Yukon gov't opens Family Support Desk for Ukrainians coming north

The Yukon government has established a Ukrainian Family Support Desk to connect Ukrainians looking to relocate to Yukon with the right resources.

"We're just preparing and getting the infrastructure in place that we need to be able to properly support individuals that are going to come to the Yukon," Ranj Pillai, Yukon's minister of economic development, told CBC News.

The desk is staffed by department employees who provide information on federal programs that help with immigration and family reunification.

The service also connects employers who want to offer jobs to those arriving in the Yukon, and helps guide arriving Ukrainians looking for jobs.

Pillai said he told the Ukrainian community in Yukon that if they have family members who have specific skills or a profession, to let the department know so it can match them with local employers.

Pillai noted that no Ukrainian has arrived in Yukon yet as a result of the Russian invasion.

He added the government decided to establish the desk after consulting with the Ukrainian community in Yukon following the protest in downtown Whitehorse on Feb. 27 and then at another meeting a few days later.

It was announced in a press release late Tuesday afternoon.

Pillai said there are over 100 Ukrainians in Yukon.

"Some [of them] have family that they want to come to the Yukon just for a couple of years to be in a safe place, but at some point want to go back to Ukraine, hopefully. And then we have others that feel their family should come here permanently," said Pillai.

He said the government is also talking with local non-profit organizations to see how they can also help to make sure Ukrainians coming into the territory have the tools they need to succeed.