Question Period Note: Canada's Matching Fund with the Canadian Red Cross in Response to the Ukraine Conflict

How will the funds provided by the Canadian government as part of the matching fund with the Canadian Red Cross be used to respond to the needs of people affected by the conflict in Ukraine

• Canada is deeply concerned by the needs of people affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
• To support growing humanitarian needs, Canada launched a matching fund with the Canadian Red Cross on February 25th, 2022.
• For every dollar donated by individuals to the Canadian Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal between February 24 and March 18, 2022, the government will provide one dollar, up to a total of $10 million.
• Global Affairs Canada will transfer the matching funds to the Canadian Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal, to support activities inside Ukraine implemented by the Red Cross Movement including those of the Ukrainian Red Cross.
• Canada's humanitarian funding will help support preparedness, provide immediate and ongoing relief efforts to people affected by the conflict inside Ukraine, including ensuring people's access to basic services such as health, water and sanitation, shelter, and food security.

Since the onset of the crisis in 2014, Canada has provided over $64 million in humanitarian assistance funding to Ukraine. Given the recent conflict escalation, humanitarian needs are expected to rise very significantly and include civilian casualties, damage to power and water infrastructure, and displacement of Ukrainians largely towards the west of the country and into the wider region.

To respond to growing needs, Canada has allocated $25 million in humanitarian assistance in 2022. This includes $15 million to experienced humanitarian partners in Ukraine who can respond flexibly to the situation as it continues to evolve and up to $10 million to the Canadian Red Cross through the Matching Fund for their Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal launched on February 24, 2022.
The matching fund is a tool for the Government to recognize the generosity and engagement of Canadians in response to this humanitarian crisis. It is also a means to reinforce the response of the Red Cross Movement to address the immediate humanitarian needs stemming from the crisis.
Canada will match every donation made by individual Canadians to the Canadian Red Cross between February 24, 2022, and March 18, 2022, up to a maximum of $10 million. The Canadian Red Cross will in turn allocate the total amount of funding to support the efforts of the Red Cross Movement operations, including the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement responses. In addition to provide life-saving assistance to conflict-affected populations, this support may include the deployment of surge capacity resources such as emergency response units and experts.
With pre-existing conflict dynamics, the Red Cross Movement is expected to have the earliest and best access to affected populations as well as the ability to provide multi-sector support.

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