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Orphaned 10-year-old South African girl finally allowed to come to B.C.

After 4-year battle, Ryleigh Ridland will live with her great aunt in Shawnigan Lake

An orphaned 10-year-old South African girl whose great aunt has been trying to bring to her home on Vancouver Island for almost four years has finally been granted permanent residence status in Canada.

Lisa Pyne-Mercier, who is originally from South Africa and now lives in Shawnigan Lake, said she received an email from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on Jan. 31 stating the decision was made to allow her great neice Ryleigh Ridland to emigrate to Canada, and she now has 50 days to prepare her passport and complete other bureaucratic paperwork.

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