Question Period Note: Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) to Jamaica

What is this Government doing to ensure a timely and effective response to Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean?

• Canada supports the people of Jamaica – and across the Caribbean. We are deeply saddened by the terrible loss of life and destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa.
• On October 30, Canada announced $7 million in funding for humanitarian assistance to support emergency relief efforts in the Caribbean region.
• Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief abroad remains a priority for our Government, and National Defence is ready to assist as required.
• This is why I approved deploying the Canadian Disaster Assessment Team in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada, to obtain further clarity on the needs of the Government of Jamaica.
• At Jamaica’s request, I have also approved activation of the Operational Support Hub in Kingston.
• This hub would facilitate the reception, staging, and onward movement of disaster relief from other militaries and non-governmental organizations providing disaster relief.
• National Defence continues to monitor the situation in order to assess and respond to evolving needs.

Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

• In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa caused widespread damage across the Caribbean.
• On October 30, 2025, Canada announced $7 million in funding for humanitarian assistance to support emergency relief efforts in the Caribbean region. Of this amount, $5 million will be allocated to humanitarian partners to provide life-saving assistance, such as emergency food, water, sanitation and health services, as well as protection and logistics services. The remaining $2 million has been allocated to the World Food Programme’s (WFP) Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub, which is dispatching food and relief items to Jamaica.
• Canada has also offered to deploy relief supplies from its emergency stockpiles via the Red Cross Movement should they be requested.

• On October 31, 2025, Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a request to Global Affairs Canada for activation of the Operational Support Hub-Jamaica (OSH-Jamaica). This request was amended on November 1 to include the deployment of a Canadian Damage Assessment Team (CDAT). Personnel for both the OSH-Jamaica and the CDAT are expected to arrive in Jamaica on November 3.

  Disaster Response within the Government of Canada

• Canadian HADR efforts, domestically and in the U.S., are led by the Public Safety Canada, while international efforts are coordinated by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), in conjunction with Heads of Mission and humanitarian partners in affected regions.

• Crisis response tools available to the Government of Canada include the provision of financial support; the deployment of humanitarian relief supplies and expertise; and the deployment of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) assets. The CAF is used as a last resort when civilian capacities in the affected nation are overwhelmed.
• Three criteria must exist in order to activate a whole-of-government disaster response: a request for assistance from the affected nation; a credible needs assessment by experienced partners (i.e., the United Nations, Red Cross, or other non-governmental organizations); and an appeal for support from humanitarian partners.
• Canada coordinates its HADR efforts with other responding nations, usually through existing United Nations mechanisms, or through other means. This helps optimize our contributions, avoid gaps, and ensure that we provide what is most needed.

Op RENAISSANCE

• Op RENAISSANCE is the activation of Contingency Plan (CONPLAN) RENAISSANCE, the CAF’s plan for rapid deployment to the scene of a disaster overseas. Op RENAISSANCE is activated when civilian-led efforts are overwhelmed and the CAF has been requested to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief abroad.
• In the event of a large-scale disaster abroad, a CDAT may be deployed first to gather more information and to make recommendations for an appropriate and needs-based response.
• The CAF can subsequently facilitate a variety of humanitarian relief responses through the deployment of a Humanitarian Operations Task Force (HOTF), which may involve the provision of air, sea, or logistical support.
• Additionally, Op RENAISSANCE may involve the deployment of the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), Canada’s scalable, multi-disciplinary team that is designed to deploy on short-notice anywhere in the world. The DART is capable of deploying for 40-60 days using existing capabilities and resources. It can provide water purification, primary medical care and light engineering assistance until the affected nation’s government and international aid agencies can assume those responsibilities.
• Recent significant Op RENAISSANCE deployments include:
  • Haiti – 2021: Liaison team deployed to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) in Barbados to support the earthquake response.
  • Australia – 2020: CC-177 deployed to transport fire retardant from the U.S., free up Australian airlift capacity, and provide imagery support amidst widespread wildfires.
  • Jamaica – 2019: Airlift support provided to the Jamaican Defence Force’s Disaster Assistance Response Team following a hurricane.
  • Indonesia – 2018: CC-130J Hercules transported humanitarian supplies to areas affected by an earthquake.
  • Caribbean – 2017: Nearly 300 CAF personnel deployed, along with air and maritime assets, to provide disaster assistance and humanitarian relief to the region in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

HADR Readiness

• Although humanitarian operations are not a primary mandate of the CAF, the CAF maintains a high HADR functionality through exercises and training. Most notable of these is Ex READY RENAISSANCE, which practices international humanitarian deployment in a whole-of-government context.
• Canada also conducts HADR exercises with our allies:
  • CAF personnel participate in Op CONTINUING PROMISE conducted by U.S. SOUTHCOM to Caribbean nations, providing direct medical care and training based off the U.S. Navy Hospital Ship USNS COMFORT.
  • Ex TRADEWINDS is a U.S.-led exercise focused on building the capacity of Caribbean nations to respond to security threats, including HADR operations.

Responsible Principals: Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy)

Quick facts

• Canada’s domestic and international humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts are civilian-led. The CAF supports these efforts as a last resource when requested.
• Since 2010, the CAF has deployed at least 10 times to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support to international partners.
• Most recently, the CAF deployed a Canadian Disaster Assessment Team (CDAT) to the areas affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye. The CDAT assessed the situation on the ground and provided recommendations for additional Canadian humanitarian support.
  • On request from the NATO Coordination Center, the CAF also provided strategic airlift of humanitarian goods into Türkiye through Op REASSURANCE.