Most privately sponsored refugees live in large cities like Toronto, Winnipeg, and Ottawa. However, many also settle in small towns and rural areas across Canada. Evidence on rural sponsorship is quite limited and generally confirms the nuanced findings from research on rural resettlement. On the one hand, rurality is linked to peaceful life, relatively low cost of living, and strong community ties. On the other hand, it also relates to important structural issues, such as lack of job and study opportunities, limited access to social services, and inadequate public transport. In this episode, we focus on the challenges and opportunities that small towns and rural areas present to sponsors and sponsored newcomers. Our guest speaker is Don Boddy from rural Manitoba, who has both professional and personal experience with refugee sponsorship.

You can find more information about refugee sponsorship in rural and small communities in this knowledge brief: https://refugeehub.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Sponsorship-in-Rural-and-Small-Communities.pdf