Sault’s latest Habitat homeowners ready to move in
A family in Sault Ste. Marie who fled the civil war in Syria has become the area’s newest Habitat for Humanity homeowners. The Barakat family moved to Canada in 2016 as refugees, and are now ready to move into their new home and onto to a new chapter of their lives.
Staff from Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie & Area, donors and local dignitaries joined the Barakats for a ribbon cutting ceremony and to help them celebrate.
"We are very excited for our new home," said Ahmad Barakat.
"A home accessible for (my) wheelchair, more space, especially for the kids, they have a backyard. We are very, very excited."
Ahmad suffered a spinal injury years ago and he depends on a wheelchair for mobility. He and his wife, Manal, are expecting their fourth child in May.
"I feel like a special something has happened to me and my life," said Manal.
"New chapter to my life and my family's life."
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Katie Blunt, Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie & Area’s executive director, said the Barakats applied for a ‘Habitat home’ in the past, but were deemed ineligible for various reasons – adding this family's story should serve as encouragement for families in similar situations.
"They kept applying, and now they're successful, now they own a Habitat home," said Blunt.
"If you're not eligible for a ‘Habitat home’ at one point, please continue applying, because you could be eligible in the future."
To stay up-to-date about Sault-area Habitat for Humanity projects, follow them on Twitter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.