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.
CFIA Renews Salinas Valley Romaine Import Conditions — Certificate of Analysis Still Required
Starting September 24, 2026, CFIA's temporary import conditions for romaine lettuce from four California counties kick in again. If you move produce from Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, or Santa Cruz, expect Certificate of Analysis requirements at the border and potential CFIA holds if documentation is incomplete.
Read article →Halifax Statement Signals HS Code Changes for Canadian Agricultural Imports
Federal and provincial agriculture ministers adopted the Halifax Statement outlining policy priorities through 2033. For agricultural importers, that means potential shifts in Canada harmonized code treatment, CUSMA origin rules, and CBSA classification precedents as domestic production incentives reshape tariff policy.
Read article →HS code Canada: why classification accuracy beats forwarding scale
Large freight forwarders bet on global scale while specialized brokers focus on compliance depth. For Canadian importers filing CADs under CARM, HS code Canada classification accuracy matters more than network size—one misclassified tariff line can trigger CBSA verification, AMPS penalties, and duty overpayments that erase any volume discount.
Read article →What Korea's Hide Export Rules Tell Canadian Importers About CFIA Risk
CFIA just updated the export certificate for hides and skins to Korea, adding lumpy skin disease contingencies. Export certificate discipline mirrors import requirements—here's what the change means for anyone filing CADs on CFIA-controlled animal products.
Read article →Canadian and US Border Terminal Consolidation: CBSA Clearance When Port Operators Merge
The seven largest global terminal operators now control 40.3% of worldwide port throughput, including key Canadian and US border gateways. For Canadian importers filing CADs through consolidated terminals, this shift changes routing options, CBSA verification timelines, and CUSMA origin documentation requirements.
Read article →CBSA corrects treated seed AI codes in IID spec — check your EDI mappings
CBSA caught a format error in the latest Single Window ECCRD addendum: Active Ingredient codes for treated seed products included dashes that exceed the six-character limit. If you file IIDs for seed imports, your EDI mapper probably already rejected the bad spec. Here's what changed and what to validate.
Read article →CFIA feed ingredient consultations open through August 24: clearance gaps for Quillaja, yucca, and L-lysine
CFIA is consulting on three feed ingredient descriptions through August 24. If you import Quillaja wood powder, yucca extracts, or L-lysine solution, the consultation window creates a border clearance problem - ingredients under review can't clear until approved.
Read article →Project Bay and what 'broker-style model' means when CBSA says it
A 1.7-tonne drug seizure in Ontario used what CBSA calls a 'broker-style model' for smuggling. For legitimate importers, that phrase signals tighter targeting, broker accountability expectations, and why your filing patterns now get scored against intelligence-led risk models.
Read article →Steel TRQ consultation: why allocation method matters more than quota size
Global Affairs is asking how Canada should administer tariff-rate quotas on certain steel imports. For importers bringing in subject goods, the consultation answer could shift duty costs by five figures per container. Here's what brokers are watching.
Read article →Steel TRQ Permits and Bonded Warehouses: GAC and CBSA Aren't on the Same Page
Global Affairs Canada's permit validity language doesn't match CBSA's operational guidance for steel goods in customs bonded warehouses. Until someone fixes this, brokers are making judgment calls on permit timing every time a steel shipment hits a CBW.
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