Who are We?

City of Refuge is a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) with Immigration, Refugee & Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Our refugee sponsorship ministry is funded by the Free Reformed Churches of North America.

The Book of James challenges and inspires every community of faith to examine our actions corporately and personally. The way we love our neighbors is a response to God's love for every single one of us. City of Refuge supports churches who in turn sponsor vulnerable Christian families.

Many families are facing real struggles, hardships and persecution only because they love Christ. As people of faith, City of Refuge through Christ’s love and Biblical direction, responds with a compassion fueled by our common love of Jesus to help these families to safety and security. We seek to serve the Lord by identifying persecuted Christians and facilitate their arrival to Canada for supporting churches to receive, sponsor and care for them.

City of Refuge - Private Sponsorship of Refugees (PSR) video

Who is a Refugee?

No one becomes a refugee by choice. All kinds of people are refugees. Refugees are forced to flee from their country of origin due to fear for their lives and liberty. The United Nations defines a refugee as a person who ”owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.” This definition was established in the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the status of refugees.

International Response to Refugees

The international community helps refugees find lasting, or durable solutions to refugee situations. Before considering a refugee for resettlement the visa officer will consider whether conditions have sufficiently changed in their Country of Origin to allow them to return in safety and with dignity. The second consideration would be whether local integration may be possible if their Country of Asylum grants them the right to work, attend school, and freely move about the country. Only if neither of the first two options is possible, will the refugee be considered for resettlement. Less than 1% of refugees are resettled internationally each year to a third country.

Canada’s Response to Refugees

The 1976 Immigration Act was a milestone in Canada’s response to refugees, establishing refugees as a class distinct from immigrants. The 2002 Immigration and Refugee Protection Act clarified the humanitarian goals of the program which was established to offer protection and a durable solution to refugees in need of resettlement.

Canada is one of the few countries in the world which annually offers resettlement to thousands of government and private sponsored refugees. Private sponsorship does not rely on public resources but rather taps into the energy and funds of faith communities, ethnic groups, families, and other benevolent associations. Private sponsors may name the refugee they wish to offer the opportunity to be interviewed by Canadian Immigration for resettlement and offer the refugee personalized local support which the government is not able to provide.

Our Priorities

City of Refuge bases its mandate to provide assistance on Gal 6:10 “as we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Canada's private sponsorship program increases the number of refugees resettled to Canada, however, all refugees must be interviewed by a Canadian Visa officer to determine if they meet Canada’s criteria for eligibility as well as admissibility requirements.

Persecuted Christians

Many people flee because of religious persecution. The map below created by Open Doors shows the levels of persecution experienced by Christians all around the world - based on the degree of freedom a Christian has to live out their faith in five spheres of life (private, family, community, national, and church life).

Open Doors Map