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.
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.
Read article →Why Bilateral Trade Deals Matter for Canadian CAD Filing
The Australia-Singapore Green Economy Agreement shows how bilateral FTA networks create preferential duty pathways. For Canadian importers, CUSMA, CETA, and CPTPP offer similar savings—but CARM Phase 2's tighter origin verification rules mean proper CAD filing and HS classification are no longer optional.
Read article →Wood Cabinet Surtax: 25% Provisional Charge Starts July 31
Canada's new 25 percent safeguard surtax on wood cabinets and vanities hits every origin equally starting July 31, with a 200-day CITT inquiry to follow.
Read article →Air Cargo Growth and What It Means for Your CAD Filing Timeline
Air cargo volumes are climbing on the Transpacific lane and geopolitical volatility is pushing shippers toward premium transit. Canadian importers relying on air freight need to understand how CARM Phase 2 CAD filing, RPP bond requirements, and CBSA exam protocols apply when your container arrives by wing instead of water.
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