Canada expands Russia sanctions lists

Summary#

These are final amendments to the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations that came into force on June 12, 2026. They add people, companies and vessels to Canada’s Russia sanctions lists, remove a 90‑day deadline for delisting decisions, and repeal a ban on certain plastic containers used to ship animal semen.

What it does#

• Adds 7 individuals and 34 entities to the Russia sanctions lists.
  • The list includes people and organisations linked to Russia’s energy, nuclear, defence‑industrial and financial networks.
• Adds 121 vessels to the list of ships associated with shadow‑fleet activities (used to move oil, LNG, arms and other sanctioned goods).
• Repeals subsections that required the Minister to decide on delisting applications within 90 days and to notify applicants “without delay.”
  • This removes the fixed 90‑day clock for decisions and the immediate notification rule.
• Repeals item 197 from the export schedule, which previously banned certain plastic containers (bottles, flasks, closures) often used to transport animal semen.
• Makes a range of technical and labeling changes across many schedules: tariff code updates, corrected wording, and clearer headings about whether items relate to export or import.
• The amendments confirm that existing sanctions rules continue to prohibit dealings with listed people and entities, and listed individuals are rendered inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA).

Who's affected#

• The individuals and companies newly added to the sanctions lists.
• The maritime and shipping industries, insurers and ship service providers who must screen vessels against the updated list of 121 vessels.
• Financial institutions that monitor transactions for sanctions compliance.
• Some Canadian agricultural exporters, especially those shipping animal semen to Russia, who will be able to use the now‑allowed containers (the sector exported about CAD 7,922,074 on average per year to Russia from 2021–2024).
• Enforcement and government agencies involved in sanctions administration and border control, including Global Affairs Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
• Canadians and businesses dealing with listed persons or vessels (they remain generally prohibited from providing services, goods or financial transactions to them).

Why it matters#

• It tightens Canada’s sanctions toolkit against Russia by targeting revenue streams (energy, shipping, insurance), defence suppliers (including drone‑related firms), and financial enablers. That aims to make it harder for Russia to fund or sustain its war effort.
• Listing specific vessels makes it easier for Canadian authorities and service providers to identify and deny port access and services to those ships. That lowers the chance of accidental dealings with sanctioned vessels.
• Repealing the 90‑day delisting deadline gives officials more time to review removal requests carefully. That can mean longer waits for applicants, but officials say it allows more thorough and evidence‑based decisions.
• Repealing the ban on certain plastic containers avoids an unintended block on exports of animal semen, which matters to Canadian agricultural exporters and global food‑security supply chains.
• There are criminal fines and prison terms for knowingly breaking these rules (e.g., fines up to $25,000 on summary conviction), so businesses and individuals must continue to screen and comply.