Canada giving $25,000 to families of Iranian plane crash victims

The government says the money is not meant to replace the compensation from Iran, but to help impacted victims right now.

The Canadain government is giving $25,000 to the families impacted by this month’s Iranian plane crash.

"They can't wait weeks. They need support now," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says at Friday morning’s press conference. "What happened last week is nothing short of a national tragedy."

• Read more: Iranian president apologizes for 'unforgivable mistake' in shooting down of airliner

The Canadain government has been meeting with families throughout the week to discuss their needs. They have found that families in Canada are experiencing financial hardship following the overseas deaths of their relatives. 

“You are in our thoughts and in our hearts during this most difficult time,” PM Trudeau says.

Canada is expecting the remains of the victims to start returning to Canada in the next few days.

Sixty-eight Canadians were killed on January 8 after Iranian missiles struck the plane. The investigation is ongoing.