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.
Container Rate Spike Hits Duty Calculations for Canadian Importers
The Drewry World Container Index jumped 9% in early July, pushing ocean freight costs higher across Transpacific and Asia-Europe lanes. For Canadian importers, that rate increase flows directly into CBSA duty assessments, RPP bond minimums, and working capital planning.
Read article →Dutch Elm Disease Regulation Expands: What Changed for BC and Saskatchewan Imports
CFIA updated directive D-97-07, expanding Dutch elm disease regulated areas to include parts of British Columbia and all of Saskatchewan. The change affects CFIA permit requirements at import and domestic movement certificates post-clearance for elm and zelkova material from the US.
Read article →Spot freight rate hikes complicate Canadian import cost forecasting under CARM
Container carriers testing July rate increases create transaction value uncertainty for Canadian importers filing CADs. RPP bond exposure rises when freight costs swing mid-quarter, and CARM Client Portal doesn't let you revise a filed CAD after acceptance.
Read article →Steel Racks from China: CITT Injury Finding Means Provisional Duties Incoming
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal found reasonable indication of injury in its preliminary inquiry into dumped and subsidized steel racks from China. CBSA's final determination is due July 17, and provisional duties will likely follow. If you import warehouse racking or have orders in transit, here's what changes.
Read article →TCCU Summer Support: When to Call, When to Wait
CBSA's Technical Commercial Client Unit runs leaner through summer. Knowing which EDI and eManifest issues are urgent — and which can wait until September — keeps your cargo moving and your broker relationships functional.
Read article →CBSA Extends DONP2 Preliminary Phase: What Another 30 Days Means for Your Plywood Imports
CBSA just added 30 days to the DONP2 plywood dumping and subsidy investigation. If you're importing non-structural plywood from China, the provisional duty window moved, the final determination timeline shifted, and your surety calculation needs an update.
Read article →CBSA Just Published the ELVIS Courier API Docs — Here's What That Actually Means for Your LVS Flows
The eCommerce Low Value Inspection System API documentation is now live for approved Courier LVS program participants. If you're clearing courier shipments under $150, this is the first look at how CBSA wants data submitted in the new framework.
Read article →CBSA Opens Wheat Gluten Dumping Investigation: Italy, Poland, UK Shipments Now Under SIMA Review
CBSA initiated a dumping investigation June 19, 2026 covering wheat gluten from Italy, Poland, and the UK. If your CADs hit HS 1109.00 and you're filing origin from those three countries, provisional duties are likely inside 90 days and you need a plan for the financial security hit.
Read article →CITT extends anti-dumping order on Chinese solar modules through 2031
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal just extended anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Chinese photovoltaic modules and laminates for another five years. If you import solar equipment, review your HS classification and origin documentation now, because release holds and retroactive duty assessments are already landing on files where the broker guessed wrong.
Read article →Duty drawback and refund mechanisms under CARM: what McCormick's $28M case tells Canadian importers
McCormick's $28M U.S. tariff refund highlights the scale of duty recovery programs. Canadian importers should understand CARM-era drawback workflows, correction windows, and how geopolitical cost shocks affect duty eligibility on re-imported or origin-shifted goods.
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