- Canada announced C$5 million in humanitarian aid for Nepal to provide essential food, water, and shelter following deadly floods and landslides.
- Funding will be channeled through the United Nations, Red Cross, and NGOs to deliver urgent medical and sanitation services to displaced populations.
- Global Affairs Canada deployed five consular officials to Kathmandu to locate and assist Canadian citizens impacted by the disaster.
- The Nepali diaspora in Canada is mobilizing community-led fundraising efforts to complement international relief and support long-term rehabilitation.
Ottawa: The Government of Canada has announced C$5 million in humanitarian assistance for Nepal as the country grapples with devastating flash floods and landslides that have claimed lives, displaced communities and caused extensive damage to homes and infrastructure.
The announcement was made Friday, August 28, by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai during a virtual news conference. Canada said the funding would support urgent humanitarian relief efforts in areas affected by the disaster.
According to Global Affairs Canada, the assistance will be delivered through the United Nations, the Red Cross and Canadian non-governmental organization partners. The funding will help provide essential supplies and services, including emergency food, temporary shelter, safe drinking water, sanitation and health care to people affected by the floods and landslides.
Canada has also offered to provide emergency relief supplies from its stockpiles through the Canadian Red Cross if such assistance is requested.
The Canadian government said the humanitarian response will be adjusted as the situation develops and the needs of affected communities become clearer. The disaster has caused widespread destruction and left many families facing the loss of homes, livelihoods and, in some cases, loved ones.
“Canada is focused on supporting Canadians and their families as this devastating situation unfolds,” Anand said, adding that Canadian consular teams were working around the clock to reach Canadians affected by the crisis. She also expressed solidarity with the people of Nepal and others affected by the disaster.
Sarai described the destruction caused by the flash floods and landslides as heartbreaking, saying that lives had been lost, communities displaced and homes and infrastructure extensively damaged. He said Canada’s immediate response would focus on meeting the most urgent humanitarian needs while continuing to assess how further assistance could be provided.
Canadian consular team deployed to Kathmandu
Alongside the humanitarian assistance, Canada has intensified efforts to locate and assist its citizens affected by the disaster.
Global Affairs Canada has deployed five consular officials to Kathmandu. The team is working with Canada’s Honorary Consul in Kathmandu, local authorities and other partners to identify Canadians who may be in affected areas and provide assistance to them and their families.
The Canadian government has urged its citizens in Nepal and in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China to exercise heightened caution and regularly consult Canada’s travel advisories as the situation remains fluid.
Canadians searching for missing family members or requiring emergency consular assistance can contact Global Affairs Canada’s 24-hour Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa by telephone, email, SMS, WhatsApp or Signal.
UN and Red Cross assistance
Canada’s latest contribution comes on top of its existing support through international humanitarian mechanisms.
Global Affairs Canada said the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated US$2 million for the humanitarian response in Nepal. Canada has contributed more than C$29 million to CERF in 2026.
Canada is also supporting the international Red Cross emergency response. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Disaster Response Emergency Fund has allocated nearly 1 million Swiss francs to support the Nepal Red Cross Society in providing immediate, life-saving assistance. Canada has contributed C$5 million to that fund this year.
The assistance is expected to help humanitarian organizations respond to immediate needs as communities struggle to recover from the destruction caused by the floods and landslides.
Nepali community in Canada mobilizes support
The disaster has also prompted members of Nepal’s diaspora in Canada to organize relief efforts for families affected by the floods and landslides.
Among them, NRNA Canada has launched a fundraising campaign appealing to Nepali communities and supporters in Canada to contribute toward relief and rehabilitation efforts. According to the campaign information, funds raised are intended to be transferred to the NRNA International Coordination Council and mobilized through its relief mechanism to assist flood- and landslide-affected families.
Such community-led initiatives have added a personal dimension to the wider international response, with many Nepali Canadians watching developments closely while worrying about relatives, friends and communities back home.
For families separated by thousands of kilometres, the disaster has brought an especially painful sense of uncertainty. While governments and humanitarian agencies work to deliver food, shelter, water and medical assistance, members of the Nepali diaspora are also trying to reach those in need through community networks and fundraising efforts.
Canada’s announcement marks a significant international response to the unfolding disaster, while officials have cautioned that the humanitarian situation remains fluid. Canadian authorities said they will continue working with Nepalese authorities and humanitarian partners to assess needs and determine whether additional assistance is required in the days and weeks ahead.
