With the vote, Bill C-68 now moves toward royal assent, ensuring it will become law before the House and Senate rise for the summer break at the end of June. Parliament is not expected to resume sitting before the writs are issued for October’s federal election. Once the writs are issued, all legislation that has not received royal assent is scrapped.

Several environment and conservation advocacy groups applauded the bill’s passage, specifically provisions protecting fish habitat, new sustainability efforts and banning the import and export of shark fins in Canada.

“This is a huge victory for sharks and for the many Canadians, advocacy groups and politicians who joined together to champion the ban of this cruel practice,” Kim Elmslie, a campaign director with Oceana Canada, said in a statement.