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Regulatory Red Tape Reduction Progress Report: Global Affairs Canada

Context

In keeping with the government's priorities and the Prime Minister’s mandate letter of May 21, 2025, highlighting commitments to build one Canadian economy and bring down costs for Canadians, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has conducted an assessment of opportunities to reduce red tape in its regulatory frameworks.

In the context of this initiative, red tape refers to regulatory requirements, processes, or administrative obligations that impose unnecessary or disproportionate burdens on individuals, businesses, or organizations without delivering a commensurate benefit to public health, safety, security, the environment, or other policy objectives. While not all regulatory obligations are “red tape,” the term generally applies to those elements that could be streamlined, modernized, or eliminated without undermining the core protective purpose of the regulation.

GAC manages diplomatic relations, promotes international trade, provides consular support, as well as leads on international development, humanitarian, and peace and security assistance efforts. Within this mandate, GAC is responsible for over 200 regulations, most of which fall under the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ purview. The majority of these regulations falls into three categories:

The subjects of the remaining instruments range from consular assistance to international development or asset freeze in the context of the Freezing Assets of Corrupted Foreign Officials Act.

International agreements, events or relations with foreign State or non-State actors are what usually prompts regulatory initiatives from GAC.

Executive summary

The department’s approach to its red tape review progress report focuses on enhancing clarity for stakeholders, streamlining processes, reducing administrative burdens for Canadians and improving regulatory efficiency. To advance these priorities and reduce regulatory red tape, GAC identified five targeted initiatives. 

Progress achieved

Recent efforts to advance red tape reduction relate to the department‘s first Regulatory Stock Review (RSR) Plan, which was published in June 2025 and outlines regulations scheduled for review over the next 10 years. This initiative marks a significant step towards transparency by providing a structured approach to identify outdated or redundant regulations. Through the consultations leading to the publication of the RSR Plan, the department has identified obsolete regulations, with repeal and amendments planned for the current fiscal year.

Next steps

Building on external stakeholder feedback, internal evaluations and conclusions from the RSR Plan consultation phase, GAC is advancing several proposals to reduce regulatory burden:

Progress achieved

Item 1: Regulatory Stock Review (RSR) Plan 2024-2034

Context

Since 2018, the Cabinet Directive on Regulation (CDR) requires departments to undertake a regular review of their existing regulatory stock to ensure that the regulations continue to be appropriate as well as effective and achieve their intended policy objectives. Regulatory stock reviews help departments to identify where repeals or amendments to regulations, programs and enforcement processes would support efficiency, reduce costs, or improve opportunities for growth and innovation.

With the RSR Plan now online, the early insights from consultations leading to the publication of the RSR Plan have highlighted that there are instances of spent, obsolete or very old regulations that have not been cleaned from the stock or updated, creating confusion among Canadians and Canadian businesses. 

Actions

GAC’s RSR Plan 2024-2034 was launched in June 2025 and lists the department’s regulations planned for review in a 10-year period. The RSR Plan is classified into three phases of review:

Following its recent publication, the department will initiate the first review of the regulations identified for analysis in the short-term.

Outcomes

So far, the department identified 18 regulations that are spent. These will be repealed, and the result will be reflected in the next update of the RSR Plan. These primarily pertain to Orders-in-Council granting privileges and immunities to senior officials to facilitate their participation in time-specific meetings and conferences held in Canada. Additionally, 14 regulations under the Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA) and one under both the EIPA and the Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006 were found to be spent while five others under the EIPA need amendments to correct inconsistencies.

In the long term, the comprehensive review of the regulatory stock will allow the department to identify areas for improvement within its existing regulatory stock. Amendments to these instruments could increase efficiency by taking into consideration newer tools, programs and processes that would better respond to the objectives of the statutory instruments. 

Next steps

Item 2: Repeal and amend regulations under the Export and Import Permits Act and the Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006 subject to the Governor-in-Council process

Context

The department’s review of regulations under the EIPA and the Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge Act, 2006 has revealed that a number of instruments no longer have any practical application. At the moment, a regulatory package to repeal three outdated regulations is being prepared with Canada Revenue Agency; similarly, the review has highlighted the need to correct inconsistencies in some other regulations subject to the Governor-in-Council approval. To reduce potential confusion amongst stakeholders, the department will propose to repeal two regulations that are no longer in force and introduce minor technical amendments to three regulations.

Regulations to be repealed

Softwood Lumber Products Export Allocations Regulations

Given the expiry of the Softwood Lumber Agreement on October 12, 2015, there are no softwood lumber export allocations for Canada to administer. Therefore, the Softwood Lumber Products Export Allocations Regulations have no current application and should be repealed.

Export Permit (Steel Monitoring) Regulations

These regulations were registered in 1987 in support of the Government’s stated policy relating to the tracking of certain steel products entering and leaving the country. The Government of Canada no longer has a Steel Export Monitoring Program and carbon steel products were removed from the ECL in 1990. As a result, the Export Permit (Steel Monitoring) Regulations as well as the General Export Permit No. Ex. 82 — Carbon Steel Products became obsolete; however, only the latter was repealed in 2007. Therefore, the Export Permit (Steel Monitoring) Regulations should be repealed.

Regulations to be amended

Export Control List

The government of Canada no longer requires permits for the export of goods listed under items 5102 (Pulpwood) and 5103 (Red Cedar) of the ECL. Given that these provisions are no longer enforced, the ECL should be amended to remove these two items.

Import Certificate Regulations

These regulations set out the conditions for issuing import certificates to Canadian residents. In its current form, the regulations include outdated administrative references. These include:

Therefore, the regulations should be amended to clearly update the designated powers and responsibilities under the regulations.

Import Control List

To fix a concordance error, HS 1904.30.29 and 1905.32.92 will be added to the Import Control List (ICL). These two codes are the “over access commitment” form of identical “within access” codes for products under Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) for wheat, barley and their products. The absence of these over access commitment codes has not posed any issues with the TRQ administration or the respect of Canada’s commitments under the WTO, but including them would improve the control of goods under the General Import Permit No. 100 – Eligible Agricultural Goods.

Actions

The department is working on regulatory packages to propose the changes and repeals identified above. It is expected that this project will be considered by the Governor in Council within the fiscal year 2025-26.

Expected outcomes

The amendments and repeals are expected to ensure clarity and reduce potential confusion amongst stakeholders.

Item 3: Ministerial Order repealing and amending regulations under the EIPA

Context

The department’s review of regulations under the EIPA has revealed that a number of ministerial orders no longer have any practical application. Similarly, the review has highlighted the need for updates in some regulations under the authority of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to correct inconsistencies. Therefore, the objective of this initiative is to ensure clarity and reduce potential confusion amongst stakeholders by repealing 13 obsolete regulations and to amend three others in order to remove terminology no longer utilized, as well as to better align references in the regulations with ECL updates. 

Regulations to be repealed

Allocation method orders - Softwood Lumber Products (AMOs)

Given the expiry of the Softwood Lumber Agreement on October 12, 2015, there are no softwood lumber export allocations for Canada to administer. Therefore, the AMOs enacted from 2007 to 2015 have no current application and should be repealed.

Export of Consumable Stores Supplied to Vessels and Aircraft Permit (GEP No. EX.3)

These regulations allow for the export of consumable stores (fuel oils, lubricants, provisions and supplies, etc.) for vessels and aircraft without requiring a specific export permit, provided certain conditions are met. These items are no longer controlled for export in the ECL. Therefore, GEP EX.3 is considered outdated and should be repealed.

General Export Permit No. 38 – CWC Toxic Chemical and Precursor Mixtures (GEP 38)

These regulations allow for the export of certain toxic chemicals and precursors controlled under the ECL without requiring a specific export permit, provided certain conditions are met. Since these regulations were adopted in 1998, the ECL has been updated so that these chemicals are no longer controlled when they are exported as part of mixtures in which they are not the principal constituent. For this reason, GEP 38 is considered outdated and should be repealed.

General Import Permit No. 6 — Roses for Personal Use and General Import Permit No. 193 — Roses

These statutory instruments were adopted to implement Canada’s obligations under the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA) with respect to the establishment of an annual tariff rate quota for duty-free importation of 90,000 dozen roses classified under tariff item No. 0603.10.11. However, a renegotiation of the CIFTA, implemented in 2003, eliminated Canada’s tariff rate quota on roses. All originating roses imported from Israel or another CIFTA beneficiary can now be imported duty-free into Canada. Given that there is no longer a tariff rate quota (TRQ) associated with the import of roses from Israel, these two general import permits are no longer required and should be repealed.

Regulatory instruments to be amended

General Export Permit No. 41 - Dual-use Goods and Technology to Certain Destinations

The Regulation’s schedule needs to be updated to reflect new numbering for items controlled under Category 5 Part 2 and Category 8, Group 1 of the ECL. Therefore, the numbering in the Regulation’s schedule should be amended to clearly reference items currently controlled under the ECL.

General Export Permit No. 45 – Cryptography for the Development or Production of a Product

These regulations allow the export or transfer of certain cryptographic goods and technology controlled under the ECL without requiring a specific export permit, provided certain conditions are met. It applies only to goods and technology when they are used in the development or production of cryptographic products and not in the case of end-use products. The section of the ECL which is referenced in these regulations has been re-numbered since the regulations came into force. Therefore, the numbering in the regulations should be amended to clearly reference the technologies currently controlled under the ECL.

General Export Permit No. 46 – Cryptography for Use by Certain Consignees

These regulations allow the export or transfer of certain cryptographic goods and technology controlled under the ECL without requiring a specific export permit, provided certain conditions are met. It applies only in the case of end-use products when they are exported to specific consignees and not in the case of specified technologies used in the development or production of cryptographic products. The section of the ECL which is referenced in these regulations has been re-numbered since the regulations came into force. Therefore, the numbering in the Regulations should be amended to clearly reference the technologies currently controlled under the ECL.

Actions

The department is working on a regulatory package to propose the changes and repeals identified above. It is expected that this project will be completed within the fiscal year 2025-26.

Expected outcomes

The proposed repeals and amendments are expected to ensure clarity and reduce potential confusion among stakeholders.

Item 4: Sanctions regulations

Context

Canadian sanctions regulations are made under the United Nations Act, Special Economic Measures Act, and the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act. Canada’s use of sanctions has expanded in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in addition to other international crises. As sanctions measures expand in scope and complexity, associated administrative and legal responsibilities, as well as required resources for an effective regulatory program, continue to increase. Efforts are underway to review existing sanctions processes, allow for improved information-sharing with the public, and facilitate compliance with sanctions regulations, through:

  1. developing and publishing up-to-date guidance and technical documents that clarify regulatory requirements,
  2. developing new application portals for permits and delisting applications, and
  3. reviewing and amending sanction regulations to address inconsistencies or discrepancies and correct errors to improve clarity of regulatory as well as legal responsibilities.

Actions

In 2025-26, GAC will undertake efforts to enhance the availability of information and guidance related to sanctions through the department’s sanctions websites. GAC regularly engages with stakeholders via outreach activities and continually updates its website, which includes various tools (for example, consolidated Canadian and United Nations sanctions lists, updates on new regulations, and frequently asked questions). When changes are made to Canada’s sanctions regime, announcements are posted on GAC’s website.

GAC is developing new application portals for permits and delistings that will streamline the process for stakeholders and leverage the system already utilized by GAC’s export control system. Stakeholders will be able to apply for a sanctions permit at the same time as an export control permit. The application portals are part of a broader management system that will support better information management for all parts of the sanctions bureau.

GAC also continues to review sanctions regulations and related processes to ensure their cohesion, consistency, efficiency, and clarity. As needed, GAC will amend several regulations to correct minor inconsistencies of language from one regulation to another to facilitate interpretation.

Expected outcomes

It is expected that publishing additional guidance on Canada’s sanctions regime and introducing amendments to several sanctions regulations will improve clarity and certainty for stakeholders. These measures are expected to facilitate interpretation and reduce unnecessary permit requests —particularly in cases where activities are not prohibited but were mistakenly perceived as requiring authorization. By minimizing such requests, industry stakeholders may benefit from reduced administrative costs and improved operational efficiency. GAC will continue its efforts to evaluate sanctions regulations in order to reduce uncertainty and manage administrative burden for Canadian stakeholders.

The portal for permits and delisting applications will streamline the process for individuals and entities, including Canadians and Canadian businesses who seek to apply for a permit to carry out activities otherwise prohibited by sanctions or non-Canadian persons who seek to submit an application to the Minister to be removed from sanctions lists. The desired outcome is to move from the current email-based submissions to a secure online portal similar to the export control permit application system, with which stakeholders are familiar. This will allow for uniformity in the type of information submitted by applicants, ensure applicants are able to have timely and up-to-date information on the status of their applications, as well as allow a more efficient processing and record-keeping of documents submitted with applications.

Item 5: Accessibility to Trade Forms for Export and Import Permit Applications of Controlled Goods

Context

The department has received feedback from impacted stakeholders indicating difficulty in accessing and completing forms for tariff rate quota (TRQ) allocation applications on GAC’s website. The forms‘ embedded security features require a specific version of Adobe software to function properly, inadvertently creating barriers and unvoluntary burden for businesses attempting to comply with regulatory requirements.

Actions

The department is reviewing these security features and alternatives to make the forms more user-friendly and reduce the added administrative burden to businesses. GAC is working towards resolving the issue.

Expected outcomes

This initiative seeks to ensure that forms for TRQ allocation applications are easily accessible and require less time to complete. By addressing compatibility issues linked to existing security features, the department aims to reduce unnecessary administrative burden on businesses, improve user experience, and streamline the TRQ allocation application processes for greater efficiency and timeliness.

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