OTTAWA, ON / WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of
Industry and Security (BIS) 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 travelers and trade, and also enforces more than 100
acts and regulations that keep Canada and Canadians safe. BIS’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 US-Canada enforcement relationship through a joint
commitment to leverage our authorities and resources to detect, deter, and stop violations of
export restrictions 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
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 Bureau of Industry and Security
 1401 Constitution Avenue, Suite 3896
 Washington, DC 20230

“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.
• BIS 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
• Canada’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Sanctions – Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Government to ban sanctioned Russians from entering Canada - Canada.ca
• Resources on export controls implemented by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s
Bureau of Industry and Security in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:
https://bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/country-guidance/russia-b…

Contacts

Media Relations
Canada Border Services Agency
[email protected]

Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
Bureau of Industry and Security
U.S. Department of Commerce
[email protected]