Syrian refugees in Hamilton: More time to prepare but few details known

The head of the local group spearheading the Syrian refugee effort in Hamiltonsays she's pleased with the new Liberal plan to phase in the number of refugees who will resettle here.

DaljitGarry, executive director of Wesley Urban Ministries, says she's pleased with the Tuesday afternoon announcement that the government will resettle 10,000 refugees by the end of 2015, and another 15,000 in February. The initial plan was to bring in 25,000 peopleby the end of the year.

Garry's group has been rushing to line up everything from health care to housing. This alleviates some pressure, she said.

"It's a better approach," she said.

Immigration Minister John McCallum announced the new timeline at a media conference. Canada will bring in more refugees throughout 2016, he said.

• Liberals won't meet deadline to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by year's end

Hamilton officials are still waiting to hear how many will resettle here.Preliminary estimates are that Hamilton will see 200 to 300 families, said Mayor Fred Eisenberger. That would mean about 1,000 people.

Amanda Kinnaird,spokesperson for the mayor, saidTuesday "There were absolutely no details on numbers or timelines for Hamilton or anyone else from Daljit Garry's (Wesley Urban Ministries) call with the Feds. We are told "Maybe" over the weekend."

"That's contemplated as something that will be doable for Hamilton, but tomorrow we'll know for sure," he said on Monday.

Eisenberger said the city is preparing, but it's "hard to get specific" without more details from federal government.

The CBC'sRosemary Barton reported late Monday themuch-anticipatedSyrian refugee plan willlimit those acceptedinto Canada to women, children and families only.It softened that direction on Tuesday, saying gay men would be allowed in also.

Sources tell CBC News that to deal with some ongoing concerns around security,unaccompanied men seeking asylum will not be part of the program.

Eisenberger met with local MPs and MPPs on the weekend, part of the city's effort to get ready for some of the 25,000 Syrian refugees expected by the end of December.

Eisenberger doesn't expect the refugees will arrivein Hamilton in the next two weeks, but "it might be shortly after that."

• Canada's Syrian refugee plan limited to women, children and families
• Hamilton board offers vacant schools as housing for Syrian refugees
• Liberals to announce details of Syrian refugee plan Tuesday

Housing is one of the toughest issues, since Hamilton lacks affordable housing and has a low vacancy rate for rental units. The city will use hotels and motels, and other housing providers. The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board is even offering vacant schools.

Ted McMeekin, an Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale MPP and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, sits on a provincial cabinet committee on the refugee situation. The province has offered $10 million for the refugee crisis, he said, including $8.5 million to help with local resettlement.

McMeekin said he told Premier Kathleen Wynne that Hamilton is ready.

"Hamiltonians are up for it," he said. "Everywhere I go, without fail, they say, 'Are you involved?' I say, 'Yes, I'm on thecabinet committee provincially.' Then they say, 'How can I help?'"

samantha.craggs@cbc.ca | @SamCraggsCBC