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.
D23-1-1 Update: What Changed in the PIP Application Process and Why It Matters
CBSA revised D23-1-1 on April 28. The changes are mostly clarifications around documentation requirements and security profile updates, but the timing matters if you're planning a PIP application this quarter or managing FAST eligibility for your driver pool.
Read article →Port Houston Q1 surge and what it means for Canadian steel importers filing under CARM
Port Houston cleared 1M TEU in Q1 2024, with grain and energy cargo up but steel imports down. For Canadian importers buying U.S. steel or grain that transited Houston, the shift affects CUSMA origin claims, HS classification under SIMA, and RPP bond sizing when filing CADs through the CARM Client Portal.
Read article →Portal Messages Still Backing Up After CBSA EDI Outage
The CBSA's eManifest and EDI portal went down April 25. Eleven days later, transmissions are accepted but outbound messages are still delayed, the Systems Outage Contingency Plan remains open, and paper entries are still legal. Here's what that means for CAD filing and cargo release.
Read article →What OEM duty refunds mean for Canadian automotive importers filing CADs in 2025
Large automakers are claiming hundreds of millions in tariff refunds while still paying billions. Canadian importers of automotive parts need to understand how Section 232, CUSMA origin, and CBSA verification all stack up when filing Commercial Accounting Declarations under CARM.
Read article →Why your broker's inbox is now the weakest link in CBSA clearance
Phishing attacks targeting freight forwarders and customs brokers are no longer theoretical. When attackers impersonate shippers or CBSA, they can redirect shipments, alter CAD filings, or compromise CARM Client Portal credentials before your goods even hit the port.
Read article →CBSA Launches Dumping and Subsidy Investigations on Chinese Non-Structural Plywood (DONP2 2026)
CBSA initiated SIMA investigations on April 10, 2026, targeting decorative and other non-structural plywood from China. If you import these goods or file CADs on them, here's what the next nine months look like and how provisional duties will hit your cash flow.
Read article →CITT Opens Preliminary Injury Inquiry on Decorative Plywood — What Importers Need to File Now
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal just launched preliminary injury inquiry PI-2026-001 on decorative and other non-structural plywood. If you import this product, your CAD classification and origin declarations are about to face closer scrutiny, and your broker needs to know whether your goods fall inside the scope before the next release.
Read article →EU Flaxseed Protocol Drops May 1: What It Means for Canadian CETA Origin and OGD Holds
The EU's sampling protocol for Canadian flaxseed ends May 1, 2026. For brokers, that's one less OGD hold and a cleaner CETA preference claim path, but the HS classification and CFIA exit certificate rules haven't changed.
Read article →Mexico pet food zoosanitary certificates changing June 2026 (CFIA / AIRS update)
CFIA has finalized new zoosanitary certificate language for pet food imports from Mexico, effective June 22, 2026, with a two-month transition. If your broker isn't flagging this now, you'll find out at the border in August.
Read article →SIMA scenario training: why working brokers still show up for case-study workshops
The CSCB ran its first in-person Designate Day since 2019, with a full-day SIMA workshop in Burlington. For CCS and CTCS holders, the value wasn't the statutory overview — it was testing judgement on messy real-world fact patterns before you step on one in production.
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