Lebanese Canadians on edge as Canada urges evacuation amid escalating tension along Israel border

Canada is urging its citizens to leave Lebanon due to amid concerns about escalating danger as fighting along the country's border with Israel rachets up in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.

And anxieties about how far the fighting might escalate and Ottawa's recent warnings about the possibility of being unable to evacuate Canadians has many Lebanese Canadians in Toronto and Beirut on edge. 

Despite the warnings, Canadian citizen Hanan Haddad says she's staying put for now, given her husband isn't Canadian. Haddad's 16-year-old son lives with her in Lebanon and her two older sons live in Canada. 

"I don't think I'm willing to leave him behind," said Haddad, who has lived in Beirut for 25 years. "Me and my children are Canadians but my husband isn't.

There are 17,750 Canadians in Lebanon who have registered with Global Affairs Canada, the department said in a statement on Oct. 31. 

Its message to citizens in that country: "Get out while you can."

Global Affairs said the situation in Lebanon is "deteriorating" and that it encourages residents to leave by commercial means as assisted departures are "complex and rare."

"The best time to leave a country is before a crisis, if at all possible," it said. 

Spouses and dependent children who are not Canadian citizens will require a visa or electronic travel authorization, it said. Haddad's husband is in the process of getting a new passport and visa to Canada, she said.

Global Affairs did not respond to a further question from CBC Toronto about whether repatriation efforts would occur if the need arises. In a statement, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said the visa application centre remains open in Beirut. 

"We are increasing our capacity in the region to expedite applications," it said. 

But another hurdle for Haddad's family is the cost of flights, she said. 

Flights to Toronto are about $1,000 each. 

That coupled with news about the destruction in Gaza has Haddad increasingly worried, she said.