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.
CSCB Designate Quiz 2 of 2026 Is Live – Why You File It, and What It Covers This Quarter
The second quarterly designate quiz is open for CCS and CTCS holders. We walk through the credit math, what typically shows up in these, and why the topics usually reflect CBSA operational changes already affecting your files.
Read article →CUSMA Joint Review Kicked Off This Week — What Import Managers Actually Need to Watch
The Advisory Committee on Canada–U.S. Economic Relations met this week ahead of the CUSMA joint review. For import managers filing CADs under CUSMA preference, three live issues matter right now: Section 232 steel/aluminum tariffs still sitting on Canadian goods, proposed Section 301 tariffs out of Washington, and the six-year review itself. Here's what changed and what didn't.
Read article →How U.S. Labor-Based Tariffs Reshape Canadian Import Duty Calculations and CUSMA Origin Claims
When the United States proposes Section 301 labor tariffs on sixty trading partners, Canadian importers face ripple effects on CUSMA origin certification, HS classification strategy, and CARM duty accounting. Here's what to watch when your inputs cross three borders.
Read article →Steel TRQ Extension to June 2026: What Changes for Your Import Permit Filing
Canada's steel tariff-rate quota regime for non-CUSMA imports has been extended another year. The permit window opens June 13, 2026 at 00:01 ET for goods entering June 28 and later. If you import subject steel, here's what the one-year rollover means for your CAD filing and permit timing.
Read article →What matters in clearance software: CBSA connectivity, not marketing promises
Descartes posted record revenue as importers lean harder on customs-clearance platforms. From a Canadian broker's desk, what actually matters in a platform is CBSA EDI integration, accurate HS libraries, and whether your RPP bond is sized correctly—not the vendor's quarterly earnings.
Read article →Why Canadian customs brokers carry employer liability risk in 2025
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling on third-party negligent hiring creates ripple effects north of the border. Canadian customs brokers face elevated scrutiny over subcontractor vetting, CAD filing authority, and NRI representation under CBSA audits and AMPS enforcement.
Read article →Steel, Aluminum, Copper Tariff Changes and Canadian Import Classification
Recent U.S. tariff adjustments on steel, aluminum, and copper create new classification and valuation questions for Canadian importers filing CADs under CARM. Here's what brokers are watching on HS code splits, CUSMA origin interplay, and transaction-value recalculation when equipment crosses from the U.S. with embedded metal content.
Read article →U.S. Section 301 tariff proposal on Brazil goods: Canadian importers with triangular supply chains should check CUSMA origin now
USTR's proposed 25% tariff on Brazilian imports triggers origin declaration questions for Canadian importers who source inputs from Brazil or handle U.S.-bound goods with Brazilian components. CBSA expects every CAD that claims CUSMA origin to back it up under verification.
Read article →U.S.–Brazil tariff uncertainty and Canadian import exposure
U.S. tariff threats on Brazilian goods create re-routing risk for Canadian importers. HS classification, CUSMA origin, and CARM-era CAD filings need tighter review when supply chains flex north.
Read article →What the Open Road-Double Stack deal signals for Canadian cross-border intermodal clearance
Open Road Ventures' acquisition of Double-Stack Logistics highlights consolidation in U.S. intermodal brokerage. For Canadian importers relying on cross-border rail, the ripple is practical: tighter partner networks, shifting PARS service tiers, and more pressure on RPP bond accuracy when U.S. intermodal volumes push into Montreal and Toronto terminals.
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