Instant Assistance for Canadians in Distress Fund

Born out of urgent need during the pandemic, the Maple Leaf Trust partnered with the London Consular Services team to establish the ‘Instant Assistance for Canadians in Distress Fund’. This vital initiative has provided critical support to Canadians in distress in the UK, helping homeless individuals return home, assisting young people facing social and mental health challenges, and supporting women fleeing domestic violence.

If you or someone you know are Canadian citizens in need of emergency consular assistance, please click here.

Consular Services assists many Canadians each year, serving as the public face of Canada in the UK. The team’s typical workload includes issuing passports for both tourists and UK-based Canadians, as well as processing citizenship certificates for children born in the UK. They support victims of crime, provide guidance to travellers overwhelmed by being far from home, and direct Canadians to local social services.

Additionally, the team helps tourists who have fallen ill, supports the families of Canadians who have passed away in the UK, and ensures that orphaned or abandoned Canadian children can connect with resources in Canada. They also provide vital assistance to mentally ill travellers and their families.

Funds in Action

  • WINTER CLOTHES

    John has struggled with schizophrenia for years and has been sleeping rough on the streets of London. Recently, he agreed to treatment and became stable enough to be repatriated to Vancouver. While other programmes covered his travel costs, he lacked basic clothing such as winter boots and a raincoat. Thanks to funds provided by the MLT, these essential items were supplied. John expressed deep gratitude, saying it was the first time in a long while he had clean, new clothes.

  • ORPHANED CHILD

    Sarah became an orphan at age two. She is now four and in care of UK authorities. Her father was a Canadian citizen. Funds from the MLT were used to cover the fee for registering her Canadian citizenship, which will make it easier for her to be placed in the care of her Canadian relatives.

  • NEW BEGINNING

    Scott is a young man recently released from jail who faced deportation to Canada without any form of identification. Without proper ID, it is difficult to enrol in social services, increasing the risk of reoffending. With the help of the MLT, the consular team was able to order a copy of his Canadian birth certificate—the cornerstone of personal identification.

  • MOBILITY ASSISTANCE

    Laura is an elderly woman from Toronto who injured her back while on vacation in Spain and relies on crutches for mobility. While in transit home via Heathrow, her passport was misplaced by a security agent. She struggled to travel by tube to Trafalgar Square to obtain a replacement passport. Thanks to the MLT, she was able to return to the airport in an Uber instead of navigating the tube system on a wet winter night.

  • DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

    The consular team has handled several cases involving Canadian women who met men online and travelled to the UK to be with them. Unfortunately, some became targets of serious violence and required consular assistance. Funds from the MLT have provided these vulnerable women with essential items—such as toiletries, clean clothing, and healthy food—to support their well-being in the lead-up to their repatriation.