The youngest son of the late Manuel de Jesús Rico Ayala and María Teresa Martínez Viuda de Rico, loving husband of Dolores (Loly) Elizabeth Bolaños de Rico, father of three children, Manuel Alejandro Rico Bolaños, Ana Teresa Rico Bolaños (Mark) and Giovanni Francisco Rico Bolaños (Karla), influential grandfather to Cassandra Elena Rico-Simbulan, Zoë Camila Rico-Hernandez, and Mateo Francisco Xavier Rico-Hernandez, Francisco was born in the city of Santa Ana, El Salvador in 1958.

He was a pacifist revolutionary who was a trained lawyer in El Salvador and had a Master’s in Economy from Costa Rica. He was forced to leave his beloved country in 1990 due to his work as a defender of Human Rights during the El Salvadorian Civil war. Francisco came to Canada with his pregnant wife and two children as refugees.

As he established himself and his family in Canada, he became painfully aware of the plight of migrants in Canada. With great pride and with the help of the Sisters, Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ), as well as his adoring wife, they founded what is now known as the FCJ Refugee Centre almost 30 years ago. This gained him many accolades including being the first refugee to be President of the Canadian Council for Refugees, a recipient of the YMCA Peace Medallion and the William P. Hubbard Race Relations award.

As a committed husband, loving father, and joyous grandfather, Francisco lived to better the lives of everyone he would encounter, specifically those who were marginalized. Francisco was steadfast in the face of injustice making sure that all who could hear him would be aware.

An Advocate for a just and fair immigration system, he would educate anyone who would hear him on the rights and the plight of migrants, not just in Canada but around the world.

Francisco leaves a Legacy of love and hope.

The family would like to thank the Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care team at Mount Sinai as well Sonia and Bola (FCJ Youth network members) who were very caring and gave Francisco the dignified care he deserved, and to thank all of his many friends and colleagues who sent beautiful tributes and consoling messages.

If you want to leave a message in memory of Francisco or to support his family and friends, you can do so by sending an email to:
celebratingfrancisco@fcjrefugeecentre.org
You can also share your thoughts through our social media.

Francisco Rico-Martínez, co-director of FCJ Refugee Centre, was diagnosed with cancer last year and, at this point, it is clear that he doesn’t have much time left. He is at home and they are working to keep him comfortable. As you can imagine, this is very hard on Loly and his family, as well as all of us who have worked with him.

We have all been so comforted by the countless messages of love, hope and prayers that continue to pour in. Loly remains by Francisco’s side, and continues to read your messages to him. In order to make sure we receive each one, we have established an e-mail address where messages can be sent. Please feel free to send your messages to

celebratingfrancisco@fcjrefugeecentre.org

In the coming days, we’ll have a virtual mural where everyone will be welcome to share messages, and we will be sure to continue updating you.

Thank you for your love and solidarity in all times, but especially now as we join together to celebrate our mentor, our leader, and our dear friend.

On July 25, hundreds of migrants and their allies from across the country marched in Ottawa demanding the Federal Government to grant full and permanent immigration status for all migrants.

This year we had a very special Open House, with the launching of our 30th anniversary celebrations, surrounded by friends and supporters. Thank you so much to everyone for making this great journey possible!

If you missed it or just want to enjoy it again, here is the video:

You can attend a mobile/pop-up clinic in Toronto and the GTA to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Many of these clinics have special eligibility criteria, including postal code and age. Most pop-up/mobile clinics do not require an appointment and are on a first-come, first serve basis as vaccine supplies last.

Pop-up/mobile clinics are delivering either Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Most pop-up sites require some form of ID (health card, driver’s license, passport, refugee ID, photo ID), and proof of address/employment/school (utilities bill, employment letter, pay stub, letter from government agency, bank statement, lease agreement, student ID).

You do not need to have an OHIP number. The vaccine is free.

The information and the map above are provided by The Vaccine Access Hub, a website run by a volunteer-based team, with no commercial interest, and with the aim to consolidate information about Toronto and GTA COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, and provide information to help overcome barriers to accessing COVID-19 vaccinations. information on this website was sourced from clinic, city, region and provincial government websites.

While every effort has been made to update the website, accuracy is not guaranteed. Please confirm eligibility directly yourself prior to booking a vaccine appointment or going to a vaccine pop-up site.

Offical Government of Ontario website: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/

The City of Toronto is partnering with the FCJ Refugee Centre to help people without an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Toronto.

To get assistance booking a vaccination appointment at a City-operated immunization clinic, please send an email to vaccine@fcjrefugeecentre.org and include your complete name, phone and date of birth. You can also fill out and submit a form here.

We are also hosting vaccination clinics organized by the University Health Network’s Social Medicine Program and the Women’s College Hospital’s Crossroads Clinic for Refugees.

Toronto Newcomer Day is an annual event held in May that welcomes newcomers to Toronto, helps them understand and access a range of services, and celebrates their contributions to the city.

The event features a number of activities including a formal stage program, a citizenship ceremony for new Canadians, tours of City Hall, a newcomer marketplace, and an information fair.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will be virtual to ensure the safety of all Toronto residents.

For more information about Toronto Newcomer Day, please visit toronto.ca/newcomerday.

• Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2021
• Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Location: toronto.ca/newcomerday

Our Spring 2021 Newsletter is ready! Check it out and find information about our new video, in which we tell you how we keep providing all our services during these difficult times; our Child Minding and English Classes programs; the FCJ Refugee Centre support in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign; our webinars, informative sessions and podcasts; the activities of the FCJ Youth Network, and much more.

Click here to access the document if you can’t see it in this page.

The City of Toronto is partnering with the FCJ Refugee Centre to help people without an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card get the COVID-19 vaccine in Toronto.

The Province of Ontario has clearly stated that if you do not have an Ontario health card at all, you are still eligible for the vaccine.

Residents without an OHIP card who meet the current vaccine eligibility criteria may use other forms of identification to book their COVID-19 vaccination appointment.

To get assistance booking a vaccination appointment at a City-operated immunization clinic, please send an email to vaccine@fcjrefugeecentre.org including:

• Complete Name
• Local Phone Number
• Date of Birth
• Which dose you are getting (First / Second)

Or just fill out and submit the following form:

For any additional information, please contact vaccine@fcjrefugeecentre.org

The Federal Government introduced a new pathway to permanent residency for up to 90,000 foreign nationals working in Canada in essential jobs such as personal support and health services, and international graduates already in Canada, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced Wednesday.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada provided a list of occupations that are deemed essential. It includes people in a wide range of skilled trades, such as electricians and metal workers, along with farm workers, cashiers, home child care providers and French immersion teachers, among others.

To be eligible, workers must have at least one year of Canadian work experience in one of 40 different health care jobs or 95 other pre-approved essential jobs. Graduates must have completed an eligible Canadian post-secondary program over the last four years.

Warning: The information provided below has no legal value. This information was taken from the Immigration website on April 15, 2021 and is subject to change without notice.

This 90,000 permanent residencies are separated in two different programs:

1. Temporary Residents with recent work experience in Canada (50,000 applications):

Work experience needs to be equivalent to 12 months full-time work experience in Canada in the last 3 years and will be divided in two different streams:

• Stream A (20,000 applications): Work experience in many health care occupations
• Stream B (30,000 applications): Work experience in many fields like cashiers, construction, security, farm workers, cleaners, etc.

To be eligible, besides the 1-year work experience they also need:

• English proficiency: CLB 4
• Reside in Canada with valid temporary resident status (or be eligible to restore their status) and be physically present in Canada at the time the application for permanent residence is received and when the application is approved
• Be employed in Canada in any occupation at the time that the application for permanent residence is received

For full information on this program and the full list of occupations that will be part of this program, please access:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/public-policies/trpr-canadian-work-experience.html#shr-pg0

2. Temporary Residents who graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution and were granted in the last 3 years (40,000):

• A degree (Associate, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate) which must be a degree issued on completion of a program of at least 8 months in duration;
• A degree, diploma, certificate, or attestation issued on completion of a program of any duration leading to an occupation in a skilled trade
• One or more diploma/certificate/attestation where the following conditions are met: For diplomas/certificates/attestations, each program of study must be at least 8 months in duration and the combined length of the credential(s) must be equivalent to a two-year credential (at least 16 months in duration).

Besides the post-secondary certificate(s):

• English proficiency: CLB 5
• Be employed in Canada with a valid permit or authorization to work pursuant to the Act and Regulations at the time the application for permanent residence is received and must not be self-employed
• Reside in Canada with valid temporary resident status (or be eligible to restore their status) and be physically present in Canada at the time the application for permanent residence is received and when the application is approved

For full information on this program and the full list of skilled trades that will be part of this program, please access:

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/policies-operational-instructions-agreements/public-policies/trpr-international-graduates.html

Both public policies come into effect on May 6, 2021 and will end on November 5, 2021 or once 90,000 applications have been received, whichever comes first.

In solidarity with all of those who have been left behind during this pandemic, the FCJ Refugee Centre has been determined to be an open door in a global lockdown. We have been more active than ever, and we want to share some of this with you. Transparency is our way to say thank you to everyone helping us.

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Toronto has expanded to refugee homes in the city, with hospital teams operating several pop-up clinics.

On Tuesday, over 50 residents and staff at the FCJ Refugee Centre received their vaccines, in a vaccination day organized by the University Health Network’s Social Medicine Program and the Women’s College Hospital’s Crossroads Clinic for Refugees.

“This is a historical moment,” said Loly Rico, Co-Director of the FCJ Refugee Centre. “It is the first day of a vaccination campaign that we believe, and we hope, that we can continue doing,” she added.

“This is a chance for the society. The idea is to open thee space for people that need to have an easy access to the vaccine,” she explained.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Co-Director Francisco Rico-Martinez.

Rico-Martinez explained that, even if the vaccine is free and available to all residents in Canada, regardless of their immigration status, “some of our residents thought they wouldn’t get the vaccine because they aren’t citizens, or because they haven’t any immigration status or health coverage.”

“Sometimes they get the impression sometimes that they don’t exist in society, and they were recognized today,” he added.

More information: Webinar: What you need to know about the COVID-19 vaccines

Read also: ‘It’s a dream come true’ as COVID-19 vaccine rollout expands to city’s refugee homes (Toronto Star)

Ontario has a three-phase plan that prioritizes COVID-19 vaccines for those at greatest risk of severe illness and those who care for them. The province is currently completing Phase 1 of the plan.

Phase 1

High-risk populations (approximately 1.8 million people)

When

• December 2020 – March 2021

Who

• Congregate living for seniors
• Health care workers
• Adults in First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations
• Adult chronic home care recipients
• Adults over 80 years old

Where

• Distribution through hospital site clinics, mobile teams, site-specific clinics, mass vaccination clinics (late March)

Phase 2

Mass deliveries of vaccines (approximately 9 million people)

When

• April 2021 – July 2021

Who

• Adults aged 60 to 79, in 5-year increments
• High-risk congregate settings (such as shelters, community living)
• Individuals with high-risk chronic conditions and their caregivers
• Those who cannot work from home
• At-risk populations

Where

• Distribution through: mass vaccination clinics, pharmacies, primary care, site-specific clinics, mobile teams, mobile sites, public health units

Phase 3

Steady state

When

• July 2021 onwards

Who

• Adults 59 years and younger

Where

• Distribution through: mass vaccination clinics, pharmacies, primary care, site-specific clinics, mobile teams, mobile sites, public health units

If there is limited supply, people will be vaccinated in the order in which they are listed. Learn how the priorities are determined.

All timelines are subject to change depending on vaccine supply.

Booking a vaccination

Ontario’s vaccine booking system is now available:

How to book a vaccine »

Check with your public health unit

Each public health unit is developing a vaccine plan tailored to their own community’s needs. Local plans will align with Ontario’s vaccine distribution plan and ethical framework. Find your public health unit and check their website for details about vaccination in your area.

Find your public health unit »

More information on the Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccination plan website »