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.
Q1 intermodal volumes and what they mean for Canadian import clearance timing
Q1 2025 North American intermodal volume shifts signal tighter PARS rail windows and slower CBSA exam turnaround at Montreal and Toronto. CSX and CN saw competing trends—importers filing CADs need to adjust release-prior-to-payment bond sizing and drayage cutoffs accordingly.
Read article →2026-2027 Dairy TRQ Applications Open May 1 — What Changed for CPTPP Allocations
Global Affairs moved the CPTPP dairy TRQ return date to May 1 and compressed the application window to six weeks. If you import cheese, butter, or milk protein under quota, the new calendar affects how you manage unutilized allocation and whether you qualify for carryover.
Read article →CBSA Grace Period for April 2026 System Outage: What Actually Gets Waived (and What Doesn't)
CBSA announced a grace period after the April 19, 2026 system update knocked out eManifest, ACI, and CARM commercial messaging. We break down which AMPS penalties are being waived, which filing deadlines still bite, and how to protect yourself if the backlog drags into May.
Read article →CFIA-AIRS Chapter 06 Update: Canadian Goods Returning No Longer Route to NISC
CFIA-AIRS changed the release recommendation for returning Canadian live plants, bulbs, and cut flowers from 'Refer to CFIA-NISC' to 'Approved' under Chapter 06. For brokers filing CADs with end-use code 'Canadian Goods Returning to Canada', that's one less hold queue and faster release on the 06.01–06.03 block.
Read article →Ford's $1.3B tariff refund claim and what it means for Canadian automotive importers
Ford expects a refund of $1.3 billion in duties paid under Section 301 and Section 232. For Canadian importers sourcing auto parts and assemblies, this signals ongoing CBSA verification pressure, CUSMA origin scrutiny, and bond sizing volatility heading into 2026.
Read article →Ottawa's $1.5B Tariff-Relief Fund: What Import-Heavy Sectors Need to Know Before Filing
BDC and regional development agencies just opened $1.5 billion in credit and support for tariffed industries. Here's what steel, aluminum, auto parts, and ag importers should watch before assuming a loan fixes your SIMA exposure or release-hold pattern.
Read article →Supply Chains Act Reporting Deadline: May 31 and What Canadian Importers Actually Need to File
Public Safety Canada's annual Supply Chains Act reporting deadline is May 31. If your entity imported goods produced in whole or in part by forced labour, here's what the filing obligation looks like, who it captures, and how it intersects with CBSA declarations.
Read article →UP–NS Merger and Canadian Intermodal Clearance: What Importers Should Watch
Union Pacific's proposed Norfolk Southern acquisition may redraw U.S. Class I routing and handoff schedules at the border, changing PARS availability, interline dwell, and release-prior-to-payment workflows for Canadian importers moving containers through Chicago and Detroit gateways.
Read article →El Paso Nearshoring Build and the Mexican CUSMA Inputs Entering Canada
A new 800,000-square-foot industrial facility in El Paso highlights nearshoring momentum along the U.S.–Mexico border. For Canadian importers sourcing from Mexico or receiving U.S. assemblies with Mexican inputs, CUSMA origin claims and HS classification matter more than ever.
Read article →Gulf airspace closures and what they mean for Canadian import timelines
Middle East routing disruptions push Asia-origin freight onto slower lanes. Canadian importers filing CADs under CARM need to adjust lead times, manage RPP bond exposure, and watch for carrier-imposed surcharges when Gulf hubs go offline.
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