Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Department of Commerce renew focus on keeping sensitive technologies and goods out of Russian hands

News release

June 7, 2022
OTTAWA, ONTARIO/WASHINGTON, D.C.

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) play an important role in the coordinated response to Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Through stringent enforcement measures, we are restricting Russia’s access to technologies and other goods Russia needs to sustain its aggressive military capabilities.

The CBSA facilitates the flow of legitimate travellers and trade, and also enforces more than 100 acts and regulations that keep Canada and Canadians safe. Bureau of Industry and Security’s mission is to advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership.

We enforce a wide array of measures, including sanctions and export controls, that are used to prevent sensitive goods and technologies from reaching illicit procurement networks, where they could be used to produce weapons of mass destruction or conventional weapons. Our enforcement efforts allow us to identify and stop state and non-state actors that engage in potentially illicit activity, carry out seizures, enforce monetary penalties and criminally investigate those who violate the rules and regulations.

Today, we are strengthening our U.S.-Canada enforcement relationship through a joint commitment to leverage our authorities and resources to detect, deter, and stop violations of export controls and to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. Together, we will share information; conduct pre- and post-shipment verifications and audits; inspect, detain, and seize shipments; and reduce threats through coordinated enforcement actions and investigations.

To highlight the importance of this partnership, a delegation from the United States, led by Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod, met virtually today with CBSA officials in Ottawa.

Quotes

“Canada will stand firm against Russian aggression, whether it’s Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine or cyberattacks and disinformation elsewhere in the world. That’s why the CBSA are redoubling efforts to stop critical goods and technologies from falling into Russian hands. This renewed collaboration with the United States will help bolster these efforts and hold Russia accountable.”

-The Honourable Marco E.L. Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety

“Russia’s brutal, unjust invasion of Ukraine has galvanized a powerful, coordinated response from the international community. Today’s announcement further strengthens the close ties and partnership between the U.S. and Canada, and sends a strong message to Putin’s government that we will stand together in our efforts to choke off its ability to sustain aggression, and in solidarity with Ukrainian people.”

-The Honorable Alan Estevez, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security

Quick facts

The CBSA helps ensure that exporters comply with national policies, processes, procedures, regulations and legislation related to exporting commercial goods.
Bureau of Industry and Security advances U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system, and by promoting continued U.S. leadership in strategic technologies.
Export controls are restrictions applied by governments as a means to regulate, and sometimes deny, trade in specific goods and technologies.
Through legislation tabled in May 2022, the Government of Canada will strengthen sanctions by banning sanctioned Russians from entering Canada.

Associated links

Contacts

Media Relations
Canada Border Services Agency
media@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
Bureau of Industry and Security
U.S. Department of Commerce
ocpa@bis.doc.gov

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Date modified:: 2022-06-08