Guest blog: Refugee sponsorship in Greater Victoria, a story of resilience and community 

Ten years ago, the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA) began resettling refugees in our region through the Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) program. Since then, ICA—alongside 750 dedicated community members—has welcomed 480 refugees, making Greater Victoria a more diverse, inclusive, and compassionate place. 

Over the past decade, countless powerful stories have emerged. One of the most moving is that of Zahra (name changed for privacy), a young woman from Afghanistan who arrived in Victoria with her son in 2023, believing her husband had been killed by the Taliban. Miraculously, she later discovered he was alive—he had been imprisoned for four years. Upon his release, he found his family had made it safely to Canada. With ICA’s support, he was reunited with them in Victoria in 2025.

Zahra’s sponsorship group—a team of highly skilled and compassionate volunteers—helped make this extraordinary reunion possible. They even went so far as to build a tiny home for the family. Today, Zahra is focused on raising her son, while her husband is pursuing a degree in pharmacy. 

In 2015, ICA became one of the first non-faith-based organizations in Canada to obtain Sponsorship Agreement Holder status with the federal government. This milestone allowed ICA to broaden its impact and deepen its community-based approach to refugee resettlement. 

ICA provides technical assistance, training, financial oversight, and direct support for resettlement and integration—ensuring each sponsorship is both meaningful and sustainable. 

Powerful Results, Transformative Impact 

The benefits of refugee resettlement extend far beyond individual families. Newcomers are establishing careers, launching businesses, and enriching the social and economic fabric of Greater Victoria. Just a few examples include: 

• Entrepreneurship: Former refugees have opened businesses such as Syriana Restaurant and The Syrian Barber. 

• Academia and Law: One refugee is now a university professor in Ontario, while others have pursued or completed law degrees. 

• Healthcare: One sponsored refugee has become a practicing nurse. 

As global instability continues to displace millions, the need for safe and compassionate resettlement grows. ICA’s program stands as a beacon of what is possible when communities unite around shared values of empathy and inclusion. 

Over the last decade, ICA has worked closely with the Victoria Foundation, whose support has been instrumental in raising awareness and building capacity for the PSR program. ICA is deeply grateful to the Foundation and its donors for their vision, compassion, and enduring commitment to this life-changing work.