Fourth plane of Ukrainians arrives in Saskatchewan
A fourth plane carrying displaced Ukrainians has arrived in Saskatchewan, landing at the Saskatoon airport Wednesday afternoon.
The plane carrying 230 Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of their country arrived to a warm welcome from about 25 volunteers coordinated by the Saskatchewan Emergency Operations Centre.
The contingent of helpers including community members, fire and police members arrived three hours ahead of the flight to be briefed on aiding the transition for the newcomers who left Poland about ten hours earlier.
“The 24 volunteers organized by the UCC Saskatchewan helped provide that support in the secured area. Moving luggage, helping newcomers through passport control before they loaded on to busses and off to their hotels,” Danylo Puderak, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Saskatchewan told CTV News.
Close to 3,300 Ukrainians displaced by the Russian war now call Saskatchewan home, according to Puderak.
Humanitarian organizations Open Arms and Solidaire helped coordinate the flight. Pilot Enrique Pineyro donated the flight.
There was a similar arrival — also provided by the same group in July — which landed at the Regina airport. Equipment was brought in from Alberta to help with the logistics of landing the Boeing 787 and having passengers disembark safely.
The Saskatoon airport had the necessary equipment needed and were operationally prepared for the big plane.
“We’re fortunate here with respect to logistics in that we’ve modernized and expanded the building fairly recently so this becomes a pretty straight forward operation for us,” Stephen Maybury, President and CEO of The Saskatoon Airport Authority told CTV News.
Staff at the airport prepared for the large arrival and, according to Maybury, this plane contained about 60 pets requiring extra attention and time.
Getting the planeload processed and through customs takes about three hours.
The Ukrainians were taken from the airport to a local hotel where they will stay until housing is secured. Funding is provided by the provincial government, which has committed $300,000 to the resettlement effort.
On Thursday and Friday, the newcomers will be set up with necessary documentation like health cards and Social Insurance Cards.
It’s expected that about 20 percent of the arrivals are children with mothers and grandparents making the up the majority of the remainder. Men do not make up a large portion of those coming to Canada because many are staying behind to join the armed forces fighting the war.
A fifth plane of Ukrainians will come to Canada sometime in the new year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.