Canada’s last evacuation flight from Haiti to leave Sunday, as demand for help drops

OTTAWA — Canada is wrapping up its Haiti evacuation efforts, with a third and final flight set to depart from the Caribbean country on Sunday.

Global Affairs Canada says it has helped more than 250 Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their close relatives leave the country.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says her department has been “closely monitoring” demand for help leaving the country, and decided no more flights will be needed.

The country is facing brazen gang violence and a shortage of food and medicines, and Joly says anyone who wants to leave must immediately contact Global Affairs Canada.

Joly announced earlier this week that Canada would use helicopters to get Canadians from the capital of Port-au-Prince to an undisclosed location, then bring them to Montreal using at least one chartered flight.

One flight left Wednesday, followed by another Friday, with the last scheduled this coming Sunday.

Before then, Canada was airlifting citizens by helicopter to the Dominican Republic, but it was only allowing citizens with Canadian passports to enter, leaving out permanent residents.

Sunday will end the campaign to airlift Canadians from Haiti.

Those brought to Montreal pay the equivalent of a commercial fare. 

Canadians who were brought to the Dominican Republic were responsible for their own accommodation and flights home, with Global Affairs offering help if needed.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2024.

The Canadian Press