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.
Project Bay and what 'broker-style model' means when CBSA says it
A 1.7-tonne drug seizure in Ontario used what CBSA calls a 'broker-style model' for smuggling. For legitimate importers, that phrase signals tighter targeting, broker accountability expectations, and why your filing patterns now get scored against intelligence-led risk models.
Read article →Steel TRQ consultation: why allocation method matters more than quota size
Global Affairs is asking how Canada should administer tariff-rate quotas on certain steel imports. For importers bringing in subject goods, the consultation answer could shift duty costs by five figures per container. Here's what brokers are watching.
Read article →Steel TRQ Permits and Bonded Warehouses: GAC and CBSA Aren't on the Same Page
Global Affairs Canada's permit validity language doesn't match CBSA's operational guidance for steel goods in customs bonded warehouses. Until someone fixes this, brokers are making judgment calls on permit timing every time a steel shipment hits a CBW.
Read article →US border & customs scrutiny rises as pharmaceutical tariff changes hit North American sourcing
US tariff policy on generic medicines is forcing Canadian importers to re-verify CUSMA origin, HS classification, and cold chain logistics as CBSA tightens risk-scoring on pharmaceutical shipments crossing the border.
Read article →US pharmaceutical tariffs complicate generic drug flows at the US border and Canada entry points
Trump's proposed 200% tariffs on generic pharmaceuticals from 2028 create immediate valuation and origin uncertainty for Canadian importers clearing US-made generics at the US border and Canada customs points. RPP bond sizing, CUSMA origin claims, and HS classification all shift.
Read article →When US Tariffs Hit Third Countries, Canada and the US Border Trade Gets Complicated
US tariffs on countries like Brazil create immediate ripple effects at Canada and the US border. CUSMA origin claims face tighter scrutiny, CBSA verification timelines stretch, and transshipment risk climbs when Washington tightens third-country duties.
Read article →CARM and Low-Value Imports: When Canada's De Minimis Thresholds Require Full CAD Filing
The EU just eliminated its low-value parcel exemption, forcing customs duty on all e-commerce imports. Canada still has de minimis thresholds, but CARM Phase 2 changed when you need a Commercial Accounting Declaration for low-value goods. Commercial importers cannot treat courier parcels as informal if you're the importer of record under CARM.
Read article →CARM Log In Essentials for Charitable Import Clearances
Canadian charities importing donated goods face the same CBSA clearance requirements as commercial importers, including mandatory CARM log in access, CAD filing, and HS classification. Understanding duty relief provisions and NRI rules prevents delays at the border.
Read article →CBSA Maintenance Window July 25: What the Contingency Plan Actually Covers
CBSA's July 25 maintenance window is low-risk, but it's a good reminder to review your manual fallback procedures for when electronic CAD submission and PARS release systems do go down.
Read article →Churchill port reopening: when to skip US border and customs for Prairie imports
Grain shipments resume through Port of Churchill after five years, reopening a marine alternative to US border and customs routing for Canadian importers bringing bulk cargo into Prairie and northern regions.
Read article →