Dear Border Bee clients,

Please note we are merging services with fellow customs broker Carson International. Carson will soon handle the clearances for all your shipments into Canada. We are excited to offer improved service in a number of areas while maintaining our SME-friendly approach.

What exactly is changing?

You will receive invoices for your clearances directly from Carson and their staff may contact you regarding shipment inquiries.

Is there anything I need to do?

No, we are handling the service transition for you.

Who should I contact if I need help?

Please continue to contact Border Bee directly at the following points:

T: (800) 604-4121

Please have your carriers send clearance requests directly to the contact information on our webpage footer.

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Chers Clients,

Veuillez noter que nous fusionnons nos services avec un autre courtier en douane: Carson International. Nous sommes heureux d’offrir un service amélioré tout en maintenant notre approche favorable aux PME.

Qu’est-ce qui change exactement ?

Vous recevrez des factures pour vos dédouanements directement de Carson et son personnel pourra vous contacter concernant les demandes d’expédition.

Y a-t-il quelque chose que je dois faire ?

Non, nous gérons la transition de service pour vous.

Qui dois-je contacter si j’ai besoin d’aide ?

Veuillez continuer à contacter Border Bee directement aux points suivantes :

T: (800) 604-4121

Pour tous les dédouanements, veuillez envoyer les documents au point approprié indiqué en bas de notre site Web

The most important thing most small business importers in Canada need to know about CUSMA is nothing. The majority of the rules will not impact you, unless your supply chain involves agriculture, dairy, the manufacture of auto parts or one of the other select industries being impacted by stricter Rules of Origin. Please find below our short answers to your questions on CUSMA:

Will we still be able to use our existing NAFTA certificates?

No, this is the key change. The NAFTA certificates provided by your current supplies will be redundant as of July 1st, replaced by a certification included on an invoice. We’ve created an autoCUSMA Certification wizard to help our clients transition.*

What should I do to prepare?

When ordering from your suppliers, remind them that a new certification is required to obtain duty-free status (NAFTA certificates will all be invalid as of July 1st, 2020).

How will I know if CUSMA is being claimed on my entries?

The tariff treatment (10 for USA origin goods, 11 for Mexico) has not changed.

I’m concerned my products will no longer be valid under the new Rules of Origin. How can I verify this?

Most of the Rules of Origin have not changed under the new Agreement, but you can check the new Rules of Origin here (Chapter 5 of the Agreement). Make sure you have the HS codes for your products handy, as this is the key element in determining a product’s eligibility.

Do we still require a Exporter’s Certificate of Origin for Textiles?

Yes, the procedures to import garments duty-free remains largely unchanged and a permit from Global Affairs will still be needed.

*Certifications under CUSMA may take any format, as long as all the required details are included (the details are found here in Annex 5-A)

Drones pose an interesting challenge for classification since their intended use will have a large impact on their tariff heading: Drones outfitted with HD cameras will be classified as cameras, whereas drones for carrying packages

No permits are yet required to import drones so the admissibility is not an issue.

*Note that the PGA requirements can vary depending on the country of origin, end use and state (dried, chilled, fresh) of the items you are importing. For more information, please contact us!

**All classifications are the opinion of Border Bee Customs Brokers Inc. and are meant to assist trade companies in their HS determinations. Unpredictable changes in classification may occur as a result of even minor modifications so we encourage importers to seek binding rulings where possible and not to use this article as legal advice.

With the imports of legal cannabis plants and products set to jump significantly, Statistics Canada has published their list of harmonized system tariff classifications to help importers. Please find a list of the most common items below along with their OGD regulations:

Note that only licensed growers may import Cannabis products. Please check with Health Canada for the admissibility of what you plan to import before ordering.

**Note that the OGD requirements can vary depending on the country of origin, end use and state (dried, chilled, fresh) of the items you are importing. For more information, please contact our office directly.