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.
High Airfreight Rates into Canada: What Brokers Are Watching on Duty and Release Timing
Gulf carrier capacity is returning but airfreight rates into Canada remain elevated. This article walks through how higher freight costs affect CBSA duty calculations, CARM Client Portal timing, and release-prior-to-payment bond sizing for time-sensitive imports.
Read article →Container Rate Spike Hits Canadian Import Duty Timing and Cash Flow
The Drewry World Container Index jumped 12% in mid-June 2024, reaching US$3,969 per forty-foot container. For Canadian importers filing CADs under CARM, that means tighter cash management around RPP bonds, earlier duty payment windows, and closer attention to CUSMA origin claims that can shave landed cost when ocean freight alone won't move.
Read article →Section 301 Probes and Canadian Pharma Imports: What Brokers Need to Know
USTR's Germany pharma pricing investigation won't directly trigger Canadian CBSA action, but the pattern matters for SIMA AD/CVD watch lists, HS classification disputes, and CUSMA origin claims on active pharmaceutical ingredients crossing the border.
Read article →Trans-Pacific spot rate spreads and Canadian import planning: what changed in Q2 2024
Asia-to-Canada ocean freight rates climbed sharply in Q2 2024, mirroring European trends. For Canadian importers posting RPP bonds and filing CADs under CARM, the spread between spot and contract now drives duty-payment timing, AMPS exposure, and cash-flow planning in ways the old B3 regime never surfaced.
Read article →What broker consolidation means for Canadian importers filing CADs under CARM
C.H. Robinson's first acquisition in five years signals another wave of freight-broker consolidation. For Canadian importers, that trend raises practical questions about continuity in CAD filing, CARM portal delegation, RPP bond management, and whether your customs clearance service will look different next quarter.
Read article →Competition Bureau food review: what Canadian importers should watch on HS classification and duty relief
The Competition Bureau's food supply chain review may surface input costs importers have absorbed quietly for years. Canadian customs brokers are watching for pressure on HS classification consistency, CUSMA origin documentation, and whether duty relief under CETA or drawback becomes part of the conversation.
Read article →Calgary CBSA clearance capacity and what it means for Western Canada importers
Calgary's logistics infrastructure expansion brings new CBSA clearance capacity, but Western Canada importers need to understand how airport and rail releases, RPP bond requirements, and sufferance warehouse proximity shape transit times and duties under CARM.
Read article →Canada's CAD 20 LVS exemption: what the EU's repeal tells us about CBSA's next move
The EU eliminated its €150 duty-free threshold on parcels March 2024. Canada's CAD 20 Low-Value Shipment exemption remains in place, but CBSA has signaled tighter casual-import scrutiny. We look at the filing mechanics, CARM accounting treatment, and bond exposure when LVS volumes rise.
Read article →Larger feeder vessels and Canadian import clearance timing
Carriers deploying bigger ships on short-sea and feeder routes into Montreal and Halifax are tightening dwell windows and cargo-ready cutoffs. Brokers filing CADs under CARM need accurate cargo-control numbers earlier, and cross-dock operators are adjusting inbound receiving to match the compressed port call.
Read article →Trucking labour gains mean faster border delivery — but not faster CAD clearance
May 2025 trucking-sector hiring climbed past national employment growth, promising shorter drayage windows into Montreal and Toronto. Canadian importers racing to meet inbound slots still clear the same CARM CAD pipeline and face the same exam-hold risk, so faster linehaul shaves hours off transit but adds pressure to your clearance desk.
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