Notice – Operation Stork: February 3, 2010 update

February 3, 2010 — A flight carrying at least 31 Haitian children to their new Canadian parents will land in Ottawa tonight. CIC officials, a medical team, and Air Transat staff are accompanying the children.

The flight will arrive at the Canada Reception Centre (Hangar 11) at Ottawa International Airport at approximately 10:30 pm (Eastern time) on February 3. Parents whose children are on the flight and media are invited to attend.

Media are asked to contact CIC Media Relations to confirm attendance at 613-952-1650.

The children range in age from 6 months to 16 years old.

The next flights are scheduled to arrive in Ottawa on Saturday, February 6, and Wednesday, February 10. We are working to put as many children as possible on the flights, given the logistical difficulties in Haiti. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

All of these children were already in the adoption process when the earthquake struck near Port-au-Prince. We are only proceeding with cases where a match between the child and parents was made prior to the earthquake.

All bona fide adoption cases will be processed and parents will be notified once the arrival of their child has been confirmed on a specific flight.

Adoption facts

• As of January 24, 2010, the Government of Haiti has given permission for up to 217 children to come to Canada. These children were at different steps in the adoption process when the earthquake struck near Port-au-Prince.   So far, about 180 of those adoptions have been approved by provincial and territorial governments.
• Of those, 148 children have been united with their families in Canada.
  • 62 children arrived in Ottawa on Saturday, January 30. The children range in age from 3 months to 17 years. Thirty-five of the children are destined for Quebec, and the rest are going to British Columbia (11), Alberta (10), Saskatchewan (2), Manitoba (2) and Ontario (2). The children were accompanied by Air Canada staff, CIC officials, and a medical team.
  • 52 children arrived in Ottawa on Wednesday, January 27. The children range in age from six months to 18 years of age. Twenty-four of the children were destined for Quebec and the other children went to British Columbia (4), Alberta (11), Saskatchewan (8), Ontario (1), New Brunswick (2), and Nova Scotia (2). These children were accompanied by Air Transat staff, CIC officials, and a medical team.
  • One child arrived on a Canadian Forces evacuation flight on January 26.
  • 24 children arrived in Ottawa on Sunday, January 24. The children range in age from 11 months to 14 years in age, and were accompanied by Air Canada representatives, CIC officials, and a medical team.  
  • Nine children arrived through the United States having been evacuated on American evacuation flights.

A total of 237 children were adopted from Haiti by Canadians in 2008 and January-September of 2009.

Update on special immigration measures

Canada is expediting immigration applications from Haitians with family in this country. Haitians in Canada temporarily are also being allowed to extend their stay.

• CIC is participating in a number of information sessions for the Haitian community in Montréal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver to provide information on the special immigration measures and on how to sponsor immediate family members who were directly and serious affected by the earthquake in Haiti.
  • About 1,810 people have attended the information sessions in Montréal.
  • About 150 people attended the January 29 information session in Etobicoke.