Countries · CA

Canada: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 40 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Canada.Lists last checked .

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Canada in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Canada may still be on a list.

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On the sanctions lists

40 entries on the official lists name Canada — as nationality, address, registration or flag. That links them to the country; it says nothing about other companies there. The same company can appear on several lists and is then counted once per list. Individuals are not included — Sanctioni does not process them.

ListEntries
US OFAC — Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)39
UK Sanctions List (FCDO)1

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Logistics profile

Canada: logistics and trade

Raw materials and trading nation with Pacific and Atlantic gateways (Vancouver, Montreal); close USMCA integration with the USA

Canada (CA) stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic and is a resource-rich trading nation serving as a North American gateway: the Pacific ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, Halifax on the Atlantic and Montreal on the St. Lawrence River connect world markets with the USMCA internal market. Canada forms the CUSMA free trade area with the US and Mexico; CETA with the EU, CPTPP in the Pacific region and the Canada-EFTA agreement with Switzerland also apply. CBSA customs clearance runs electronically through CARM, Canada's permanent system for customs accounting and duty payment since 1 January 2026. Import GST is 5 percent; several provinces instead levy HST of 13 to 15 percent. The main cargo airports are Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR) and Montreal-Trudeau (YUL); the largest port is Vancouver with around 3.5 million TEU. Key corridors are the Windsor–Quebec corridor (Highway 401), the Trans-Canada Highway and the transcontinental rail networks of CN and CPKC with the Asia gateway Prince Rupert–Chicago. Main exports are crude oil and natural gas, grain, timber and metals; the most important trading partners are the US, China and Japan.

Capital
Ottawa
Population
41,500,000
Area
9,984,670 km²
Currency
Canadian Dollar (CAD)
Continent
North America
Region
North America / USMCA
Economic area
USMCA (CUSMA)
Religions
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism
Access to the sea
Yes

Transport modes Sea · Air · Rail · Road · Inland waterway

Current situation
CARM has been Canada's permanent customs system since 1.1.2026: the customs agent's Business Number can no longer be used for goods release; importers need their own CARM account with their own financial security (RPP); the grace period for late-payment interest and penalties ended on 31.1.2026. No nationwide port or rail disruption verified; the 2024 West Coast labour dispute has been resolved since June 2025. (As of 2026-07-19)
Seasonal conditions
Harsh winters: ice and partial closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway (approximately January–March), snowstorms and cold waves can delay road, rail and air freight.

Main seaports

  • Vancouver

    Vancouver (CA VAN), Canada's largest port: 158M tonnes and 3.47M TEU in 2024. Containers, grain, coal, potash – the Pacific gateway to Asia, served by CN and CP rail.

  • Montreal

    Montreal (CA MTR): St. Lawrence container gateway, 1.46M TEU in 2024, transatlantic Europe services, on-dock CN and CPKC rail; Contrecœur terminal from 2030.

  • Prince Rupert

    Prince Rupert (CA PRR): DP World's Fairview terminal moved 885,800 TEU in 2025, dockside CN Rail, plus CANXPORT transload on Ridley Island from Q3 2026.

  • Halifax

    Halifax (CA HAL): Eastern Canada's deepest container gateway, 502,000 TEU in 2025, 106 ultra-large vessel calls, on-dock CN rail. Cargo, customs, alternatives.

  • Canaport (St. John)

    Canaport, Saint John (CA CPT): Canada's crude-oil and LNG energy terminal on the Bay of Fundy — no container handling; boxes route via DP World Saint John.

  • Hamilton

    Hamilton (CA HAM): Canada's busiest Great Lakes port, 10.35M tonnes in 2025 – steel inputs, grain, fertiliser; Seaway-limited, no container liner service.

Main cargo airports

  • Toronto Lester B. Pearson International AirportYYZ

    Toronto Pearson (YYZ/CYYZ) handles about 45% of Canada's air cargo, with 13 cargo operators, Emirates SkyCargo and China Airlines freighters and CBSA customs.

  • Vancouver International AirportYVR

    Vancouver International (YVR/CYVR): record 365,000 t of cargo in 2025 (+7.4%), freighters from FedEx, UPS, DHL and Cargojet, sea-air via the Port of Vancouver.

  • Montreal / Pierre Elliott Trudeau International AirportYUL

    Montréal-Trudeau (YUL/CYUL): 158,300 t of cargo in 2024, third in Canada, freighters mainly at Mirabel (YMX), PACT pre-load screening since April 2025.

  • Calgary International AirportYYC

    Calgary International Airport (YYC): Alberta's largest airport, 100,000–200,000 t cargo a year, weekly Cargolux 747-8F, bonded warehouse and CN intermodal link.

Road corridors

  • Trans-Canada Highway
  • Windsor–Quebec corridor (Highway 401)
  • Border corridors to the USA (Detroit–Windsor, Pacific Highway)

Rail corridors

  • CN transcontinental
  • CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City) transcontinental
  • Asia gateway Prince Rupert–Chicago

Inland ports

  • Montreal (St. Lawrence Seaway)
  • Thunder Bay (Great Lakes)
  • Hamilton (Great Lakes)

Main trade lanes

  • Canada–USA
  • Canada–China
  • Trans-Pacific (Asia)
  • Canada–EU (CETA)
  • Canada–Japan

Customs and import

Customs authority Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)Official website ↗

Import customs system
Electronic processing via the CBSA system CARM (mandatory since October 2024). Importers need a CRA Business Number and a CARM Client Portal account; classification under the Canada Customs Tariff.
Export customs system
Export declarations via the Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS) of the CBSA; depending on destination and goods, export permits (Export Permits, Controlled Goods) are required.
Import VAT
Import GST 5 percent (federal tax) on customs value plus duty; in several provinces, the harmonized HST (13 to 15 percent) applies instead. Registered businesses can claim input tax credits.
Proofs of origin and trade agreements
Exporter's origin declaration under CUSMA, CETA and CPTPP (self-certification, no EUR.1). Relevant for Switzerland: Canada-EFTA Free Trade Agreement, in force since 2009.
Restricted and prohibited goods
Restrictions and prohibitions, including for weapons, certain foods and plants (CFIA), dangerous goods and certain consumer goods; cannabis and individual goods are subject to special rules.

Typical import documents

  • Commercial invoice (Canada Customs Invoice)
  • Packing list
  • Bill of lading / air waybill
  • Proof of origin (CUSMA/CETA/CPTPP)
  • Import permits (depending on goods)

Typical export documents

  • Commercial invoice
  • Packing list
  • Bill of lading / air waybill
  • Export declaration (CERS)
  • Origin declaration (FTA)
  • Export permit (controlled goods)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity
Low to medium
Customs delays
Low to medium
Port congestion
Medium
Dangerous goods relevance
Medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance
Medium to high
E-commerce relevance
High

Trade

Top import goods

  • Vehicles
  • Machinery
  • Electronics
  • Mineral oils
  • Pharmaceuticals

Top export goods

  • Mineral oils
  • Vehicles
  • Wood products
  • Grain
  • Metals

Typical cargo

  • Crude oil and natural gas
  • Grain and agricultural products
  • Wood and pulp
  • Metals and minerals (potash, iron ore)
  • Vehicles and machinery
  • Containerized consumer goods

Upcoming public holidays

  • Remembrance DayWed, 11 Nov 2026
  • Christmas DayFri, 25 Dec 2026 · businesses closed
  • Boxing DaySat, 26 Dec 2026
  • New Year's DayFri, 1 Jan 2027 · businesses closed
  • Good FridayFri, 26 Mar 2027 · businesses closed
  • Easter MondayMon, 29 Mar 2027
  • Victoria DayMon, 24 May 2027 · businesses closed
  • Canada DayThu, 1 Jul 2027 · businesses closed

Latest logistics news

Logistics questions

Which customs system does Canada use?

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) processes commercial imports through CARM, which has been mandatory since October 2024. Importers need a CRA business number and a CARM Client Portal account.

What is the import tax (GST) in Canada?

Imports are subject to a 5 percent GST on the customs value plus duty. Several provinces instead apply the harmonized HST of 13 to 15 percent. Registered businesses can recover the input tax.

Does Switzerland benefit from an agreement with Canada?

Yes. The Canada-EFTA free trade agreement has been in force since 2009 and covers Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It mainly concerns goods; origin is proven by an origin declaration.

What are the most important ports in Canada?

Vancouver is the largest and most diversified port (around 3.5 million TEU), followed by Montreal on the St. Lawrence River, Prince Rupert (shortest route to Asia) and Halifax as the main Atlantic gateway.

Which free trade agreements does Canada have?

The most important include CUSMA (with the US and Mexico, since 2020), CETA with the EU (since 2017), CPTPP in the Pacific region (since 2018) and the Canada-EFTA agreement with Switzerland.

What seasonal risks exist in Canadian logistics?

In winter, ice and the partial closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway (roughly January to March), as well as snowstorms and cold spells, can delay road, rail and air freight. Labour disputes at the ports may also occur.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗

Freight Academy

Powered by Freight Academy, verified 19 Jul 2026. Logistics information, not a sanctions source.

Indicator: the route rules of the Sanctioni check, curated from the published sanctions programmes of the UN, EU, UK, Switzerland and the US. Entries: the live version of each list (data sources), updated every 6 hours.

A preliminary screening aid — not legal advice and not a compliance clearance. The official publication of the competent authority prevails.

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