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.
CARM financial security recalculations hit when ocean freight rates spike
Flexport's advice to hold off on early ocean contracts is solid freight strategy, but importers miss the customs clearance angle: when freight rates jump 30-40% mid-year, your total declared value rises, triggering CARM financial security reviews and potential RPP bond top-ups or release holds.
Read article →CBSA Extends CLVS BN15 Workaround Through June 2027
Customs Notice 26-13 gives importers another year to complete their CARM registration for courier low-value shipments, but the financial security risk still sits with your broker. If you're running high-volume CLVS and haven't registered for Release Prior to Payment, now is the time to fix that.
Read article →CBSA Extends Steel Racks Dumping Investigation to 135 Days — What Changes for Importers
CBSA extended the steel racks anti-dumping investigation to 135 days. Importers should verify whether their Chinese racking falls within scope and plan for provisional duties by late August.
Read article →CBSA July 16 Maintenance: Skip the Panic, Know the SOCP
CBSA's Thursday morning maintenance window is a non-event, but it's a good reminder to audit your System Outage Contingency Plan readiness before the next unplanned portal failure lands on a Friday afternoon.
Read article →CN25-29 Cancelled: RMD Port-of-Release Corrections Move to D-Memo
CBSA cancelled Customs Notice 25-29 on Form A48 RMD corrections because the policy now lives in the updated D-memo. No policy change, just consolidation. Here's what that means for your CAD filing and why port-of-release codes still matter.
Read article →CUSMA Joint Review through 2026: what Canadian importers need to track
The CUSMA Joint Review is underway and won't unwind the agreement, but rule-of-origin amendments and certification tweaks can land midstream. If you're claiming preferential treatment, here's what your broker is watching and what you should audit now.
Read article →Duty Drawback Canada Claims Set to Grow as Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Adds West Coast Re-Export Capacity
TerraMarine's selection for Roberts Bank Terminal 2 marine works signals 2.4 million TEU of new Vancouver container capacity by 2031, opening duty drawback Canada opportunities for importers who re-export Asian goods through the West Coast. Drawback claims require accurate CAD filing and CBSA verification under CARM Phase 2.
Read article →Duty Refunds Take Months Now. Your Customs Broker Montreal Should Size CARM Security Around That.
U.S. brands are dealing with unpredictable tariff reimbursements that arrive slower than supply chain costs pile up. Canadian importers face similar duty relief uncertainty under CARM. Your customs broker Montreal should be modeling RPP bond exposure around 10-to-14-week refund timelines, not the old 30-day policy window.
Read article →Vancouver customs broker requirements for Ontario distribution center imports
Lululemon's new Brampton DC highlights the import clearance path most Ontario retailers use: west coast entry, Vancouver customs processing, cross-country freight. Apparel HS classification and origin claims determine whether your Vancouver customs broker files a clean CAD or your container sits in CBSA exam for days.
Read article →Air-Ocean Integration and Your CAD Filing: What the FedEx-CMA CGM Deal Changes
When a major ocean carrier buys an air-freight contract logistics arm, Canadian importers face new multimodal documentation challenges. Here's what the FedEx-CMA CGM capacity agreement means for CBSA release workflows.
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