Our Vision
Canada wins when newcomers become independent faster.
We're building the system that makes that possible — and proving it works.
The current system wasn't built for speed.
Most newcomers arrive in Canada ready to work, learn, and contribute. But the programs designed to help them are slow, expensive, and hard to access. Language classes have long waitlists and large class sizes. Canadians who want to help don't have an easy way to get involved. The result is that newcomers take far longer than necessary to become independent — and that's bad for everyone.
Refugees don't just need charity. They need opportunity.
Haven bridges two unmet needs at once: refugees who want to become independent Canadians, and Canadians who want to do something meaningful about global crises but don't know where to start. By focusing on language as the path to independence and direct human connection as the path to belonging, Haven consistently outperforms larger, better-funded programs.
When a newcomer improves their English and connects with a Canadian, they don't just feel more welcome — they find jobs faster, build networks sooner, and become contributing members of their communities. That's good for refugees, good for Canadians, and good for Canada.
Haven's model works.
Haven students improve their language skills faster and at a fraction of the cost of traditional programs. And Haven makes it easier for Canadians to help than any system before it — just a conversation, and a connection that can last a lifetime.
5,000+
matches between refugees and Canadian volunteers
1,000+
refugees have participated in our full language program
2×
faster English improvement than traditional programs, for far less cost
Haven was built out of necessity.
Haven's founder Victor started helping refugees in 2016 with the Syrian crisis — with a 2,600 km bike ride from Toronto to St. John's and a 52 km swim across Lake Ontario to sponsor Syrian families.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Victor was on the ground on day four. As Ukrainians began arriving in Canada, he started connecting them with Canadians who could help — in the big ways and the small ones. He set up a Google Sheet to do it.
That Google Sheet became Haven. Since 2022, our team has been helping refugees from across the world become independent in Canada — and making it easier for Canadians to help.
Canada can be the world's best country at refugee resettlement. We're building that system.
Technology makes it possible to help refugees at scale, faster than ever before, at a fraction of the current cost. Haven is proving that a better system exists — one where refugees become independent faster, Canadians can help directly and meaningfully, and Canada becomes stronger for it.
Be part of Haven
Whether you're a newcomer looking for support or a Canadian ready to help, Haven is for you.