The Town of View Royal and two of its councillors are donating to the Canadian Red Cross to help Ukraine, and they’re challenging other B.C. municipalities to follow suit.
Council unanimously passed a motion to send $10,000 to the Red Cross. Mayor David Screech noted the donation will become $20,000 when the federal government matches the contribution.
Since View Royal receives revenue from Elements Casino, there is no direct cost to the taxpayer, Screech said.
In addition to the $10,000 donation, councillors Ron Mattson and Damian Kowalewich announced they will be sending their usual $1,500 municipal stipend for one month to the Red Cross for Ukraine.
Mattson’s grandparents on his mother’s side were from the Ukraine, leaving there to farm in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. He said he discussed the idea of giving a month’s stipend to the Red Cross with wife Linda, who was in favour of it.
He’s challenging other capital region council members to follow suit, he said.
Mattson said he was in Odesa, Ukraine, shortly before the pandemic began and found it to be a beautiful city, one that’s now under attack.
Kowalewich, whose great-grandfather was born in the city of Borshchiv in western Ukraine, has been liaising with the Ukrainian Cultural Centre on behalf of View Royal council, with the goal of helping with resources when refugees arrive here. He said he’s also looking at organizing more donations.
If area residents are wondering what they can do to help, they can support the cultural centre and the Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre, help to provide housing for refugees and donate, he said. “There are things you can do locally that will have an effect globally.”
