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Older musical instruments, and particularly bows for stringed instruments, may contain small amounts of elephant ivory and have long been under strict rules for international travel and commerce. Canada has announced that, beginning January 8, 2024, Canadian-issued import and export permits will now be required for travel in and out of Canada with ivory, in addition to the required permits already issued by a musician’s home country. Following are related resources:

The League will continue to partner with our colleagues at Orchestras Canada to gather more information about how the permit application process will work for non-Canadian musicians and ensembles, as implementation begins. In the meantime, please help us spread the word about how musicians can support protected species through the League’s Know Your Bow guide and our overview of protected species rules for musical instruments.

The content of the League’s Advocacy & Government webpages is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice on any subject matter. This website should not be used as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney licensed or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction.

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