Permit Authority for Haiti Sanctions

Summary#

The Special Economic Measures (Haiti) Permit Authorization Order was registered on November 3, 2022 and published in the Canada Gazette on November 23, 2022. It lets the Minister of Foreign Affairs grant permits allowing people or Canadian companies to do specific activities that are otherwise banned by the Special Economic Measures (Haiti) Regulations.

What it does#

• Authorizes the Minister of Foreign Affairs to issue permits to any person in Canada or any Canadian outside Canada for a specified activity or class of activities that the Special Economic Measures (Haiti) Regulations would otherwise prohibit.
• Creates a formal way to allow exceptions to those sanctions in particular cases (for example, specified transactions or activities).
• Leaves the underlying sanctions list and the prohibited activities in the Regulations unchanged; the Order only creates the permit authority.
• Indicates there may be some administrative steps or costs for businesses that apply for permits, though those costs are expected to be small.

Who's affected#

• Individuals and businesses in Canada that do, or might want to do, business with people or entities listed under the Special Economic Measures (Haiti) Regulations.
• Canadians outside Canada who need permission to carry out restricted transactions connected to Haiti.
• Government officials and staff at Global Affairs Canada, who will handle permit applications and outreach.

Why it matters#

• It gives the government a tool to allow limited, controlled exceptions to sanctions. That can help keep legitimate activity — such as certain humanitarian transactions or isolated business dealings — from being blocked automatically.
• The Order is part of Canada’s response to the crisis in Haiti, where the government says armed gangs and political interests have worsened security and humanitarian conditions. The regulatory statement notes 4.7 million people in Haiti are experiencing acute hunger.
• For most Canadians, the change will be administrative only; for those who deal with listed persons, it creates a possible route to get official permission for specific transactions.