Ottawa commits $7M for Hurricane Melissa relief in Caribbean; Jamaica’s airports reopen

Canada’s MP responsible for foreign aid announced on Thursday (Oct. 30) that the Canadian government will provide $7 million in humanitarian assistance to Caribbean nations affected by Hurricane Melissa.

As reported by the Canadian Press, Randeep Sarai, the secretary of state for international development, $5 million of the funding will support emergency responders and health organizations delivering critical relief.

The remaining $2 million will be directed to the UN World Food Programme to help supply food and essential goods in Jamaica, which experienced the storm last week after it escalated into a Category 5.

Sarai said that while Ottawa is focused on urgent humanitarian needs right now, it also plans to support the Caribbean as it moves into the longer-term recovery phase following the hurricane, which has claimed dozens of lives in Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti.

Canada has previously funded initiatives to help countries like Jamaica better handle natural disasters through improved emergency planning and logistics, and it is also working to reform global institutions so Caribbean nations can more easily finance climate-resilient infrastructure.

Jamaica rebuilds

Post-hurricane recovery and restoration efforts are currently underway in Jamaica, where officials in the hardest-hit regions described the devastation as beyond catastrophic.

Footage circulating online shows the storm obliterating buildings, tearing off roofs and flicking debris across parts of the island.

READ MORE: Jamaica targets full tourism restart by Dec. 15, 2025

Melissa damaged four of Jamaica’s hospitals and left one without power, forcing officials to evacuate 75 patients, reports say.

“The worst has passed,” said Angella Bennett, regional director for Canada at the JTB, in a video posted to her social media last week. “Now we unite and build Jamaica.”

As PAX previously reported, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has outlined a clear goal for Jamaica’s tourism sector to be fully operational by Dec. 15, 2025.

To achieve this, the Ministry has launched a high-level Hurricane Melissa Recovery Task Force, alongside the Tourism Cares, to coordinate efforts between the public and private sectors.

“Recovery cannot be left to chance. We are aligning marketing, communications, infrastructure repairs, aid, logistics, and every enabling support behind a single objective: full industry operation by December 15,” said Minister Bartlett in a statement. “Progress will be tracked through the Ministry of Tourism with regular public updates, so workers, visitors, and partners can plan with confidence.”

Jamaica’s airports reopen

Air travel is also resuming from Jamaica after nearly 100 flights out of the island were cancelled due to the hurricane, according to FlightAware.

Sangster International in Montego Bay suffered the most damage, with part of a concourse roof collapsing under the storm's heavy winds and rain.

Meanwhile, Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston reopened earlier, with a limited number of flights taking off last Thursday (Oct. 30).

Montego Bay’s airport resumed restricted service Friday (Oct. 31), prioritizing returning residents and essential supply deliveries. It officially reopened Saturday (Nov. 1) for limited commercial flights.

It’s not a full reopening, since seven gates were damaged by Melissa and are out of service, Caribbean Journal reports.  

For anyone who wants to donate to Jamaica’s hurricane relief efforts, the Jamaican government has set up an official website, which can be viewed here.

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