441-01417 (Foreign affairs)

Canada remains deeply concerned by the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye, which have claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and injured many more. In response, Canada announced that it is providing $50 million in humanitarian assistance to support the international response to this emergency, $20 million of which is dedicated to Syria. This contribution is actively helping support emergency medical services and providing shelter, food and other essential items to populations most effected in Syria and Türkiye. This is in addition to the $50 million Canada allocated in humanitarian assistance for Syria in 2023.

Canada first imposed sanctions against Syria in May 2011, in response to the Syrian government’s violent crackdown on peaceful protestors. Canada’s sanctions are enacted under the Special Economic Measures Act, and target members of the Syrian regime responsible for human rights violations and resulting breach of international peace and security in the region. They are not targeting the Syrian population at large. As an added measure to ensure that Canadian sanctions do not inadvertently impact humanitarian activities, Canadian sanctions include legislated exceptions, including for humanitarian activities led by international organizations with diplomatic status; United Nations agencies; the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement; and NGOs that have entered into a grant or contribution agreement with the Global Affairs Canada. As such, it is not prohibited under Canada’s Special Economic Measures Act for individuals or entities to make goods or services available to those entities, as long as those goods and services are for the purpose of safeguarding human life, or providing food, medicine or medical supplies or equipment. Canadian sanctions also include exemptions for disaster relief, democratisations or stabilisation under certain circumstances.

Humanitarian assistance from Canada and the international community has continued unabated in order to support the Syrian people. Canada has delivered over $685 million in humanitarian assistance funding in Syria since 2016, and has worked successfully with principled humanitarian partners on the ground in Syria. Canada is one of Syria’s largest humanitarian partners, and will continue to stand by the Syrian people when in need, and advocate strongly for accountability and justice in Syria.