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ARTICLE · 14 JULY 2025

Canada Implements New Export Controls Reflecting Increasing Use Of Unilateral Measures

McCarthy Tétrault
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Effective July 1, 2025, the new version of A Guide to Canada's Export Control List ("the Guide") is now in force.

CanadaInternational Law
Terms Of Trade
Terms Of Trade
John Boscariol
John Boscariol
Delaney Stymiest-Losier
Delaney Stymiest-Losier
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Effective July 1, 2025, the new version of A Guide to Canada's Export Control List ("the Guide") is now in force. This latest update formalizes significant new export and technology transfer controls, particularly affecting AI-enabled technologies, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, semiconductor technology, and defense-related sectors, and marks a notable shift in Canada's export control policy to the use of unilateral measures.

A Strategic Policy Shift: Rise of Unilateral Controls

Historically, Canada's export controls have been grounded in multilateral regimes such as the Wassenaar Arrangement, the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group, and the Missile Technology Control Regime. However, more recently, Canada has been increasingly implementing controls which are unilateral in origin. These controls, first introduced inJuly 2024 and April 2025, are not required under any multilateral agreement and are being adopted independently by Canada to address

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