New Westminster, B.C. – The City of New Westminster has partnered with Holy Eucharist Cathedral and the Welcoming and Inclusive New Westminster Local Immigration Partnership Council (WINS LIP) to support the Ukrainian community during this time of crisis.

Holy Eucharist Cathedral, located in New Westminster, is serving as an informal hub for crisis response for the local community and beyond, collaborating with Ukrainian organizations across the province.  Response services include providing information to families with relatives in the Ukraine, developing a database of support offers from across the province, and managing a donation program available through Help Us Help Ukraine.

“The City of New Westminster recognizes the tremendous need for the Ukrainian community both locally and abroad,” said Mayor Jonathan Coté. “We are proud to work with Holy Eucharist Cathedral and the Welcoming and Inclusive New Westminster Local Immigration Partnership Council to provide additional resources and support wherever we can.”

Key needs identified by Holy Eucharist Cathedral include, temporary housing, clothing and household items, employment and financial assistance, food security programming, mental health support, language services, and child care. Of key importance is a coordinated effort in New Westminster, including understanding who is arriving and what their needs are.

"It is such a great blessing to be part of the New Westminster community that has already so generously responded to the call of standing in solidarity with the much-suffering people of Ukraine,” said Father Mykhailo Ozorovych of the Holy Eucharist Cathedral. “Our parish and all fundraising and prayer initiatives have been so widely supported by our neighbours and businesses. We look forward to working together with the plethora of other organizations under the guidance of the City to offer coordinated, concrete effort to help temporarily displaced Ukrainians fleeing to BC." 

Immediate actions include establishing a working group that will include City of New Westminster staff, Holy Eucharist Cathedral, WINS LIP members, and other interested individuals and organizations to collectively respond to the crisis. The City will also assist in raising awareness about the crisis, providing information about resources, listing reputable sites to make a donation, and becoming a host family.

The City of New Westminster hopes to apply the learnings from this working group to future initiatives that involve mobilizing crisis response to support displaced individuals from other regions experiencing conflict.

For more information on how individuals can contribute and provides support, please visit www.newwestcity.ca. Information on federal actions and supports can be found on the Canada’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine website.

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Media Contacts:

Claudia Freire
Housing and Social Planner
City of New Westminster
604-527-4513 or