Canada stands with the Jamaican people following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa. The Honourable Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development), accompanied by Greg Fergus, Member of Parliament for Hull-Aylmer, concluded a successful visit to Jamaica, reaffirming the strong partnership between Canada and Jamaica in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. The visit underscored Canada's commitment to working alongside Jamaica to support recovery, strengthen resilience, and advance shared priorities for sustainable development.
Canada's support for Jamaica's recovery is multi-faceted. In response to Hurricane Melissa, Canada has provided over $7 million in humanitarian assistance to Jamaica, including emergency food, relief supplies, emergency health, water, and sanitation and hygiene support. Canada is matching individual donations to the Canadian Red Cross's Hurricane Melissa Appeal, up to $1.5 million, across the region.
Throughout his time in Jamaica, Secretary of State Sarai joined the government of Jamaica and regional partners to discuss coordinated recovery efforts, humanitarian assistance, and strategies for long-term climate resilience. He visited communities affected by the hurricane, met with local farmers, health workers, and disaster response teams, and saw firsthand the collaborative impact of Canadian and Jamaican efforts.
Fully operational since mid-November, with 77 Canadian Armed Forces members, Canada's Operational Support Hub in Kingston is providing immediate logistical and humanitarian support and will also help coordinate the movement of foreign military disaster assistance teams of up to 200 personnel.
Canada also announced $6.1 million in development assistance earlier this month to help repair health facilities, strengthen emergency response systems, and accelerate food system recovery. Canadian companies and volunteers have joined the effort, supporting power restoration, search and rescue, and educational initiatives-demonstrating the deep ties and shared commitment between our countries.
