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.
Japanese Vehicle Import Delays: What Canadian Importers Need to Know About Customs Clearance
Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have stranded thousands of Japanese vehicles destined for global markets. Canadian importers relying on Japanese auto parts and vehicles should understand how supply chain disruptions affect CBSA clearance timelines, release prior to payment programs, and duty planning under CUSMA origin rules.
Read article →Medical Device Imports to Canada: Tariff Mitigation Strategies for 2025
Mid-market medical device importers face mounting U.S. tariff pressures that ripple into Canadian supply chains. This guide examines how medtech companies can leverage CUSMA origin planning, strategic warehousing, and proactive customs compliance to control import costs and maintain competitive pricing in Canada.
Read article →New CFIA Pet Food Export Certificate to Qatar — and What It Means for Importers Who Never Touch the Stuff
CFIA just dropped HA3267 for exporting processed pet food to Qatar. If you're on the import side, this is a useful reminder about how export certificates work in reverse — and why your NRI suppliers better have their paperwork straight before you touch CUSMA origin claims.
Read article →SIMA Expiry Reviews, Chinese EV Quotas, and the Potato File: What Actually Matters in This Week's Gazette
CITT has three simultaneous proceedings live — a SIMA expiry review on potatoes, a preliminary injury on casing, and Global Affairs launching consultations on Chinese EV quotas. Here's what your team needs to flag now, and what's just routine noise.
Read article →Softening Ocean Freight Rates from Asia: What Canadian Importers Should Know About Customs Planning
As Asia-Europe container spot rates decline and carriers face overcapacity, Canadian importers may see ripple effects on transpacific lanes. This article examines how shifting ocean freight dynamics impact customs clearance planning, CBSA documentation requirements, and cost optimization strategies for mid-market businesses importing into Canada.
Read article →Steel Surtax Remission Orders: What Filing Under Section 115 Means for Your Next Import
PC 2026-334 amends the 2025 steel surtax remission order. If you're bringing in subject goods and relying on remission, here's what changes at the CAD level and why your broker needs the full paper trail before release.
Read article →TCC26-0084 and the Real Cost of ACK Delays
CBSA's EDI and eManifest acknowledgement delays aren't just a technical hiccup — they break release workflows, risk double-filing, and leave your drivers guessing. Here's what to do when the outbound message queue stalls.
Read article →The Wood Products Safeguard Inquiry Is Live — Here's What Changes for Your CADs and What Doesn't
Finance has kicked off a 270-day CITT safeguard inquiry on cabinets, vanities, flooring, and engineered furniture. No immediate duties, but classifications matter now, and your paper trail needs to be clean before the Tribunal reports out.
Read article →What Falling Mexico-U.S. Truck Volumes Mean for Canadian Importers and Cross-Border Supply Chains
March 2025 saw a notable drop in truck exports from Mexico to the United States, signaling shifts in North American trade flows. Canadian importers relying on tri-national supply chains and CUSMA-origin goods should understand how these changes affect customs clearance timelines, duty relief strategies, and warehouse capacity planning.
Read article →What the QXO-TopBuild Merger Means for Canadian Building Materials Importers
The $17 billion acquisition of TopBuild by QXO creates North America's second-largest building products distributor. Canadian importers should prepare for potential supply chain shifts, updated vendor contacts, and revised CUSMA origin declarations as the combined entity consolidates operations across the border.
Read article →