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.
eManifest Portal Maintenance May 17 — What Brokers Need Ready Before 05:00 ET
CBSA's eManifest portal goes dark for 2.5 hours Sunday morning, May 17, 2026. If you've got cross-border freight landing dawn Sunday or Monday, your SOCP better be current.
Read article →West-coast routing and Canadian clearance: what LA's surge means for CBSA release times
LA port traffic jumped 18% in March as US east-coast uncertainty pushed cargo west. Canadian importers routing through LA and Vancouver need to adjust CAD timing, RPP bond levels, and drayage plans to avoid exam backlogs and detention charges.
Read article →What U.S. port volume shifts mean for Canadian inbound routing and CAD filing
Cargo shifting from West Coast to Gulf and East Coast terminals changes transit lanes, CUSMA origin verification timing, and RPP bond exposure for Canadian importers drawing volume through Houston and eastern gateways.
Read article →Canada–Philippines FTA talks and what they mean for your CUSMA origin strategy
Minister Sidhu just confirmed Canada accepted the Philippines' invitation to start FTA negotiations. If you're sourcing electronics, garments, or processed food from ASEAN and claiming CUSMA origin on assembly in Mexico or Canada, this is the time to model tariff exposure under a direct-import scenario.
Read article →Cargo claims and CBSA release: why documenting damage before clearance saves recoveries
When imported goods arrive damaged, the timing and quality of your documentation determines whether you recover full value or absorb the loss. We walk through how CBSA release procedures, RPP bonds, and cargo-claim liability intersect at the border.
Read article →D4-1-5 Storage of Goods: April 2026 CPI Adjustment and What Changes for Sufferance Filers
CBSA just updated D4-1-5 with April 2026 CPI-indexed storage fees. The rates went up, the fourteen-day clock is still unforgiving, and importers relying on sufferance need to check their documentation and bond coverage before the next container lands.
Read article →New CFIA Armenia Fish Certificate: What It Means for Canadian Exporters and Re-Export Programs
CFIA just finalized a new sanitary certificate for fish and seafood exports to Armenia. If you run a re-export program or handle bonded goods at Canadian sufferance facilities, the paperwork trail just got easier—but only if you catch the classification and origin details upfront.
Read article →Tariff Front-Loading Into Canada: What Happens When Panic Shipments Hit CBSA Clearance
Freight volumes into Canada are spiking not from organic demand but from tariff panic. The customs clearance side is where the real pressure sits: rushed CAD filings, thin CUSMA origin claims, and RPP bond ceilings that weren't sized for a surge. Here's what we're seeing at the border.
Read article →U.S. Section 122 tariff litigation and the Canadian CAD filing question
U.S. importers are weighing lawsuits against Section 122 tariffs ruled illegal by the Court of International Trade. Canadian brokers filing CADs under CARM face parallel questions: when a tariff is contested or ruled invalid, how do you declare origin, file duty corrections, and manage RPP bond exposure? We walk through the mechanics.
Read article →Victoria Day 2026: TCCU Office Closure and What It Means for Your CAD Filing Window
CBSA's Technical Commercial Client Unit closes Victoria Day, Monday May 18, 2026. EDI, CERS, and eManifest transmissions keep running, but production support drops to after-hours staffing. Here's how to plan around the holiday if you're releasing cargo that weekend.
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