Refugees in Manitoba receive unequal support, report suggests.

A University of Manitoba report finds settlement supports in Manitoba varied by country of origin, with many Syrian and Ukrainian arrivals receiving faster or expanded services while some Afghan arrivals experienced slimmer provincial supports.

A University of Manitoba study published through the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives examined provincial and federal responses to displaced people arriving in Manitoba from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine. Researchers spoke with settlement sector workers about special immigration initiatives and everyday settlement supports. Respondents reported overall settlement supports were generally too low to meet needs, while responses differed by group and level of government. The study's authors offered a set of policy recommendations aimed at changing how refugees and displaced people are welcomed. Key findings: - The report describes uneven support: some groups received faster or expanded services while others faced slimmer provincial supports. - Responses to the Syrian and Ukrainian arrivals included faster processing and expanded reception or settlement services, which participants viewed as useful models. - Participants reported that many Afghan arrivals did not receive comparable provincial supports once in Canada. - The authors made 18 policy recommendations for federal and provincial governments, including proposals for rapid-response pathways and enhanced reception and income supports. Summary: The report highlights differences in how displaced people were supported in Manitoba and notes examples from Syrian and Ukrainian responses that participants described as more coordinated. The authors proposed multiple policy changes to address these disparities. Undetermined at this time.