Field notes from the Canadian border.
Practical playbooks and case studies from our brokers. No thought-leadership fluff — just the stuff we wish every importer knew before they called us in a panic.
US Section 301 Tariffs and Canadian Origin Verification Risk
US tariffs on Chinese and Brazilian goods create transshipment incentive and higher CBSA scrutiny of CUSMA and CETA origin claims at the Canadian border.
Read article →Vetting Your Customs Broker Before the First CAD: What Canadian Importers Actually Check
CARM shifted financial liability upstream to importers, making customs broker selection a CFO-level decision. Here's the due diligence checklist brokers use to evaluate each other—and what importers should ask before signing.
Read article →When Your Forwarder Cuts Staff in the Middle of CARM Phase 2
Expeditors posted strong Q2 2026 earnings but signals further headcount reductions. For Canadian importers navigating CARM's administrative complexity, broker service continuity and technical depth matter more than your provider's quarterly EPS.
Read article →Wood Cabinet Safeguard: Your HS 9403 Call Just Became a $10K Question
Canada's new 25% surtax on certain wood cabinets and vanities landed July 31. The classification line between subject goods and exempt goods is narrow, and getting it wrong means retroactive duty bills, bond shortfalls, and AMPS exposure.
Read article →CFIA Closes Entry for Chinese Fish Pet Treats Under Chapter 23
CFIA published Chapter 23 updates August 4 changing the release recommendation from inspection referral to outright refusal for two HS codes covering fish-based pet treats from China. If you import pet food or treats under 23.09, verify your classification and origin declarations before your next shipment clears.
Read article →Container Rate Drop: What Canadian Importers Should File Next
Drewry's World Container Index fell three per cent in late July, putting Asia–Canada freight charges at multi-month lows. For Canadian importers filing CADs under CARM, the question isn't whether rates dropped — it's whether your customs value and RPP bond calculations reflect the new baseline.
Read article →CSCB Board Nominations and Why Your Broker's Professional Standards Matter
The Canadian Society of Customs Brokers opened nominations for its 2026-2028 board today. If you import into Canada, the composition of that board has already shown up in your clearance timeline, your RPP bond calculations, and how fast CBSA responds when the CARM portal goes down at month-end.
Read article →CSCB National Conference 2026: What You're Actually Paying For
The 2026 CSCB Conference runs Sept 27-29 in Gatineau with a compliance focus. Here's what three days of hallway access gets you before Q4 hits.
Read article →Export Market Access Moves Fast. Import Compliance Doesn't.
CFIA announces export market access to Montenegro while import-side seafood holds remain a weekly compliance grind for Canadian importers.
Read article →Kenya's New Manifest Rules Hit Canadian Importers Sourcing East African Goods
Kenya's August 2024 advance cargo declaration mandate adds another pre-shipment compliance gate for Canadian importers buying coffee, tea, textiles and manufactured inputs from Nairobi and Mombasa, mirroring CBSA's own PARS and CARM reporting timelines that demand clean data before cargo moves.
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