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.
Canadian customs brokerage consolidation: what smaller shops risk when market pressure builds
U.S. brokerage exits are pushing freight volume toward larger 3PLs. For Canadian importers, broker consolidation changes who holds your CAD filing history, RPP bond capacity, and CBSA relationship. Know what to ask before your shop folds or sells.
Read article →CBSA Confirms Five-Year Extension on Oil Country Tubular Goods AD/CVD — Filing Notes for Importers
CBSA's OCTG expiry review closes with continued anti-dumping and countervailing duties on pipe from nine territories. If you import drill pipe, casing, or tubing for oil and gas projects, nothing changes on the tariff side, but the CAD coding and proof-of-origin requirements still trip up brokers who don't file SIMA goods daily.
Read article →CBSA Maintenance Window May 15 — One Hour, No Planned Outage, but Have Your SOCP Ready
CBSA is running system maintenance Friday, May 15, 2026, 13:00–14:00 ET. No planned outage, but the SOCP applies if anything drops. Here's what to prep, what to watch, and when to hold filings.
Read article →CFIA AIRS and AVS Maintenance May 24: What Breaks When the System Goes Dark
CFIA's Automated Import Reference System and AIRS Verification Service will be offline May 24, 2026, from 03:00 to 07:00 ET. That's the four-hour window when most brokers file overnight PARS releases for morning delivery. Here's what stops working and how to route around it.
Read article →Edmonton International Airport cargo hub expansion: what Canadian importers need to know about CBSA clearance capacity
The new International Cargo Hub at Edmonton International Airport will add air cargo capacity, but the CBSA clearance side, CARM portal strain, and sufferance warehouse availability will determine whether your shipments actually move faster through YEG.
Read article →EICS Steel Permit Queue Display Change: What the May 2026 Rejection Notice Actually Means
Global Affairs is changing how FCFS steel permit applications appear in the New EICS interface on May 19, 2026. Applications will stay in the queue but vanish from the suspended-applications view, and you'll receive an auto-rejection notice that doesn't actually reject your application. Here's how to interpret the notice and what your client needs to know before filing the CAD.
Read article →eManifest Portal Maintenance May 17 — What Brokers Need Ready Before 05:00 ET
CBSA's eManifest portal goes dark for 2.5 hours Sunday morning, May 17, 2026. If you've got cross-border freight landing dawn Sunday or Monday, your SOCP better be current.
Read article →West-coast routing and Canadian clearance: what LA's surge means for CBSA release times
LA port traffic jumped 18% in March as US east-coast uncertainty pushed cargo west. Canadian importers routing through LA and Vancouver need to adjust CAD timing, RPP bond levels, and drayage plans to avoid exam backlogs and detention charges.
Read article →What U.S. port volume shifts mean for Canadian inbound routing and CAD filing
Cargo shifting from West Coast to Gulf and East Coast terminals changes transit lanes, CUSMA origin verification timing, and RPP bond exposure for Canadian importers drawing volume through Houston and eastern gateways.
Read article →Canada–Philippines FTA talks and what they mean for your CUSMA origin strategy
Minister Sidhu just confirmed Canada accepted the Philippines' invitation to start FTA negotiations. If you're sourcing electronics, garments, or processed food from ASEAN and claiming CUSMA origin on assembly in Mexico or Canada, this is the time to model tariff exposure under a direct-import scenario.
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