Authored by: Ray Silvius, Hani Ataan Al-Ubeady, Emily Halldorson, Dylan Chyz-Lund, Carlos Colorado

Category: Housing and Neighbourhood Revitalization


This report on the settlement of Syrian refugees in Winnipeg finds that public policy played an important role, particularly when it comes to an often-overlooked area of settlement: housing refugees.

What Does it Take to House a Syrian Refugee? Supporting Refugee Housing and Resettlement Beyond the Syrian Refugee Crisis concludes that public governmental resources were intrinsic in settling the large influx of Syrian refugees in Winnipeg from December 2015 to April 2016. While the volunteerism and donations of many Canadians in the settlement of Syrian refugees were strongly appreciated, it is the specific public policy context that made a difference in the successful settlement of approximately 900 Syrian refugees in just five months.

The federal government’s commitment to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis took political will and presented an unprecedented challenge for community-based organizations. This study focused on the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council (MIIC) and Welcome Place, responsible for receiving and finding housing for many Syrian Government Assisted Refugees.

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