Canadian Group Urges Weekly Direct Flight to Cuba for Humanitarian Reasons

The Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) has called on the Canadian government to authorize at least one direct weekly flight to Cuba for humanitarian purposes. This initiative aims to enable Cuban-Canadians to visit their families on the island without having to rely on costly routes with layovers in other countries.

During a press conference held at the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa, Julio Fonseca, co-chair of the CNC and member of the Juan Gualberto Gómez Cuban Residents Association in Toronto, made this appeal. The event was recorded by the CPAC channel.

Since early 2026, Canadian airlines have indefinitely suspended flights to Cuba, as confirmed by Canada's updated travel advisory on October 5, 2026.

Air Canada was the first to cancel its routes on February 9, 2026, due to a shortage of Jet A-1 fuel at nine Cuban international airports. Following suit, Air Transat and WestJet also halted their operations in the subsequent weeks. By June, all three major airlines had indefinitely suspended their Cuba flights.

The Impact on Cuban-Canadians

The suspension has forced Cuban-Canadians to travel to Cuba via layovers in Mexico, Panama, Bahamas, or the United States, significantly increasing both the cost and duration of the journey.

The Toll on Tourism

Canadian tourism to Cuba has also suffered greatly. Data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) shows that from January to August 2026, only 128,400 Canadian visitors arrived in Cuba, a sharp 75.6% decrease from the 526,239 visitors during the same period in 2025.

In March, the decline was particularly stark, with only 511 Canadians arriving compared to 98,663 the previous year, marking a 99.48% drop.

Connection to the U.S. Embargo

The request for a humanitarian flight is part of a broader campaign by the CNC, a coalition of over 26 member organizations. They are urging Prime Minister Mark Carney's government to invoke the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act to protect Canadian businesses involved with Cuba and to lift the advisory against non-essential travel to the island.

The press conference occurred shortly before the United Nations General Assembly was set to vote on a resolution demanding the end of the U.S. embargo on Cuba, the 34th such resolution since 1992. The debate saw tense exchanges between the Cuban foreign minister and the U.S. ambassador on Tuesday, with the vote scheduled for October 28.

The Canadian group's conference also followed the introduction of parliamentary petition e-7649 to the House of Commons, backed by NDP MP Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre), which gathered over 3,000 signatures. It was the third petition on this issue presented in 2026.

Fonseca argued, "Canada cannot credibly claim to pursue an independent foreign policy while standing by as the U.S. intensifies its economic warfare against Cuba. The time for mere expressions of concern is over. Canada must take action."

He further stated that "Canada should not allow Washington to dictate its foreign policy" and emphasized that "a vote at the United Nations must be backed by action."

Canada's stance in the upcoming vote remains uncertain. After consistently supporting UN resolutions against the embargo for 33 years, Canada abstained in a procedural vote on the issue in July 2026, and a Global Affairs spokesperson indicated on October 25 that Canada's position is still "under consideration."