Ukraine’s consulate general has opened in Edmonton, the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta, the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported on Saturday. According to the report, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin took part in the ceremonial events on the occasion of the opening of the consulate.
“This is a landmark event, through which Ukraine recognizes the special role played by the Ukrainian community in the west of Canada and which opens the door for trade and investment contacts,” Klimkin said after a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The province of Alberta is home to more than 350,000 Canadians of Ukrainian descent. The new consulate general of Ukraine will also service other provinces of Western Canada – Saskatchewan, British Columbia, as well as Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
“This is a pragmatic decision. It is based on geography and on the powerful business potential in Alberta. This is also an emotional decision – we are repaying the debt to the Ukrainians of Prairies who, for generations, built Canada, preserving the dream of an independent Ukraine,” Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the consulate general in Edmonton became the first consulate opened by Ukraine after the beginning of Russian aggression. Prior to that, Ukraine had the embassy in Ottawa and the consulate in Toronto.
