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.
CBSA Extends DONP2 Preliminary Phase: What Another 30 Days Means for Your Plywood Imports
CBSA just added 30 days to the DONP2 plywood dumping and subsidy investigation. If you're importing non-structural plywood from China, the provisional duty window moved, the final determination timeline shifted, and your surety calculation needs an update.
Read article →CBSA Just Published the ELVIS Courier API Docs — Here's What That Actually Means for Your LVS Flows
The eCommerce Low Value Inspection System API documentation is now live for approved Courier LVS program participants. If you're clearing courier shipments under $150, this is the first look at how CBSA wants data submitted in the new framework.
Read article →CBSA Opens Wheat Gluten Dumping Investigation: Italy, Poland, UK Shipments Now Under SIMA Review
CBSA initiated a dumping investigation June 19, 2026 covering wheat gluten from Italy, Poland, and the UK. If your CADs hit HS 1109.00 and you're filing origin from those three countries, provisional duties are likely inside 90 days and you need a plan for the financial security hit.
Read article →CITT extends anti-dumping order on Chinese solar modules through 2031
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal just extended anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Chinese photovoltaic modules and laminates for another five years. If you import solar equipment, review your HS classification and origin documentation now, because release holds and retroactive duty assessments are already landing on files where the broker guessed wrong.
Read article →Duty drawback and refund mechanisms under CARM: what McCormick's $28M case tells Canadian importers
McCormick's $28M U.S. tariff refund highlights the scale of duty recovery programs. Canadian importers should understand CARM-era drawback workflows, correction windows, and how geopolitical cost shocks affect duty eligibility on re-imported or origin-shifted goods.
Read article →eManifest Portal Maintenance July 4–5, 2026: What Actually Gets Blocked and What Doesn't
CBSA scheduled a one-hour re-logon window each morning July 4 and 5, 2026. Portal stays up, EDI stays up, you can still file. Here's what that means for weekend ACI filings and Monday morning release work.
Read article →Intra-Asia Rate Volatility and Canadian HS Classification Risk on Chinese Imports
Shanghai–Southeast Asia container rates fell last week while China–Taiwan lanes tightened. For Canadian importers filing CADs on Chinese-origin goods, rate volatility creates pressure to ship faster and misclassify. We break down the HS 6-digit trap, CUSMA origin pitfalls, and where CBSA verification focuses when freight costs swing.
Read article →Transpacific Rate Spike: What It Means for Canadian CAD Filing and Valuation Under CARM
Ocean freight rates from Asia to North America jumped five per cent the week of June 22–26, reaching the highest level since September 2024. For Canadian importers, that spike translates directly to declared FOB value, duty calculations on your CAD, and potential CBSA valuation flags when freight swings mid-shipment.
Read article →What the CUSMA review means for Canadian importers filing CADs in 2025
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce just stood up a Trade & Competitiveness Council ahead of the mandatory CUSMA review. For Canadian brokers and importers, the timing matters: origin verification is already heating up, and any changes to ROO thresholds or de minimis will touch every CAD you file next year.
Read article →Canada's LVS update and what it means for cross-border e-commerce clearance
CBSA's Low Value Shipment program sits at the centre of most cross-border e-commerce clearance. Recent enforcement changes, courier reporting shifts, and CARM Phase 2 are tightening the window for non-compliant shipments. Here's what to expect if you're importing under $150 CAD per parcel.
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