On June 10, 2025, the Government of Canada announced the addition of two individuals to the Special Economic Measures (Extremist Settler Violence) Regulation (the “Regulations”). The amended Regulations entered into force the same day.
Canada designated Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s Minister of National Security, and Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Minister of Finance, for their alleged facilitation of the “expansion of settlements and outposts in the West Bank and “contributing to a more permissive environment for higher levels of harassment and violence by Israeli extremist settlers against Palestinian civilians”. Canada coordinated these designations with the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Norway.
The Regulations impose a dealings prohibition against the individuals listed, effectively freezing any assets they hold in Canada. Specifically, the Regulations prohibit any person in Canada and any Canadian outside Canada from:
- dealing in any property, wherever situated, that is owned — or that is held or controlled, directly or indirectly — by a designated person;
- entering into or facilitating any transaction related to a dealing in a designated person’s property;
- providing any financial or related services in respect of a dealing in a designated person’s property;
- making available any goods, wherever situated, to a listed person or to a person acting on behalf of a designated person;
- transferring or providing any property other than goods to a listed person or to a person outside Canada who is not Canadian for the benefit of a designated person; or
- providing any financial or related services to or for the benefit of a designated person.
Individuals listed are also rendered inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Businesses should continually assess their sanctions compliance in this shifting legal landscape. Regulations enacted under the Special Economic Measures Act obligate persons in Canada and Canadian citizens to disclose certain property held by Schedule 1 parties and any related transactional information to the RCMP. Additionally, certain entities have a continuing duty to determine and disclose certain property of Schedule 1 parties. An unofficial copy of the legislative amendments to the Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Extremist Settler Violence) Regulations are available on Global Affairs Canada’s website here.
