About Humanitarian Assistance

Every day, people’s lives are affected by different natural disasters or crises. People can be at risk of losing their land, homes and access to basic services such as clean water, shelter and food.

During these humanitarian situations, the primary responsibility for providing assistance is with the government of the affected country. Usually, the affected communities themselves and their governments provide a significant first response to emergencies.

When the needs of the affected communities exceed the capacity of their government to respond, Canada and governments around the world provide assistance through an established international humanitarian response system. This is made up of the United Nations, the Red Cross Movement, and other experienced non-governmental humanitarian organizations.

How does Canada respond to humanitarian crises?

Canada provides assistance to people in crisis on the basis of what their most urgent needs are – needs like safe drinking water, sanitation services, emergency health care, food, and temporary shelters.

Typically, this means providing financial support to experienced humanitarian partners who are responding to the crisis. This can include United Nations agencies, the Red Cross Movement, or non-governmental organizations. This assistance is provided in line with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.

• Project Browser - Use the Project Browser to search for Global Affairs Canada’s international humanitarian assistance projects.
• Central Emergency Response Fund - Canada also provides funding to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund.
• Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund - For small and medium scale disasters, Canada makes allocations through the Canadian Red Cross in support its operations.
• Canadian Foodgrains Bank Food Assistance Fund - In response to humanitarian food crises, Canada makes allocations through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
• Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund - Canada makes allocations through the Humanitarian Coalition, enabling timely support to rapid onset relief operations for small and medium scale crises.

Additional support

As a last resort, where there is a clear need for additional support beyond what experienced humanitarian partners can provide, Canada may:

• Deploy relief items from an emergency relief stockpile managed by the Canadian Red Cross, designed to address the basic needs of 5,000 families
• Deploy Emergency Health Response Units (ERUs), which are field hospitals and mobile clinics, managed by the Canadian Red Cross that can deploy to an affected area on 48 hours’ notice
• Deploy the Disaster Assistance Response Team to help support civilian-led humanitarian options