An "impatient" Ontario businessman weary of lengthy, bureaucratic processes that can keep refugees out of their host countries is personally ending the waiting game for 50 Syrian families.

Jim Estill says he's spending at least $1.5 million to privately sponsor the families and help them settle in the southern Ontario city of Guelph.

He's also mobilizing the community to provide everything from housing, language training, clothing and career counselling to the new arrivals.

Estill's efforts illustrate the complexities of Canada's private refugee sponsorship program, under which sponsors commit to meeting all of a newcomer's needs for the first few months of their time in Canada.

Estill says he hopes to see families start arriving in the next six to eight weeks.

He says the decision to sponsor a handful of families in need was an easy one for him to make.

"It's a humanitarian crisis. It needs to be dealt with, and I wasn't finding that other organizations or government were doing things fast enough," Estill said in a telephone interview.

"I'm a businessperson, I'm very impatient, and we should just do it now."

The wheels of Canada's refugee system do not always turn quickly, particularly when newcomers are being brought to the country by private sponsors rather than via a government-run program.

Guidelines published by Citizenship and Immigration Canada spell out the process, complete with the many restrictions in place at each stage.

Only certain classes of refugees are eligible for private sponsorship, and those sponsorships can only be undertaken by groups or individuals prepared to assume the considerable responsibilities of resettling new arrivals.

There are also slightly different regulations for those identifying a specific refugee to sponsor and those who are willing to be matched with pre-approved applicants, but in both cases the expectations are the same -- sponsors must be prepared to handle all of a refugee's expenses for either the first year of their residency or until they become self-sufficient, whichever comes soonest.

This entails providing a standard of living that's at least in line with social assistance levels in the sponsor's home province. In Estill's case, he estimates needing to spend a minimum of $30,000 for each family that enters the community.

While he's perfectly prepared to put up the cash, the logistics of welcoming and establishing 50 families are beyond the scope of one individual, he said.

To that end, he's been working his way through community contacts to persuade people to contribute.

"All of what we're doing is volunteerism," Estill said. "We're not paying anybody, we're just calling friends and saying, 'listen, I need a favour here.'"

Estill said the community has stepped up in spades. The local Salvation Army branch has agreed to round up clothes for the newcomers. Two hotels have committed to putting the refugees up for their first few nights until more long-term housing can be arranged.

Families have signed on to welcome people into their homes, and enough volunteers have come forward to ensure that each family can be matched with one English-speaking and one Arab-speaking mentor upon arrival. These mentors will be instrumental in helping refugees set up bank accounts, acquire official identification, enrol in schools and officially settle into the Canadian system.

English language coaching and career counselling will also be available, Estill said, adding that the project is benefiting from a piece of good luck.

"There is actually an imbalance, there are more jobs than there are people right now. I have employers lining up, basically, he said. "If you have 50 families, you're probably only going to have 75 people who want jobs...I have single employers that will take 75 people."

Estill's total cost is less than it might be in ordinary circumstances. The political turmoil causing refugees to flea Syria in droves has prompted the government to ease restrictions and pick up the tab for expenses they wouldn't normally shoulder.

Ottawa will pay for medical and travel costs for privately sponsored refugees fleeing the country. Health-care coverage will also be provided by the federal government, a departure from normal protocol in which the province assumes those costs.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has committed to bringing 25,000 refugees into Canada over the next several months, about 10,000 of whom are expected to be privately sponsored.

How does Canada's private sponsorship of refugees program work?

The federal government has pledged to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada between now and the first few months of 2016. Of that number, 10,000 will be sponsored privately rather than by the government. A private sponsorship entails a substantial commitment, of which money forms only a part. Here are some key details about what's involved:

Q: How does Canada's private sponsorship of refugees program work?

A: The private sponsorship program relies on both major organizations and smaller groups to take responsibility for refugees entering the country. Private sponsors are involved at every step of the process, from filling out initial paperwork, maintaining contact with the refugee family before their arrival, coaching them through the screening process and providing for them for the first several months of their time in Canada. Some organizations that provide this service on an ongoing basis are formally recognized by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) as Sponsorship Agreement Holders. Smaller groups are also permitted to sponsor refugees.

Q: What is the difference between privately sponsored and government-sponsored refugees?

A: The main distinction pertains to who pays the tab. Government-sponsored refugees see their arrival and resettlement expenses picked up by CIC. Private sponsors are on the hook for the refugees' travel, accommodation, food and other living expenses. They are also expected to provide emotional support and help refugees integrate into Canadian society. Other resettlement services, such as language training and orientation needs assessments, are still paid for by the government. Private sponsors are expected to fund the refugees for either 12 months or until the new arrival is self-sufficient, whichever comes first.

Q: Are there restrictions on who can be sponsored? What does the private sponsorship process look like?

A: The first step of the process involves determining whether a refugee is eligible for private sponsorship, since only two specific classes of refugee can be accommodated through this channel (the Refugee Abroad class and the Country of Asylum class). A visa officer is the one to make this decision after interviewing the refugee, performing security and medical checks, and reviewing supporting documentation filed by the sponsor.

Q: What are private sponsors committing to provide?

A: Private sponsors are responsible for nearly every aspect of a new refugee's arrival in Canada. They must provide initial accommodation, furniture and other household basics, utilities, food, clothing, transportation costs and "other basic necessities of life." They're also expected to help line up crucial supports like interpreters or family doctors, as well as assisting with more bureaucratic processes such as school enrolment or registration for health-care coverage. Sponsors are also supposed to provide emotional support and help refugees establish a social network.

Q: Can private sponsors choose who to support?

A: Sometimes. Referred sponsors are refugees that have come to the sponsor's attention in some way, and applications for such refugees are accepted. In cases where sponsors don't have anyone in mind, however, the Visa Office can match them with people who have been flagged by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. Only Service Agreement Holders and their constituent groups can be matched with visa office referrals. Sponsors can browse through an online listing of refugee profiles and indicate interest in the ones that seem best suited to their communities. Sponsors cannot agree to support a single member of a family unit -- all family members have to be included on an application.

Q: How much do sponsors pay per refugee?

A: It varies by province, but the government expects sponsors to provide a level of support that's at least equal to social assistance rates in the province.

Q: How does the current sponsorship drive impact private sponsors?

A: The humanitarian crisis in Syria has led to a widespread easing of regulations for private sponsors, as well as a decrease in the costs they shoulder. The government will pay for medical and travel costs for privately sponsored refugees fleeing the country. Health-care coverage will also be provided by the federal government, a departure from normal protocol in which the province assumes those costs.