accommodations program where newcomers can stay for up to 30 days, free of charge and with three meals a day. 

It's a huge support for these people, giving them time to acclimate to Winnipeg. They are in a brand new environment, many do not speak English, and/or they have a low intermediate level of English, so it gives them 30 days to get their documents in order, find longer-term housing, try to find a job, try to find daycare for their children if they have them. No other provinces are providing that breathing room according to Krawetz.