Canada grants permanent residency to relatives of Ottawa mass stabbing victims
Canada approved permanent residency for the brother and father of an Ottawa man whose wife and four children were killed in 2024. Their lawyer says they plan to sponsor family members denied visitor visas.
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By Torontoer Staff
Canada has approved permanent residency for the brother and father of an Ottawa man whose wife and four children were killed in a mass stabbing in March 2024. The approvals were granted earlier this month, the family’s immigration lawyer says, and the two men are now awaiting their permanent resident cards.
The two relatives came to Canada after the killings to support the surviving father, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, and sought federal help last year as they faced immigration challenges. Their lawyer, Ronalee Carey, confirmed the approvals and said the brother plans to sponsor his wife and daughter, who were previously denied visitor visas.
Who received approvals and what it means
Carey, who represents the family, said both the brother and the father had their permanent residency applications approved earlier this month and are now waiting for their cards to be issued. Permanent resident status allows them to live and work in Canada and access provincial services, which the lawyer said will help stabilise the family’s situation after a traumatic year.
Both the brother and father had their applications approved earlier this month and are now just waiting for their cards to arrive. The brother is planning to sponsor his wife and daughter, who previously were denied visitor visas that would allow them to travel to Canada.
Ronalee Carey, immigration lawyer
Family’s immigration challenges and next steps
The relatives travelled to Canada following the March 2024 attack to provide support for Wickramasinghe. Last year they raised their immigration concerns with the federal government. With permanent residency approved, the immediate administrative step is receipt of the PR cards, which serve as official proof of status and make travel and access to services easier.
Carey said the brother intends to sponsor his wife and daughter for immigration to Canada. Sponsorship for family class permanent residence is a separate process and includes financial and eligibility requirements. The family has previously faced visitor visa denials for those relatives, which prevented them from travelling to Canada for support and mourning.
- Permanent resident cards must be issued before the men can easily travel outside Canada and return without additional documentation.
- Sponsorship applications for spouses and dependent children require proof of relationship, background checks and financial undertakings by the sponsor.
- Previous visitor visa denials will be considered in future applications, and the family may need to address those grounds in any new submissions.
Background of the attack and legal outcome
In March 2024, Febrio De-Zoysa killed Darshani Ekanayake, her four children, including a two-month-old infant, and their family friend Gamini Amarakoon in a townhouse in Ottawa. Wickramasinghe, the children’s father, was injured but survived. De-Zoysa pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison last fall.
The killings prompted public attention and support efforts for the surviving family members. The arrival of relatives from Sri Lanka was part of a broader effort to provide immediate emotional and practical support after the attack.
Practical impacts of permanent residency
Permanent residency brings concrete benefits that can matter in the short term after a crisis. New permanent residents are generally eligible for provincial health coverage, can seek employment without work permits, and acquire the ability to sponsor certain family members for immigration to Canada. Those rights do not equate to citizenship, and some federal and provincial programs require residency waiting periods.
For families navigating trauma and legal matters, having stable immigration status reduces one layer of uncertainty. It can also change interactions with social services, health care systems and community supports.
What comes next for the family
With approvals in hand and PR cards pending, the family’s next steps will focus on sponsorship applications and settling logistics. The brother’s plan to sponsor his wife and daughter will require a new application and supporting documentation to address the earlier visitor visa refusals.
- Receive permanent resident cards and confirm access to provincial services
- Submit or prepare family-class sponsorship for the wife and daughter
- Work with legal counsel to address previous visa refusals and strengthen any new applications
The Canadian Press first published this report on Jan. 19, 2026. The family’s lawyer provided details on the approvals and planned sponsorships; no further government comment was available at the time of publication.
For the relatives of victims, permanent residency represents a step toward greater stability after a violent loss. The approvals do not undo what happened, but they offer a legal foundation for the family to rebuild and pursue reunification with relatives still abroad.
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