Hello kind folks, I need help for stability and to turn the corner toward resolving my precarious status in Canada. Very grateful for chances to connect with friendly people in recent activities, yet with urgent need it's been high stress outside those occasions.

I’m from the US, was part of lots of art and community spirit in the SF Bay Area, left the West Coast after 18 years and went back to school in Montreal in 2017. Challenged by French required to immigrate and stay in Quebec, I moved to Halifax in 2022 hoping to more easily qualify for Permanent Residency. I found some great artists and organizers that kept me going there, but major housing crises including pervading mold, lack of success connecting with permanent employment I could sustainably do, and isolating significant loss of size of community, drove me in late 2024 to pursue better chances in Toronto.

Immigration law is changing and now more restrictive; multiple factors since arriving in Toronto have set me back on goals to figure out my best options for immigrating and for making income. Recently, an immigration law consultant’s first assessment of my current situation has confirmed that apart from a partner willing to spousally sponsor my Permanent Residency application, I don’t now qualify for a Work Permit-based application that would allow me to stay in Canada; the remaining alternative is applying to be granted PR on Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds.

Overwhelm for months has delayed my next steps, including from terrible behaviour by the moving company I hired for transporting my belongings from Nova Scotia, leaving many important items ruined and many never delivered, which I’ll have to take legal action on. Also, from consecutive passings of two dear disabled friends in the US, and lots of liaising with other bereaved comrades there. My own physical and mental health’s declined, I became so broke that I needed help to cover a bit of rent this summer, and recently at the edge of autumn, I was hit by a car, and have been less able to work while recovering.

💢

A most recent immigration consult advised on my particular work eligibility questions, and I'm taking steps I can to pick up more stabilizing income in December, while slowly healing continues from being hit:  two fractures, with wrist quite injured, mobility and hand capacity still limited, recurring vertigo level higher, other concussion symptoms and higher pain. I've survived very serious previous collisions with impacts this accident compounds.

I’m updating public profiles to share my skills and availability for independent contractor jobs, and truly appreciate leads from US, CA and UK-based folks. More on my professional experience, fields of interest and projects in development will be at www.questletters.net and www.linkedin.com/in/seeley-q as soon as I can manage. I also welcome accountability support to build those interfaces as spaces of exchange. :) Deep thanks for folks able to stay in touch outside social media too.

In Canada 8.5+ years now, I want to visit loved ones in the US but not to live there again, and it feels quite unsafe for me to return there at this time; if I had to go back before getting PR, I wouldn’t be readmitted to CA. Starting my PR app now via the H and C option is essential to enable future travel to family in the US, also to shift my status to be eligible for basic government services, and to independently apply for most arts project funding.  I'm still languishing in many ways without having a PR status resolved.

I’ve gotten by low income a long time: even while relying many months on free and discount food, minimizing costs and not getting basic health care, I’ve done all I can to move forward multiple art-based projects for social change. Just being able to finally submit a PR application will offer relief, enabling more focus on confirming ongoing adequate employment, and anchor more capacity for my community contributions. It will clarify when I can travel south with less fear (the H and C app will take an est. 20 months to process), and how I can support family members there while apart.

My sister, only sibling, is also a disabled artist and community worker, who recently fled abuse and needs funds ASAP following a move out of state, to stabilize in a locale new to her before she confirms employment.  This situation becoming Urgent delayed focus on my needs too.

As well, my current housing is transitioning; after much effort I’m moving Dec. 15 to a new shared household, and am starting to pickup more paying gigs, yet need funds for moving costs in the city. I can get support for some health care needs eventually from insurance of driver who hit me, but need to cover many basics now out of pocket too. I’ve found a coach with specific training that I think will really help me with some skills work and orienting to things I must prioritize.  Funds are needed to do more than just survive in limbo.

💢

*THANK YOU!* to those who helped me finish covering earlier costs this summer, and all who have donated, offered loans, or helped share this campaign info so far.  All support is so appreciated!

Needed to help cover essentials for December:
It looks like my monthly Minimum expenses will be near the same where I'm moving: $2500. 
Moving van, labour and gas: $500.
H&C app: $720 for govt fees.  Passport renewal fee (now expired): $160.  
Sole proprietor business registration (to enable more contract work): $60.

Bike repair/parts replacing, crash phone camera damage, and immediate healthcare costs (incl. naturopathic supplies) $500.
—> $4,500 CAD asked.
Stretch goal: 
$7000 (I'd love to share $1.5K toward sister's housing and move costs, and use another $1K for Jan. support while building income).

Any amounts beyond the minimum needed (it covers minimal groceries, no savings, no big ticket items) will go toward: 

healthcare / therapy; loan repayment (my credit history is good); 

my sister and disabled mom; other comrades internationally.

While organizing to sell extra belongings of mine when I can, and pick up new remote work and freelance contracts, any cushion would make all the difference. The stress of precarity is taking an exhausting toll, so I'm determined to get the supports I need to make the impact that I can.

I miss amie in Montreal, homies of Halifax and across Canada, in the PNW, kin in the Bay and around the US, comrades in Europe, and afar - I welcome reconnecting remotely as part of my striving for healthier relations. Big appreciation for all fine folks I’m connecting to in TO also; I look forward to co-living and contributing more in the city in good ways.

I’m open for direct inquiries and ideas, and discussing loans with an agreement of at least three months before expected repayment. 
*Also, I welcome TO folks who could visit to help with some manual and cognitive tasks, including for mid-Dec. MOVE; email to discuss.
Thanks truly for consideration, and sharing this to those who might help.

*Note* - it seems contributions to this campaign via Stripe or PayPal get fees taken out; the Fundrazr connection for now signals to them that I'm getting funds for business as a merchant, thus fees are taken from each donation....
So Please:

* e-transfer in CA (no code needed):  squesting @pm.me *  or

* contribute directly via PayPal, skip Fundrazr and send as 'friends and family' to:  touchtoheal @pm.me *

THANK YOU, seeley quest (sie/hir)

Photos are:  me, a white person, on left at a mic as I often am presenting performances, at Theatre Passe Muraille by Jae Yang;

on right with green trees, in Halifax by Annie Bowers.  In gallery:  pic taken in mirror showing big arm contusion and bruising coming out, photo of bike with especially wheels damaged by car and unusable, and image of bike repair estimate.