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.
Victoria Day 2026: what closes, what runs, and how to file around it
CSCB national office shuts Monday May 18. CBSA commercial operations stay open. If you're filing CADs or arranging release that week, here's what actually changes and what doesn't.
Read article →CARM Client Portal Maintenance Window Saturday May 16th, 0300–0700 ET: What You Can't File and What Still Clears
CRA is taking the CARM Client Portal registration and enrolment functions offline Saturday morning May 16th for four hours. No new BN15 registrations, no new importer enrolments, no new RPP bond applications. If you have a new client that needs to clear Monday, file the paperwork by end of business Friday or wait until Sunday.
Read article →CBSA Pushes the 2026 Power Transformer Admin Review Schedule — What Korean and Taiwanese Imports Actually Need to File
CBSA revised the admin review schedule for SIMA duties on small and large power transformers from Iljin Electric (South Korea) and Shihlin Electric (Chinese Taipei). If you're importing subject goods under NRM or filing proof of exclusion, the filing window and evidentiary deadlines just shifted.
Read article →CBSA's New NRI Guide Won't Fix the Real Registration Problems
CBSA published a Non-Resident Importer guide for CARM portal registration. The step-by-step is helpful, but it doesn't address the BN15 trap, the financial security grey zone, or the fact that most NRIs still don't realize they're on the hook for post-release amendments.
Read article →CFIA AIRS Chapter 01 Pivot: Brazil Birds Move from Refusal to Vet Inspection
CFIA just changed release logic for traveller-import birds from Brazil. Instead of automatic refusal, the system now routes Psittaciformes and nine other live bird codes to veterinary inspection. The shift is narrow but carries cost and timing risk if your traveller declarations or personal-import side business touches Chapter 01.
Read article →Costa Rica joins CPTPP: what Canadian importers need to know about origin and CAD filing
Costa Rica's accession to CPTPP opens a new tariff preference route for Canadian importers. We walk through HS classification, CUSMA vs CPTPP origin strategy, and Commercial Accounting Declaration filing under CARM for goods sourced from the newest member state.
Read article →Edmonton Airport Cargo Hub Build-Out and What It Means for Western-Canada CAD Filings
Transport Canada broke ground on Edmonton International's new cargo hub. For brokers filing CADs on westbound Pacific freight, this changes OGD coordination, exam site capacity, and PARS release timelines starting late 2025.
Read article →Federal project-approval timelines won't fix CBSA release bottlenecks
Ottawa's proposed one-year regulatory approval cap for major projects misses the real customs clearance pinch points: CBSA verification cycles, NRI documentation gaps, and CARM portal workflow breaks that routinely extend release windows by days or weeks.
Read article →What CBSA enforcement at the border means for Canadian import clearance
CBSA truck inspections, driver security screening, and cargo control documentation catch far more than broken lights. Here's what Canadian customs brokers watch for when enforcement tightens at land borders.
Read article →Arctic Shipping Electronic Commercial Clearance Pilot: What It Means for July 2026 Inbound Cargo
CBSA's ASECC pilot starts July 1, 2026, allowing pre-approved carriers to clear Arctic conveyances and cargo electronically. If you move northbound goods or supply northern communities year-round, the application window and eManifest exemptions matter now.
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