Refugee mental health: How Canada supports the world’s most vulnerable in their transition to becoming Canadian

Canada has been a sanctuary for refugees for many generations and is currently involved in welcoming a new cohort of Syrian refu­gees. Refugees represent a vulnerable population in Canada who require support in order to establish themselves and prevent the onset of mental illness. This article briefly describes Canada’s experience with refugees and then explores issues faced by incoming Syrians focusing specifically on factors contributing to refugee mental health. It is evident that refugees face incredible difficulties on their journey but that the various support systems in Canada significantly bolster their resilience to mental health issues.