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.
RABC Program Closes December 1: Telephone Reporting Goes Mandatory at Five Northern Crossings
CBSA is shutting down the Remote Area Border Crossing program and requiring telephone reporting at five northern Ontario and Manitoba entry points. Most commercial freight never touched these routes, but if you're filing ACI for small shipments into remote mining or forestry operations, the reporting workflow just changed.
Read article →Supplier Diversification Raises the Bar for Your Import Broker
Canadian importers adding supplier countries to improve resilience face layered customs complexity. When your import broker is managing CUSMA, CETA, and MFN duty treatments on parallel inbound lanes, clearance coordination becomes the bottleneck.
Read article →US Freight Broker Consolidation and Your Canadian Customs Clearance Service
When US freight brokers merge or get acquired, cross-border shippers often discover their customs clearance service was never part of the package. CBSA filing, CARM Portal access, and release prior to payment all require a licensed Canadian customs broker—not just a freight forwarder with a referral agreement.
Read article →What a Montreal Customs Broker Sees in US July Import Data
US container imports rose 4.5% in July 2026 to 2.51M TEU, with China-origin cargo at a 13-month high. For Canadian importers, that volume spike signals tighter CUSMA origin verification, longer CBSA clearance windows, and RPP bond pressure heading into Q4. A Montreal customs broker's view on what the data means for your CAD filing timeline and origin compliance requirements.
Read article →Canada Sanctions Streit Group: What Importers Need to Screen Now
Canada sanctioned UAE defense manufacturer Streit Group under SEMA for supplying armoured vehicles to Russia's National Guard, raising screening requirements and CBSA enforcement risk for importers of defense-related and dual-use goods.
Read article →CITT Opens SIMA Inquiry Into Unarmoured Building Cables
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal opened inquiry NQ-2026-003 into unarmoured building cables on August 8, 2026. If you import electrical wire from subject countries, provisional anti-dumping duties are 60-90 days out — your defense is locked-in HS classification evidence before the duties publish.
Read article →Crossing the Border Into Canada: How Shifting Trade Patterns Change Your Clearance Strategy
When cargo crossing the border into Canada shifts from established trade lanes to new routings, your Commercial Accounting Declaration needs to shift too. CUSMA origin, HS classification, and RPP bond math all change when the supply chain does.
Read article →Finland Joins ASF Secondary Control Zone: What Feed Importers Need to File Now
CFIA just added Finland to the African swine fever secondary control list and tightened plant-based feed ingredient permit requirements. If you import livestock feed or feed ingredients into Canada, your CBSA release process just got a new OGD checkpoint.
Read article →Non-Resident Importer Canada: Empty Backhaul Capacity and CBSA Compliance Costs
When backhaul capacity on ex-Asia routes sits mostly empty, Non-Resident Importers shipping into Canada face tighter CBSA scrutiny on undervalued freight, higher RPP bond requirements, and stricter CAD filing review. Here's what changed in CARM Phase 2.
Read article →What Mexican Apple Export Rules Tell You About Importing Fresh Produce Into Canada
Quebec apple exporters just learned what a single pest detection does to cross-border fresh produce movement. Canadian importers of berries, citrus, stone fruit and vegetables live this reality year-round. Here's what CFIA phytosanitary clearance actually costs you in time, cold storage, and rejected loads.
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