Air Transat has announced a partnership with 4Ukraine.ca to help relocate Ukrainians displaced by war coming to Canada.
Air Transat will be providing available seats to Ukrainian nationals on their flights operated from Paris and London mainly to Montréal or Toronto. 4Ukraine.ca will be covering taxes and airport charges.
In addition to operating a donation-based airfare program, 4Ukraine.ca includes a rigorous vetting process, host family background checks, and job prospecting for Ukrainians relocating to Canada.
"We are thrilled to work with Air Transat on this initiative," said 4Ukraine.ca co-founder and director, Anna Chif. "This partnership means the world to Ukrainians wanting to come to Canada. Air Transat's offer, combined with our rigorous process and our private donations, provides a viable solution that ensures Ukrainians coming to Canada are safe and prepared to live here. The arrangement will give us access to a significant number of seats and allows us to exponentially increase the impact of our donations."
Air Transat, which has already successfully helped several families fly to Canada, is eager to continue supporting humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. "It was important for us to support the relocation of Ukrainians with an organization that facilitates every step of the relocation process, with a focus on ensuring the safety of this vulnerable population that has already faced significant trauma," said Transat President and Chief Executive Officer Annick Guérard.
This partnership complements the fundraising campaign launched by Transat in March amongst its employees and customers to assist SOS Children's Villages, a long-time charitable partner that has rapidly scaled up its response in Ukraine to meet the critical needs of vulnerable children and families affected by the conflict.
"By adding our partnership with 4Ukraine.ca to our support to SOS Children's Villages, we are able to lend help to Ukrainians internally displaced in Ukraine, as well as those who have fled the country and wish to relocate to Canada," added Guérard.
To date, 4Ukraine.ca has raised over $65,000 in donations and secured a partnership with FlightHub for $100,000 worth of flights.
To support families and make this offer available to more qualifying Ukrainians, Canadians can donate directly on the 4Ukraine.ca website. Employers looking to hire Ukrainians and individuals wishing to host Ukrainians can also find information at 4Ukraine.ca's website.
