The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:
"Today, Canada started to facilitate small-scale departure options for vulnerable Canadian citizens from Haiti to the Dominican Republic. We are grateful for the support of the Dominican Republic in helping us bring Canadian citizens to safety.
"Due to eligibility requirements for entry into the Dominican Republic, this option is only available to Canadian citizens who have valid Canadian passports. However, Canada continues to work with partners and allies on finding other options for those not included in this group.
"Our immediate priority remains the safety and security of Canadians. Canada is committed to supporting Haiti and the Haitian people, and we continue to closely monitor the security situation there. We are working tirelessly to support Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their families still in Haiti.
"To help affected Canadians, Canada has deployed 3 members of Global Affairs Canada's Standing Rapid Deployment Team [SRDT] to the region to support its operations and provide emergency response, coordination, consular assistance, and logistical support.
"The SRDT is composed of highly trained employees who are ready to deploy on short notice to assist the Government of Canada when responding to emergencies.
"If you are a Canadian citizen in Haiti wishing to leave, you should register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service and contact Global Affairs Canada's Emergency Watch and Response Centre to discuss your situation.
"Canadians and permanent residents, as well as their immediate family members who intend to travel to Canada, should apply for a travel document as soon as possible.
"We continue to urge all Canadians still in Haiti to check Travel.gc.ca as often as possible for updates and to sign up for the Registration of Canadians Abroad service so that we can provide direct updates and share crucial information about available assistance.
