By The Canadian Press

Anand won’t say if Canadians should cancel Mexico trips as airlines resume flights

Feb 24, 2026 | 1:27 AM

OTTAWA — Canadian airlines are flying in and out of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Tuesday after widespread violence led them to temporarily suspend service on the weekend.

But Canada’s foreign affairs minister would not say Monday whether Canadians should reconsider upcoming travel plans to Mexico.

Air Canada, Air Transat, WestJet and Porter Airlines have all announced they will be resuming flights to and from the popular western Mexican resort city, with WestJet also offering service to Guadalajara and Manzanillo.

Tourists and locals in multiple regions of Mexico were told to shelter in place to escape violence that erupted on Sunday after the death of a notorious cartel leader as part of a Mexican government operation.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told reporters Tuesday morning that more than 55,000 Canadians in Mexico have registered with Ottawa. That’s more than double the 26,305 she said had registered as of 7 a.m. ET on Monday.

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Global Affairs Canada is still advising people to exercise a high degree caution in Mexico.

Anand said Canadians should follow the guidance of local authorities, as the situation is evolving and can differ from region to region in Mexico.

“The long and the short of it is, the situation is becoming more normalized. We should continue to see this trajectory unfolding. The situation needs to be closely monitored as we are doing with our consular officials on the ground in Mexico,” she said.

Asked whether Canadians with planned trips to Mexico should cancel their flights, Anand said decisions should be taken on a day-to-day basis even as the situation appears to be improving.

“The advice that our government is providing is that this is a situation that is very volatile and it is evolving every day,” she said.

“To make a decision about your plans for next week on Tuesday of the week before may be premature.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2026.

Craig Lord, The Canadian Press