Ottawa boosts aid for quake-hit Venezuela, will now match up to $7M in donations

The federal government is nearly doubling the amount of public donations it will match for Venezuelans still reeling from devastating earthquakes last month.

The Carney government announced last month it would match up to $4 million in donations from Canadians for Venezuelans needing food, shelter, medicine and clothing.

Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development, announced today Canada is boosting that maximum to $7 million because the original matching limit was quickly reached.

His office says the earthquakes left thousands dead or missing and the funding, which is going directly to aid groups, will help the Red Cross and the dozen Canadian organizations making up the Humanitarian Coalition to help people on the ground.

Rare double earthquakes struck northern Venezuela 39 seconds apart last month and the authoritarian government has struggled to respond.

If the match is fully funded, Ottawa will have contributed $12 million in humanitarian aid since the earthquake.

By Dylan Robertson