Canadians travelling or living overseas now have more ways to reach their government in a crisis. On December 2, 2025, Global Affairs Canada quietly updated its emergency-assistance page to include dedicated WhatsApp (+1-613-909-8881) and Signal (+1-613-909-8087) channels alongside its long-standing phone and email services.
The expanded contact options reflect changing traveller behaviour and the ubiquity of encrypted messaging apps in regions where voice calls are unreliable or monitored. Officials say the new lines will feed into the 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa, which handled more than 240,000 consular inquiries in 2024.
![Global Affairs Canada Adds WhatsApp and Signal Lines for Canadians Requiring Emergency Help Abroad]()
For mobility managers and expatriate-risk teams, the update offers an additional safety net—especially in jurisdictions where internet data is cheaper than cellular voice, or during large-scale disruptions that overload local networks. Employees should store the numbers in their phones before departure and verify that roaming plans allow data use on third-party apps.
The service is intended for urgent consular assistance only; it does not provide immigration or visa advice. Cases ranging from lost passports to natural-disaster evacuations can be reported. Messages are triaged by severity, and users receive automated read receipts to confirm their request has entered the queue.
The enhancement aligns Canada with Australia and the United Kingdom, which already use encrypted apps for consular outreach. It underscores a broader trend of governments modernising traveller-support platforms in an era of heightened geopolitical volatility.
The expanded contact options reflect changing traveller behaviour and the ubiquity of encrypted messaging apps in regions where voice calls are unreliable or monitored. Officials say the new lines will feed into the 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa, which handled more than 240,000 consular inquiries in 2024.
For mobility managers and expatriate-risk teams, the update offers an additional safety net—especially in jurisdictions where internet data is cheaper than cellular voice, or during large-scale disruptions that overload local networks. Employees should store the numbers in their phones before departure and verify that roaming plans allow data use on third-party apps.
The service is intended for urgent consular assistance only; it does not provide immigration or visa advice. Cases ranging from lost passports to natural-disaster evacuations can be reported. Messages are triaged by severity, and users receive automated read receipts to confirm their request has entered the queue.
The enhancement aligns Canada with Australia and the United Kingdom, which already use encrypted apps for consular outreach. It underscores a broader trend of governments modernising traveller-support platforms in an era of heightened geopolitical volatility.
