Canada provides significant financial, diplomatic, and policy support to UNHCR. It is a key political and strategic ally for its protection, humanitarian assistance, and solutions work, notably in the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, where Canada continues to demonstrate great leadership. Canada assumed the role of Chair of the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) Support Platform from July 2021 to September 2022 and continues to provide strategic and technical support as past chair in the Platform’s troika model of leadership. Canada also co-hosted the International Pledging Conferences in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants in March 2023 and June 2021.
In 2023, Canada was among UNHCR’s top 10 donors and provided a robust and generous contribution, including unearmarked, softly earmarked, and multi-year funds. Canada’s contributions remain thus critical to the type of flexible response that enables UNHCR to direct resources to refugees and displaced people most in need, whether they are affected by a new crisis or in a protracted situation.
Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy has positioned it as a leader in gender equality and female empowerment and led to gender-responsive humanitarian aid programming that enables access to protection and education for women and girls.
Canada has also provided strong support on solutions through its leadership in resettlement programming, commitment to complementary pathways, and capacity-building support to strengthen asylum systems in the Americas.
Canada has also shown its strong support to the Global Compact on Refugees and the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) by submitting over 40 pledges during the 2023 GRF, including on resettlement and complementary pathways, asylum capacity building and protection initiatives, refugee education, and humanitarian and development support to several displacement crises.
31% of the contribution was softly earmarked and unearmarked
The impact of Canada as a donor
Canada and UNHCR to strengthen support for Haitian and Afghan refugees in Brazil
In partnership with UNHCR, Canada will provide support for a new project aimed at enhancing the protection and integration of Haitian and Afghan refugees and forcibly displaced populations in Brazil.
Canadian support across the globe
