“In Canada, Ukrainians are commonly perceived as a family-oriented and industrious community”

Ukrainian House in London Ontario. Photo: Homepage of the centre

ANDRII KUTSYK: When was the London Ukrainian Centre founded, and what was its main purpose?

VOLODYMYR VOROBETS: The Ukrainian Centre was founded in 1967 by immigrants from Ukraine, most of whom are no longer with us. They built this house with their own funds for people to gather and preserve Ukrainian culture and traditions. Since its establishment, the Ukrainian Centre has expanded and provides new waves of Ukrainian immigrants with everything they need upon arrival in Canada.

You have been the head of the London Ukrainian Centre for the past ten years. What key initiatives have been implemented during that time?

To clarify, the London Ukrainian Centre is a cultural organization in south-western Ontario where Ukrainians can gather, attend concerts by Ukrainian bands, and visit our library. The Centre also has a reading and chess club, a Ukrainian Saturday school, sports clubs, and others. However, it should be added that the Centre operated at this level until the war began. When the Russian-Ukrainian war started and, accordingly, a massive influx of people from Ukraine began, the Centre turned into a hub of information for all those who arrived in Ontario. People came with a wide variety of questions, ranging from renting accommodation to family doctors and the functioning of the Canadian healthcare system in general.

There were many such requests where people from Ukraine came not knowing where to go or what to do without knowing English. There were many women with children and elderly people, all of whom needed different levels of support.

We tried to connect them with the right people who could help them in the future, because we are not a medical centre or an organization that provides housing. We tried to find the contacts that different groups of arrivals needed.

It is also important to understand that the Ukrainian Centre is not just one person. As a former director, I led a group of ten directors of the Ukrainian Centre. Everyone has a specific responsibility. Some are responsible for cultural affairs, others for education or sports, and so on. There is also a person responsible for relations with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, local government bodies, and others.

Which organizations does the London Ukrainian Centre collaborate with?

There is, of course, the University of Western Ontario, where there is a Ukrainian youth organization. And through the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, we had direct ties with them. They came and helped us, participated in various events that we organized. We also cooperate with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress department located in the London Ukrainian Centre. The chair is Ms. Daria Hrytskiv. She is also a member of the Ukrainian Centre and is on its board of directors. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has the Taras Shevchenko Foundation and many other foundations that are ready to help Ukrainians in various ways. They publish information about various forms of aid on their websites. As we cooperate with these organizations, we also disseminate this information ourselves. We are aware that Ukrainians arriving in Canada, particularly in London, Ontario, turn to us first. We disseminate information and provide explanations about the grants offered by various organizations and discuss their availability.

Are there any special programmes for the integration of Ukrainian refugees? What role does the London Ukrainian Centre play in supporting their integration, particularly with regard to learning English?

At the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Wilbon School was established. It existed during the first year of the war. The Ukrainian Centre provided them with premises. On Saturdays, ESL teachers taught English to Ukrainians who needed it. We also collaborated with the local school district, which has an ESL department, and provided teachers for free. All they had to do was register, come, and learn English. We also collaborated with the Cross Cultural Learning Centre. They work directly with new immigrants and refugees, and they opened a completely new department to work with people who fled the war in Ukraine. At that time, for example, representatives of this organization were present at the Ukrainian Centre for two years. And these people, two days a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, helped Ukrainians with various issues. It is also worth noting that this was a federal government organization, and they had access to a list of services that were available to Ukrainians who came under the CUAET programme.

It looked like this: Ukrainians arrived at the airport, were immediately given a work permit and wished a safe journey, and then they had to find everything necessary for life on their own. Then, upon arriving in London, Ukrainians looked for those who could help them. At first, they went to church, but ultimately ended up at the Ukrainian Centre. There were times when there was a line of people waiting outside the Ukrainian Centre. At one point, representatives from the Cross Cultural Learning Centre approached us, and said that they were ready to help Ukrainian refugees. So we started providing their contact information to people who needed help with medical issues, language learning, housing, and other matters. It was a wonderful and productive collaboration.

What are the main reasons Ukrainians are leaving Canada, particularly London?

I am also an immigrant who came to Canada 25 years ago. Canada ten to 20 years ago and Canada today are two different things. The demographics have changed. This is all due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis. Many people from Ukraine who came to Canada after the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war had their own vision of Canada. It was a bit wrong. Upon arriving in Canada, people realized that not everything here is so wonderful. First of all, there is the cost of living. Living here for a day or a month is much, much more expensive than, for example, in Europe. I won’t even compare it to Ukraine. The values here are also completely different.

People came here at a difficult time, because COVID-19 had just ended. And after COVID-19, everything changed quite a bit. Canada is also facing many different political and economic problems right now. The people who came here had, if not the American dream, then certainly the Canadian dream. But the reality is completely different. A person who was an engineer, doctor, or teacher in Ukraine, unfortunately, cannot work in their profession here. Here, these people are forced to do other work, such as cleaning, physical labour, etc. Of course, this does not apply to everyone, but to many. People are also immediately faced with the cost of renting accommodation (approximately 2,000 Canadian dollars per month), renting a car, and monthly car insurance (approximately 300 to 400 dollars). A person who earns the minimum wage pays for rent and a car from this salary, and the rest goes on food. Children also need to be provided for. And in the end, this money is simply not enough to live on for a month. And some of the newly arrived Ukrainians said, “We just can’t make ends meet.” These people are understandable. They spent some time in Canada and returned, some to Europe, to Poland, Slovakia, and some to Ukraine. 

Do you notice any anti-immigrant or anti-Ukrainian narratives in Canada today?

Such attitudes exist, but at a fairly low level. Although, of course, there is definitely a possibility of some kind of escalation. Why? This is because, for example, there are Ukrainians who are very ambitious people. They will seek and wait for their chance. When they get that chance for a good job, a good salary, or start their own businesses (I know people who have already started their own businesses during their three years in Canada), Canadians analyse this and begin to feel competition and a certain threat to themselves, their jobs, and their businesses. For example, there are narratives such as, “A Ukrainian migrant recently arrived and took my job, and now I am unemployed.” Politicians from different parties may also pick up on this narrative and use it in their election campaigns. But so far, such narratives are rare. The truth today is that most Ukrainians who have come here work overtime, sometimes sleep too little and eat too little. Many also work more because they have to send money to their families in Ukraine. Employers also like such employees who work overtime and never complain.

There was also talk and some discontent when Canada provided one-time social aid to Ukrainians arriving at the beginning of the war as part of the CUAET programme. Such talk was heard among Canadians and politicians, particularly those from right-wing parties, who said, “I work, I pay taxes, and I don’t want to donate this money to anyone.” Such discussions can also be heard when the Canadian government announces that it is allocating funds to Ukraine for military needs. In right-wing political circles, you hear, “I pay taxes, and I don’t want my taxes to be sent to Ukraine to kill people there with my money.” Such statements can be heard, but so far they do not represent the majority of Canadian society. In general, Ukrainians in Canada are supported and loved today. The average Canadian knows that Ukrainians do not pose any threat. In Canada, Ukrainians have created an image of being family-oriented and hard-working people. 

Volodymyr Vorobets is the former director of the London Ukrainian Centre, Ontario, Canada.

Andrii Kutsyk holds a PhD in Philosophy of Media (Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University/Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań) and a Master’s Degree in Eastern European Studies (University of Warsaw). He is currently a Research Fellow at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Gdańsk, a member of the Research Institute for European Policy, and secretary of the European Journal of Transformation Studies. In 2024, he also received the Ivan Vyhovsky Prize.

Canada, refugees, Ukrainian diaspora