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 and IPPC Draft ISPM Consultations: What Importers Should Watch Before September 30
The IPPC is opening member consultation on draft International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures through September 30, 2026. For Canadian importers of fresh produce, cut flowers, and wood packaging, these drafts will eventually feed into CFIA's import requirements and OGD holds at the border.
Read article →China slaps 73.5% preliminary AD duty on Canadian pea starch — what that means if you're the Canadian exporter
China's Commerce Ministry just imposed a 73.5% preliminary anti-dumping duty on Canadian pea starch, effective July 1. If you're exporting that HS line southbound or advising clients who do, here's what the margin does to your landed cost math, your documentation trail, and your next shipment.
Read article →CICEPA Rules of Origin and the Vegetable Surtax: What Actually Changed in the June Gazettes
Three late-June Canada Gazette notices changed origin verification rules for CICEPA, added a surtax line for canned vegetables, and amended CITT procurement inquiry procedures. Here's what that means for your CAD filings and SIMA workflows.
Read article →CUSMA Annual Review Starts: What Canadian Importers Should Watch in 2025
The United States declined early extension of CUSMA, triggering the first annual review process. Canadian importers claiming preferential duty treatment need to understand how review outcomes could reshape origin documentation, CAD filing rules, and CBSA verification priorities over the next twelve months.
Read article →Operation Sky Shield and the export side: what brokers and import managers need to know about outbound CBSA controls
CBSA's Operation Sky Shield netted 123 export seizures of narcotics and precursors headed to Australia and New Zealand. Export compliance isn't just for defence contractors—here's what the operation tells us about screening, red flags, and CBSA's new appetite for outbound enforcement.
Read article →Reefer Freight Heat Spikes and Your CBSA Release Schedule
Summer heat waves push reefer spot rates and tender rejections up, which matters for Canadian importers filing CADs on perishables. Capacity crunches delay border arrivals, compress exam windows, and force last-minute carrier swaps that trigger PARS amendments and release-hold cascades.
Read article →What the 2025 CSCB Student Award Results Tell You About Who's Filing Your CADs
The CSCB just named its 2025 CCS and CTCS award winners. Behind the congratulations sits a question worth asking: does your current broker staff hold those designations, and does it matter when things go sideways?
Read article →Broker Liability in Canada: What Customs Brokers Can and Cannot Be Held Responsible For
A Florida lawsuit dismissing C.H. Robinson highlights how deep-pocket targeting plays out south of the border. In Canada, CBSA and CRA liability rules are different—customs brokers answer for filing accuracy and representation, not carrier negligence or commercial disputes. Here's what importer liability looks like under CARM and how to protect your bond.
Read article →CBSA EDI and eManifest downtime schedule for 2026: what breaks, what doesn't, and when to file early
CBSA published its 2026 scheduled maintenance calendar for EDI, eManifest, and CERS portals. Most are early Saturday mornings. Here's which filing windows close, which contingencies work, and when you need paper backups ready.
Read article →CBSA Tsawwassen opium seizure: what it means for your exam risk profile and the CBSA intelligence-referral queue
A 520-kg opium seizure at Tsawwassen shows how intelligence-led targeting works upstream of your release. If you're filing paper or packaging goods ex-China, exam rates just went up for everyone in that commodity block.
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