The Calgary Refugee Health Clinic turned to crowdfunding in October 2024 after learning that its main operational support from the Mosaic Primary Care Network would end on April 1, 2025. The clinic said it needed at least $300,000 to maintain its lease and basic operations while seeking a durable funding replacement.
Care designed around refugee needs
Medical director Dr. Rachel Talavlikar said the clinic’s work went beyond treating one symptom or writing a prescription. Newcomer patients could face language and cultural barriers, unfamiliarity with the health system and complex needs shaped by displacement.
Effective refugee care may require interpretation, longer appointments, coordination with settlement services, mental-health support and help navigating referrals. Those functions consume resources not always reflected in a standard fee for a brief visit.
Why Mosaic withdrew
Mosaic said it had supported the Calgary Refugee Health Society since 2013. It stated that patient volume and complexity had grown beyond the capacity of the primary care network’s mandate.
That explanation did not mean the need disappeared. It indicated a mismatch between a specialized regional service and the mandate or funding model of one partner, creating a responsibility for health authorities and governments to decide where the programme belonged.
The crowdfunding target
The clinic described $300,000 as the minimum needed to keep the location open. Crowdfunding can bridge an urgent gap and demonstrate community support, but it is uncertain and requires repeated public appeals.
Clinical staffing, interpretation and continuity cannot safely depend only on whether a campaign goes viral. Donors should use the clinic’s verified channel, review how funds will be used and understand whether a charitable receipt applies.
Continuity is a clinical issue
Closure or rapid transfer can interrupt medication, testing, vaccination, prenatal care and chronic-disease follow-up. Patients with limited English or incomplete records may have difficulty re-explaining histories in a new setting.
A responsible transition needs consent-based record transfer, current medication lists, clear contact information and named receiving providers. The funding deadline left time for planning, but only if organizations acted before the final months.
Measuring the service
A case for public funding should include patient volume, wait times, complexity, referral completion, preventable emergency visits and outcomes. It should also value interpretation and navigation as part of safe care rather than optional extras.
Patient stories can explain impact, but consent and privacy are essential. Refugees should not have to disclose trauma publicly to justify access to routine health services.
Who should carry the cost
Refugee settlement involves federal, provincial, municipal and community systems, while provincial health authorities generally organize medical delivery. Stable support may therefore require more than one funder and a clear lead agency.
The 2024 appeal exposed the fragility of relying on a single network for a service whose demand had outgrown that network. Community donations could keep doors open temporarily. Long-term success required a funded model that recognized complex care, protected continuity and made specialized newcomer health part of the system rather than an annual emergency.
That decision could not safely wait for the crowdfunding deadline.
