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Canada has closed its embassy in Haiti and is advising against all non-essential travel to the country.
For some, it’s too late as violent street protests have trapped dozens of Canadians on the Caribbean island.
“We will continue to evaluate the security situation over the coming days to determine what steps are necessary to ensure that our diplomats and their families are safe," Global Affairs said in a statement.
Global Affairs added that it has people on the ground to provide assistance to Canadian citizens in Haiti as needed.
The only highway linking the all-inclusive Royal Decameron Indigo Beach resort to the Port-au-Prince airport is considered extremely dangerous and people are staying off it.
As a result, a group of Quebec tourists are stuck at the hotel and some have told media that a helicopter escort to the airport is available, but at a very high cost.
Air Transat sold package tours to the resort and says its flights between Montreal and Haiti are continuing, but the company has been unable to provide safe ground transportation from the resort to the airport.
"It’s really troubling," said Marie-Christine Remy, who’s mother and mother’s partner were supposed to fly home last Sunday.
“I called the Canadian government and they told me that it was best to stay at the hotel, which is safer. It is the highways that are particularly dangerous.
Remy says they were switched to a Wednesday flight, but had no luck getting to the airport on then either.
Several people have died in Haiti over the last week as protests demanding the resignation of President Jovenel Moise continue.
Protesters are angry about skyrocketing inflation and the government’s failure to prosecute embezzlement from a multi−billion dollar Venezuelan program that sent discounted oil to Haiti.
With files from the Canadian Press.
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