Archive for the ‘Importing into Canada’ Category

Advances for Canada’s trade community at the land border
Monday, November 1st, 2010

The following press release was issued today by CBSA.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) today announced the implementation of the first stage of the eManifest initiative, a major Crown project that will change the way commercial goods coming into Canada are processed.

As of today, electronic data interchange (EDI) systems are now available for highway carriers who can now transmit their pre-arrival cargo and conveyance data to the CBSA before arriving at the border.

“eManifest is part of the overall measures the CBSA is putting in place to enhance the safety and security of Canadians and international trade while streamlining cross-border processes,” said Cathy Munroe, Vice-President, Programs Branch. “Moving goods quickly, reliably and securely across the border is critical to Canada’s prosperity and economic competitiveness.”

This advance information will allow border services officers to detect potential health, safety and security risks before goods reach Canada. It will also allow low-risk, legitimate goods to cross the border more efficiently.

This first milestone is one of several more to come. In 2011, the CBSA will offer a secure eManifest Portal transmission option that will allow for the electronic transmission of highway carrier data through the Internet. Then later in 2011, eManifest will be offered in the rail mode and then to freight forwarders. Importers in the marine mode may begin transmission of advance trade data in 2012.

When fully implemented, eManifest will be a virtually paperless process that starts before shipments even reach the border.

For more information on eManifest, visit the CBSA Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca.

Canada to Relax First-Port Policy
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

The following article is excerpted from the 17 April 2009 edition of “The Journal of Commerce”.

Canada Customs is bowing to favored importers and carriers, those certified to be of low-risk, and for them is not enforcing its long-stated policy of only clearing imports into Canada at their first port of arrival.

The many and mostly smaller businesses and their carriers, Canadian or American, which have not joined the bi-national FAST … program or other Canadian or U.S. supply chain security programs, are not included. Canada Border Services Agency last week told the trading industry at a Toronto meeting that it will retain for designated low-risk carriers and importers the option of carrying goods inland to bonded warehouses if there is a problem of delayed or incomplete or inaccurate admissibility data that is supposed to be received before a truck rolls up to the border.

CBSA has long been adamant that it is moving to a strictly-enforced first-port-of-arrival policy, that shipments would have to be cleared where they would enter Canada, or at least have had their admissibility data received before moving inland. A main reason given was that this would provide greater convenience and less cost for CBSA itself&hellip.

The policy handed bonded warehouses in Canada their death notice, unlike the situation in the United States where they remain an active part of the goods trading system, and several have closed over the last couple of years. For less-than-truckload carriers and their importers, problems were particularly strong. If only one importer’s goods on a truck had key data missing or incorrect on arrival, the whole truck would be held up.

CBSA now is relenting to a degree, saying the option of later clearance at a bonded warehouse nearer destination remains open to low-risk carriers and importers. The agency has yet to come up with the detailed regulations surrounding all this.

What you need to know when importing a vehicle into Canada
Saturday, February 7th, 2009

First of all, you should contact the Registrar of Motor Vehicles website: www.rmv.ca so that you can determine whether Transport Canada will allow you to import the type of vehicle you would like to import. Many vehicles from the US are allowed into Canada, but vehicles from other countries are not typically allowed. Once you have discovered whether your vehicle is admissible, US Customs must be advised of the vehicle’s export no less than 72 hours before exporting. For all arrangements for the vehicle’s import into Canada, payment of applicable duties, taxes, and the filing of pertinent RIV forms can be handled by Capital on your behalf. We’ll also need the bill of sale and the vehicle’s registration documents along with the time and the port of entry for your vehicle. If you are not driving the car into Canada, but instead using the services of a commercial carrier, you must advise us of the carrier so that we may coordinate the shipment.

What can be imported into Canada?
Monday, January 5th, 2009

With the exception of certain types of products that are prohibited under various legislation or other trade rules, virtually any kind of product can be imported into Canada. We would be pleased to provide you with any regulations that may apply to the products you wish to import.