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.
Spot rates are falling. Canadian customs capacity isn't.
Ocean freight costs dropped for the first time since April, and importers are planning Q3 restocking runs. But cheaper freight doesn't automatically mean faster CBSA clearance. If your CARM infrastructure, RPP bond, HS classifications, and CUSMA origin certificates aren't ready for a volume spike, the savings evaporate at the border.
Read article →West Coast volume swings mean filing pattern shifts at CBSA
LA and Long Beach logged strong June volume, but tariff uncertainty and geopolitical risk are pushing some Canadian importers to reconsider routing. When cargo paths change, CBSA CAD filings, CUSMA origin documentation, and RPP bond sizing all need to follow.
Read article →When your origin port floods: CBSA clearance, duty liability, and cargo recovery options
Chittagong port flooding shows how upstream disruption hits Canadian importers downstream. We walk through CAD filing extensions, RPP bond exposure, damaged-cargo duty relief, and when to file a drawback claim.
Read article →CBSA export exams are real: what the Halifax meth seizure means for importers
CBSA seized 300kg of methamphetamine in a Halifax export examination, a reminder that outbound containers get examined too. For Canadian importers running drawback programs, temporary import reversals, or NRI operations, export compliance isn't optional.
Read article →CBSA Lifts CLVS Moratorium in September — What Hasn't Changed and What's Next
CBSA reopens Courier Low Value Shipment program applications in September 2026 under the existing framework. Eligibility stays the same, but eCommerce modernization is on deck.
Read article →DDP Shipping to Canada: What the $7.3M US Customs Fraud Settlement Means for Canadian Importers
When foreign sellers handle DDP shipping to Canada, misclassification errors can still land on the Canadian buyer. This US customs fraud settlement shows why importers using non-resident importer arrangements need contractual protection and direct oversight of CBSA filings.
Read article →Spot rate swings and CARM financial security: what Canadian importers need to reforecast
Ocean freight spot rates have resumed volatility after several weeks of the Fortnight Brace pattern flattening out. For Canadian importers filing CADs under CARM, that means RPP bond adequacy checks, customs valuation reviews, and landed-cost reforecasting are back on the monthly agenda.
Read article →US-Brazil tariff adds CBSA origin checks — what Canadian importers filing CADs need to verify now
New 25% US duty on Brazilian imports raises CBSA scrutiny on CUSMA origin claims for goods with South American inputs. Canadian importers must tighten supplier declarations and expect more frequent verification requests on Commercial Accounting Declarations.
Read article →When CARM Email Notifications Stop Landing
CBSA's automated emails from the CARM Client Portal are getting blocked by external providers, and the official workaround is to log in daily and check manually — not realistic for brokers running 50+ files a day.
Read article →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.
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