Special Economic Measures (Syria) Regulations

3.2 The prohibitions set out in sections 3 and 3.1 do not apply in respect of

• (a) any activity engaged in under an agreement or arrangement between Canada and Syria;

• (b) any payment made by or on behalf of a listed person that is due under a contract that the listed person entered into before they became a listed person, provided that the payment is not made to a listed person or to a person acting on behalf of a listed person;

• (c) any goods made available, or services provided, to or by any of the following entities for the purpose of safeguarding human life, disaster relief, democratization, stabilization or providing food, medicine or medical supplies or equipment:

  • (i) an international organization with diplomatic status,

  • (ii) a United Nations agency,

  • (iii) the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, or

  • (iv) a non-governmental organization that has entered into a grant or contribution agreement with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade or the Canadian International Development Agency;

• (d) [Repealed, SOR/2026-23, s. 5]

• (e) any goods from the Embassy of Canada in Syria destined for Canada or any goods from Syria destined for the Embassy of Syria in Canada;

• (f) personal or settlers’ effects that are taken or shipped by an individual leaving Syria and that are solely for the use of the individual or the individual’s immediate family;

• (g) personal correspondence, including lettermail, printed papers and postcards, of a weight not exceeding 250 g per item of correspondence;

• (h) pension payments to any person in Canada, any Canadian abroad or any person in Syria;

• (i) any transaction in respect of the accounts at a Canadian financial institution that are used for the regular business of the Embassy of Syria or its consular missions in Canada;

• (j) any transaction in respect of the accounts at a Syrian financial institution that are used for the regular business of the Embassy of Canada or its consular missions in Syria; and

• (k) any transaction necessary for a Canadian to transfer to a person other than a listed person any accounts, funds or investments of a Canadian held by a listed person on the day on which that person became a listed person.