Clearit.ca's Blog on Customs Brokerage and News Updates

Each and every commercial item crossing the border into Canada must be declared, accounted for, and if applicable, have duty and taxes paid in full. In order to identify a product or commodity and establish its duty rate, the Canada Border Services Agency uses the HS (Harmonized System) code identifier administered by the Brussels-based World Customs Organization. This HS code system is comprised of over 5,000 commodity groups in 100 chapters....

Customs compliance can be confusing no matter which country you’re shipping to. Many businesses in the United States believe expanding and shipping to Canada will be a breeze. This is not always the case. Many manufacturers and importers have found the compliance process in Canada to be quite cumbersome. The key to navigating the compliance process and ensuring your products don’t get stuck at the border is hiring a qualified logistics pro...

Recently the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) released a notice sent from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) listing all eManifest requirements. As the changes announced are aimed at carriers, most importers are only affected by the changes in information needed from the carrier when submitting CBSA and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) information for release through a customs broker. These changes revolve around increase...

Recent changes have given the opportunity to Alberta manufacturers and retailers. Two new free trade zones (FTZ) have been designated for factories and distribution centers, allowing improvements in cash flow. By avoiding taxes in a few different ways, Edmonton and Calgary manufacturers will be able to improve cash flow. The changes will allow manufacturers to put off paying any taxes on imported inputs before the manufacturing process has starte...

Stirring news recently, the Canadian federal government has announced that the “tampon tax” would officially be removed by July 1st, 2015. While the goal of ridding the country of antiquated tax and tariffs is noble, the law change has only done so much. While the “tampon tax” may be gone, the “tampon tariff” is still alive and well. This means there are still some taxes on tampons in Canada. What’s The Problem With The “Tampon T...

As with almost all government programs and policies, the ACI eManifest Regulations faced many false starts, delays and reschedules prior to being finally implemented. Yet, as of May 6, 2015 – these new regulations are fully in place. Each and every one of these regulations will impact all the highway carriers on the road. For Highway Carriers – What Does It Mean? Depending on how a highway carrier has been doing things, they will have to re...

When importing into Canada, many importers find it difficult to determine how to declare the value of any goods that they are bringing into the country. This is largely due to the many different regulations and rules that have to be taken into account when you are determining value. Compliance is one of the three factors that can be looked at in a Canada Border Services Agency audit, although it is one of the least considered. Due to the intricac...

One of the only constants in life is change. No matter what is happening – there will always be change. With regards to government policies, change is inevitable. Every government worldwide is continually changing laws and policies, in order to adapt d improve. Canadian Customs The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is no different. Importers have seen extreme changes to Canadian customs valuation law and policy during the beginning of 2015...

One of the greatest assets to importing and exporting businesses in North America is the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA offers Canadian, American and Mexican companies free trade within the region. The act was created in 1994 to give the region one of the world’s largest free trade zones to do business. NAFTA promotes strong economic growth within all three countries and increases the competitiveness of each country on a glo...

Staying on top of the latest shipping and cargo trends can help you save big. Shipping costs will affect your business’s bottom line and being well informed about all factors related to the transportation of your goods really pays off. For 2015 for example, there are a few developments that suggest you can expect more favorable shipping conditions: USPS might remain the least expensive carrier when it comes to sending smaller parcels and pack...