Canada Weighs Cuba Aid as Sherritt Halts Moa Nickel Mine

The Canadian government confirmed it is “evaluating options to support Cuba’s most vulnerable people,” according to official statements reported by CBC News. The language is diplomatic, but the context is urgent: more than 27,900 Canadian tourists have been repatriated in recent weeks, airlines suspended all flights to the island, and now Sherritt International — Canada’s largest mining company in Cuba — has suspended its operations.

Sherritt and Moa: The Business Barometer of the Crisis

The Moa nickel-cobalt mine (Holguín), operated as a joint venture between Sherritt and the Cuban state company, is one of Latin America’s largest nickel exporters. But without fuel, there is no mining. Without mining, there are no hard currency earnings for Cuba.

Sherritt’s suspension is more than a business news item: it is a barometer of how far the US oil blockade has paralyzed real economic activity in Cuba. This is no longer just about the suffering of ordinary Cubans — which had already brought Canadian airlines to a halt weeks earlier — but about foreign investment becoming inoperable.

Canadian airlines sent empty planes to rescue stranded tourists in an unprecedented repatriation operation. The question now is whether Ottawa will take the next step: direct humanitarian aid.

Ottawa’s Dilemma: Solidarity vs. Trump Tariffs

The New Democratic Party (NDP) and Bloc Québécois have pressed Prime Minister Mark Carney to send immediate aid and denounce US “aggression.” But Washington’s pressure is real.

Trump’s executive order threatens tariffs on oil from any nation supplying fuel to Cuba. For Canada, already negotiating with Washington on multiple trade fronts, that is a significant political and economic cost.

The Canadian Red Cross took the initiative, launching its own emergency appeal on February 18 to raise funds for Cuba — without waiting for Ottawa to decide. A signal that civil society acts where governments hesitate.

Cuba Caught Between Two Fires

While Cuban security forces exit Venezuela under US pressure, Havana is losing one of its main economic backers. International support — which should come from historic allies like Canada, Mexico, and Europe — is trickling through slowly.

The humanitarian convoy ‘Nuestra América’ plans to reach Havana on March 21 with civil society support from around the world. But that is another month of waiting for a population already enduring 12-plus-hour blackouts.

What’s in Canada’s Interest

Beyond solidarity, there is a concrete economic interest: if Sherritt cannot operate, it loses revenue. If Cuba collapses economically, decades of Canadian investment in mining, tourism, and other sectors lose value — or simply disappear. For Ottawa, helping Cuba also means protecting its own long-term business presence.

The Carney government faces a decision that goes beyond diplomacy: it will define what kind of international actor Canada wants to be in a world where the United States uses oil as a geopolitical weapon.

Sources

• CBC News — Canada Evaluates Aid to Cuba
• CiberCuba — Canada Considers Humanitarian Aid
• Canadian Red Cross — Cuba Humanitarian Crisis Appeal