Canada is imposing more penalties on Russia as it continues its invasion of Ukraine.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says Russia and Belarus will have to pay a 35 per cent tariff on exports to Canada as the countries’ status of a favoured trading partner has been revoked.
North Korea is the only other country that doesn’t enjoy that status.
The federal government is also sending rocket launchers and grenades to Ukraine.
Freeland says new immigration streams are also being opened for people who want to come to Canada, one for anyone coming temporarily and another for those looking to stay.
Meanwhile, intelligence sources say a massive convoy of Russian reinforcements is making little progress as it heads for the capital of Kyiv.
The Russians have made some progress in the south of the country, occupying the port city of Kherson along the Black Sea coast.
On Wednesday the Kremlin said 500 troops had died in the invasion and more than 1,000 were injured.
Ukrainian officials say more than 2,000 civilians have been killed since the invasion began last Thursday.
The United Nations says more than one-million people have fled the country, about two per cent of Ukraine’s population.
