Demonstration being held in PG to mark second anniversary of Russia-Ukraine war

Two years ago Saturday (February 24th), Russia’s first bombs landed in Ukraine.

In memory of the occasion and all that has happened since, hundreds are expected to line the street from St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church to the Pine Centre Mall, starting at noon.

A healthy crowd came out to participate in the first anniversary on the steps of city hall last year.

Since the war started two years ago, PG For Ukraine and Share Hope have helped 314 displaced Ukrainians settle in northern BC.

They anticipate that number will hit 350 by the end of next month.

A news release from PG For Ukraine said there are currently 234 displaced Ukrainians living in Prince George, that they are aware of, as some have moved again since arriving.

Share Hope expects international arrivals to heavily drop at the end of March when Canada’s immigration requirement becomes much more restrictive, though more could come to Prince George after first establishing themselves in another Canadian city.

Some recent challenges PG For Ukraine says they have had include:

• People arriving since the fall of 2023 have had a much more challenging time finding jobs.
• Some who were working in the fall are temporarily laid off now.
• The dependence on extended supports will be more pronounced and more difficult to facilitate.
• Raising additional funds is becoming more challenging.
• The threat of a looming Work Permit end date. There is no clear path to a Permanent Residence (PR) application for most and a 1 year Immigration Canada review/processing backlog means some are now entering a period of high PR anxiety as they want to stay or fear it will be too soon to return next year.
• Mental Health challenges are increasing as some people begin to move past survival mode into the next stage of coping.

You can find out more about PG For Ukraine here.