Syrian Refugee Task Force hosting information sessions on Feb. 17

The City of Cornwall’s recently-formed Syrian Refugee Task Force will be hosting a pair of information sessions on Wednesday, February 17th to discuss the process of sponsoring potential Syrian refugee families to settle in Cornwall.
The free information sessions will be held in the second floor VIP Concourse at the Cornwall Civic Complex (100 Water Street East) from 2:30 pm to 4 pm and 6:30 pm to 8 pm. All interested members of the public are welcome to attend.
“We already have some community organizations that are working together to sponsor a Syrian refugee family to settle in Cornwall,” said Councillor Bernadette Clément, Chair of the Task Force. “These information sessions will give us a chance to gauge community interest in sponsoring additional families and to learn more about the process of sponsoring families.”
Attendees will get to hear from a representative with the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program sponsored by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. A number of topics will be covered, including how private refugee sponsorship works and what the sponsors’ responsibilities are.

“Some communities are working collectively to sponsor a number of Syrian refugee families and we could see something similar take shape here in Cornwall. We have a proud history as a caring and welcoming community and this is an opportunity to build on that history,” said Councillor Clément.

Residents and organizations who are interested in attending or who wish to request particular accommodations are asked to contact Deputy City Clerk Manon Levesque at (613) 930-2787 ext. 2316.

The Syrian Refugee Task Force was recently established by City Council with a goal of promoting open lines of communication with organizations and individuals that have an interest in assisting with the possible settlement of refugees in the Cornwall area.