Canada is unique among countries receiving refugees in that citizens, in groups of five, can pledge to support a refugee by offering financial assistance, covering health-care costs and offering guidance in finding work and making the transition to Canadian life. That program was created in response to the Vietnamese migration of 1979. It was initially seen as a supplement to government sponsorship but has since grown substantially.

“Consider becoming a sponsor. You will have lots of help from existing agencies,” said Ratna Omidvar, the chairwoman of Lifeline Syria and executive director of the Global Diversity Exchange at Ryerson University. “This is something individual Canadians can do to contribute, because many people feel powerless in the face of these global crises.”

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