Canada explores international carbon-credit framework

The federal government is exploring a policy framework that could allow Canadian companies to participate in international carbon-credit transfers under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Environment and Climate Change Canada says the work concerns internationally transferred mitigation outcomes, or ITMOs. These units can represent emissions reductions or removals transferred between countries and applied toward climate targets.

The September 24 announcement starts policy development; it does not establish a market or approve specific projects. Ottawa says any future Canadian framework would need tracking and accounting safeguards, including measures to prevent the same reduction from being counted by both the exporting and importing country.

The government says it will work with provinces, territories, Indigenous organizations and other partners as it develops the approach. It did not give a completion date or publish final eligibility rules.

Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, international carbon-market framework announcement, September 24, 2026.

Illustrative stock image: Gustav Gullstrand / Unsplash Licence. The forest is illustrative and is not presented as a carbon-credit project; WordPress may crop or resize it for display.