Risk level upgraded: Canadians urged to avoid non-essential travel to Cuba

Cuba continues to deal with a critical fuel shortage as Canadians there try to get home before the situation gets worse. Pat Foran has more.

Ryan Profid was enjoying a karaoke night at a resort near Cayo Coco in Cuba when he was approached by a staff member who had some bad news.

They told him his vacation was over and he’d have to fly home the next day.

Hours later, a disappointed Profid emerged from the arrivals gate at Halifax’s Stanfield International Airport after his WestJet flight had landed on Wednesday afternoon.

“I’m upset, but still happy to be home regardless,” said Profid, who is from Hubbards, N.S. “Hopefully, I can get to go back, I really like the Cuban people and want to support them.”

Profid is among a number of Canadians affected by a crisis in Cuba as major airlines from Canada have suspended commercial flights to the country because of aviation fuel shortages at airports on the island.

The Trump administration is cutting Cuba off from using traditional fuel sources in an effort to put pressure on the Caribbean nation, which has long been under strict economic sanctions imposed by Washington.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Wednesday evening that Canadians were being advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Cuba.

“Canadians are urged to leave while commercial flights remain available,” she said on social media.

Anand added that the government was working with airlines to help Canadians return home.

“It’s all affecting the locals a lot more, obviously, than people on the resort,” Profid told The Canadian Press. ”It’s just a sin this is happening to them.”

And while Profid’s vacation was cut short, many passengers on his plane returned home on their originally scheduled day.

Carolyn and Eric Wissmann from Parrsboro, N.S., were in Cuba for two weeks and left Wednesday as planned.

“Our rep at the hotel said we’re doing this in an orderly fashion and everyone will get home,” Carolyn said.

“I know they kept closing resorts,” said Andrew Garnau, who is from the Annapolis Valley. ”But we never saw any shortages of anything down there … for us it was business as usual. And then at karaoke they tell us we’ve got to go.”

Calgary-based WestJet said its decision to wind down winter operations will also affect flights on Sunwing, a company it fully integrated into its operations in 2025. The airline said in a statement Wednesday that it continues to “make progress” toward its goal of repatriating Canadian customers in Cuba by Feb. 17.

“To support this requirement, several originally scheduled flights have been adjusted or cancelled, and are now consolidated through Toronto,” WestJet said. “These changes allow us to maintain safe operations while ensuring we can return guests to Canada as quickly and reliably as possible.”

Air Canada and Air Transat have also suspended flights to Cuba because of the unreliability of aviation fuel at airports, and have said they are working on repatriating travellers.

Profid said the staff at the resort expressed uncertainty and worry about what the next few weeks will hold. He said their Sunwing representative at the resort told them they didn’t know if they’d have a job by next week.

Meanwhile, Simon Pont and his wife Laura Pont from the Halifax area said they had an amazing week in Cayo Coco and a routine flight home.

“The staff were amazing. We’ve left with a profound sense of sadness, because when we leave they have no job. And that makes me incredibly sad, and they put a brave face on,” Simon Pont said. “WestJet or Sunwing did exactly as expected and here we are home safe.”

Two flights from Cuba also landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport Wednesday afternoon.

Dave Quealey, who arrived on an Air Canada flight after spending a week on the island, said he had mixed feelings about returning home.

“It was wonderful being there, but it’s nice to be back home,” he said, adding that he has visited Cuba 30 times since 1997 because he loves its people and beaches.

Quealey said the mood was grim among the locals, who are worried about what comes next.

“They’re scared about what the future holds, but they’re also resilient people and they know they’re going to get through whatever happens,” he said, adding he hopes the situation will change ”for the better for the Cuban people.”

Karin Seelen, who returned on the same flight, said she had an emotional goodbye when she left her hotel.

“I was already crying this morning, so I don’t want to think about it, but yeah, there’s unrest there for sure.”

She said hotel staff were working seven days straight because they couldn’t go home due to the fuel shortage. Despite the uncertainty, they were “more than accommodating,” she said.

“This morning, they were at the front lobby waiting for us to send us off with a wonderful party,” she said. “They were dancing, gave us all a nice drink to salute us and thank us for being there.”

June and John Salverda returned Wednesday from their 11th visit to Cuba, which they said was one of the few places where they felt safe. Rising tensions in Cuba mean Canadians have fewer vacation options, they said.

“I am sad for the people there,” June said. “It’s just too bad that travel business for them is gone now because nobody’s flying (anymore).”

June said several resorts were amalgamated together to save energy during the couple’s stay. She said she saw the hotel staff crying because they fear losing their jobs.

The couple said the Canadian government should provide more support to the Cuban people during these difficult times.

“They really are in desperate need,” June said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2026

By Lyndsay Armstrong and Sharif Hassan