Tuesday, March 17, 2026
ADVT 
National

More than 5,000 Canadians have fled Middle East, Anand says demand for help dropping

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Mar, 2026 09:35 AM
  • More than 5,000 Canadians have fled Middle East, Anand says demand for help dropping

Global Affairs Canada says it has helped more than 5,000 Canadians leave the Middle East since the latest conflict began, and demand for evacuation support is now falling off.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is urging Canadians thinking of leaving the Middle East to do so and says the number of daily calls for help is now half what it was last week.

Her department says more than 4,300 Canadians, permanent residents and their relatives fleeing the region arrived in Canada between March 4 and March 8, through direct and indirect routes.

Another 871 people left the region for a safe third country such as Turkey, according to Global Affairs Canada.

As of Sunday, less than five per cent of the nearly 110,000 Canadians registered in the region had sought help to leave.

Global Affairs Canada says it is not aware of any Canadians killed or injured in the violence that started with American airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Picture Courtesy: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

MORE National ARTICLES

Accessibility office in limbo as it calls out federal government's failures

Accessibility office in limbo as it calls out federal government's failures
The federal Office of Public Service Accessibility is in limbo months after it produced a document accusing the government of falling behind on supports for public servants with disabilities.

Accessibility office in limbo as it calls out federal government's failures

Five more Alberta UCP legislature members facing recall, bringing total to 14

Five more Alberta UCP legislature members facing recall, bringing total to 14
Elections Alberta says it has approved recall petitions against five more members of Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party caucus, bringing the total to 14.

Five more Alberta UCP legislature members facing recall, bringing total to 14

Bosa Properties Commissions First Permanent Public Artwork by Alex Proba at PARKWAY in Surrey

Bosa Properties Commissions First Permanent Public Artwork by Alex Proba at PARKWAY in Surrey
November 20, 2025. Bosa Properties has unveiled new public art at PARKWAY, its latest master-planned community in Downtown Surrey, by globally recognized artist and designer Alex Proba.

Bosa Properties Commissions First Permanent Public Artwork by Alex Proba at PARKWAY in Surrey

Premier David Eby says changes to involuntary care protect workers from being sued

Premier David Eby says changes to involuntary care protect workers from being sued
The provincial government has tabled changes to the Health Mental Act, which it says will reduce the legal exposure of health care workers, who deliver involuntary care to patients held under the law. 

Premier David Eby says changes to involuntary care protect workers from being sued

Appeal board slashes Vancouver mansion's valuation, as owner cites foreign buyer tax

Appeal board slashes Vancouver mansion's valuation, as owner cites foreign buyer tax
The official valuation of a 19,000-square-foot mansion in one of Vancouver's priciest suburbs has been slashed by more than $4 million after the owner argued prices have slumped due to the foreign buyer's tax and other policies.

Appeal board slashes Vancouver mansion's valuation, as owner cites foreign buyer tax

Surrey awards phase one contract for Centre Block, paving the way for downtown transformation

Surrey awards phase one contract for Centre Block, paving the way for downtown transformation
Council has awarded a $2.75-million contract to RCP Consulting Ltd. for development manager services of phase one of the Centre Block project at City Centre. This is a significant step toward realizing the Surrey Centre Block Master Plan, set to transform Surrey’s downtown core with twice the area’s office and educational space and the new Simon Fraser University School of Medicine.  

Surrey awards phase one contract for Centre Block, paving the way for downtown transformation