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Canada’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that the embassy in Riyadh remained open for Canadians requiring consular assistance, this came as Ottawa condemned the Houthi attack on Riyadh’s international airport.
Ambassador Jean-Philippe Linteau said in a video on Sunday that anyone in Riyadh who finds military debris should go and contact authorities, and not post it on social media.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen said another projectile hit the passenger terminal at Riyadh airport on Sunday. This comes just a day after a missile attack on the same terminal killed 12 people and injured hundreds more.
Canada issued a travel warning to avoid all non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia, and to avoid all travel to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned the violence that occurred on Saturday night, and called Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure “abhorrent” and unjustified.
“Canada strongly condemns this reckless act of violence,” the prime minister said in a social media post.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and wish a full recovery to those injured.”
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The airport remained closed on Sunday and flight tracking sites showed no air traffic around Riyadh on Sunday.
The latest attack in Riyadh came shortly after the Houthis blamed the Saudis for the attack on the airport in Sanaa, Yemen.
The attack marks an escalation of Iran’s broader war in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was considering whether to join the fight against the Houthis and said he planned to talk to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Foreign Minister Anita Anand posted on social media on Saturday that she had been in contact with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud.
He said he expressed Canada’s “unwavering support for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Jeffrey Steiner, head of the Canadian-Saudi Business Council, said in an interview that it was important for Ottawa to condemn the violence, and take action to strengthen long-term ties with a key regional economic and security partner.
“This is a very harrowing experience, certainly for the families of those killed, and it creates at least a short-term pause or concern regarding safety and commercial activity,” he said.
“We don’t know how long this will last, but the Canadian government and diplomats have condemned the Houthis for this kind of activity targeting civilians.”
The attack came as the World Petroleum Congress kicked off on Sunday in Saudi Arabia’s capital.
Another major business event, the Future Investment Initiative – a high-level investment summit sometimes called “Davos in the desert” – is scheduled to take place towards the end of the month.
Steiner said he and other Canadian companies still plan to attend the big business forum, which is tied to Saudi Vision 2030 – an economic roadmap for the Kingdom to attract investment and diversify its economy.
“We have to monitor every day in the short term,” Steiner said.
“The long-term vision of 2030 provides an opportunity for Canada to participate in it. Saudi wants to diversify its economy away from oil and Canada wants to diversify its markets, in ways that are away from the United States, or at least have broader markets and choices.”
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is expected to lead a Canadian pension fund delegation in the coming months to Saudi Arabia to discuss investment opportunities.
– With files from The Associated Press
© 2026 Canadian Press
