OTTAWA, ONTARIO/WASHINGTON, D.C

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) play an important role in the coordinated response to Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Through stringent enforcement measures, we are restricting Russia’s access to technologies and other goods Russia needs to sustain its aggressive military capabilities.

The CBSA facilitates the flow of legitimate travellers and trade, and also enforces more than 100 acts and regulations that keep Canada and Canadians safe. Bureau of Industry and Security’s mission is to advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership.

We enforce a wide array of measures, including sanctions and export controls, that are used to prevent sensitive goods and technologies from reaching illicit procurement networks, where they could be used to produce weapons of mass destruction or conventional weapons. Our enforcement efforts allow us to identify and stop state and non-state actors that engage in potentially illicit activity, carry out seizures, enforce monetary penalties and criminally investigate those who violate the rules and regulations.

Today, we are strengthening our U.S.-Canada enforcement relationship through a joint commitment to leverage our authorities and resources to detect, deter, and stop violations of export controls and to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. Together, we will share information; conduct pre- and post-shipment verifications and audits; inspect, detain, and seize shipments; and reduce threats through coordinated enforcement actions and investigations.

The Government of Canada is following through on its commitment to introduce a luxury tax on certain vehicles and aircraft priced over $100,000 and certain vessels priced over $250,000 to ensure that those Canadians who can afford to buy luxury items are contributing a little more. This tax will come into effect on September 1, 2022.

The tax will apply to deliveries in Canada by way of sale or similar arrangements, as well as importations into Canada. A vehicle, aircraft or vessel would fall within the scope of the luxury tax regime if it meets the definition of subject vehicle, subject aircraft or subject vessel as set out in the Select Luxury Items Tax Act. These three items are broadly referred to as subject items.

If you are a manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or importer of any of these subject items in the course of your business, you are required to register under the Select Luxury Items Tax Act with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and file a quarterly Luxury Tax and Information Return.

Registration may be completed by visiting Canada.ca. We invite you to register ahead of time to ensure you are prepared when the Luxury Tax program begins on September 1, 2022. Registering ahead of time ensures that you can obtain and hold tax-free inventory of vehicles, aircraft or vessels you are registering for. Any incorrect or incomplete information could delay the processing of your application.

For more information and to register under the Select Luxury Items Tax Act, you can visit Canada.ca/luxury-tax.

Additional links

• LTN1 Registration Under the Select Luxury Items Tax Act
  Luxury tax registration
  Luxury tax forms

Inscription en vertu de la Loi sur l’impôt sur certains biens de luxe maintenant ouverte sur Canada.ca

Le gouvernement du Canada respecte son engagement de créer une taxe de luxe sur certains véhicules et aéronefs de plus de 100 000 $ et certains navires de plus de 250 000 $ pour s’assurer que les Canadiens qui peuvent se permettre d’acheter des biens de luxe contribuent un peu plus. Cette taxe entrera en vigueur le 1er septembre 2022.

La taxe s’appliquera aux livraisons effectuées au Canada par vente ou accord semblable, ainsi qu’aux importations au Canada. Un véhicule, un aéronef ou un navire sera visé par le régime de la taxe de luxe s’il répond à la définition de véhicule assujetti, d’aéronef assujetti ou de navire assujetti, comme prévu par la Loi sur l’impôt sur certains biens de luxe. Ces trois biens sont généralement appelés des biens assujettis.

Si vous êtes un fabricant, un grossiste, un détaillant ou un importateur de l’un de ces biens dans le cadre de vos activités, vous devez vous inscrire auprès de l’Agence en vertu de la Loi sur la taxe sur certains articles de luxe. Vous devrez aussi remplir et envoyer chaque trimestre une déclaration de renseignements de la taxe de luxe.

Vous pouvez vous inscrire sur le site Web Canada.ca. Vous devriez vous inscrire à l’avance afin d’être prêt lorsque la Loi sur la taxe sur certains biens de luxe entrera en vigueur le 1er septembre 2022. Vous pourrez ainsi obtenir un inventaire libre d’impôt de véhicules, d’aéronefs ou de navires pour lesquels vous vous inscrivez. Tout renseignement inexact ou incomplet pourrait retarder le traitement de votre demande.

Pour obtenir plus de renseignements et pour vous inscrire en vertu de la Loi sur l’impôt sur certains biens de luxe, allez à canada.ca/taxe-luxe.

Liens supplémentaires

• LTN1 Inscription en vertu de la Loi sur la taxe sur certains biens de luxe
• Inscription en vertu de la Loi sur la taxe sur certains biens de luxe
• Formulaires relatifs à la taxe de luxe

On July 7, 2022 The agreement reached with the United States to remove the U.S. safeguard tariffs on solar products from Canada. This agreement follows Canada’s victory at a CUSMA dispute panel earlier this year, which found that the United States’ tariffs were in violation of CUSMA.”

“This agreement will bring stability and predictability to our renewable energy sector and strengthen North American competitiveness. It is a clear recognition of Canada’s place as a leader in the fight against climate change, and that Canadian producers of solar technology will continue to supply global markets at an increasing rate. This agreement is only possible due to the strong dispute settlement mechanism that Canada successfully negotiated and protected within CUSMA. It reaffirms the importance of upholding rules based trade both here in North America, and around the world.”

Quick facts:

• – Since the imposition of the U.S. safeguard tariffs in early 2018, exports of solar products from Canada to the United States have declined by as much as 82%.
• – Canada held consultations with the United States under chapter 31 of CUSMA on January 28, 2021, and Canada requested a dispute settlement panel on June 18, 2021. The panel’s final report was issued to the parties on February 1, 2022.
• – Public versions of all of Canada’s submissions in this dispute are available on the Trade Agreements Secretariat electronic filing system. Please note that registration is required to access the system.

[March 9, 2021 – Toronto, CA] – Recently, Canada’s importing and exporting oversight agencies announced that as of March 15, 2021, all food import transactions will be rejected unless they have a valid Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence that can be entered into their Integrated Import Declaration (IID).

If a transaction is stopped or rejected, the food importer may experience delays and have all of their shipment held at the border until the proper SFC licensing issues are addressed and an accurate IID form is resubmitted.

It’s important for those importing food into Canada to have already obtained their SFC licence to import prior to presenting their shipment at the Canadian border. This is because importers will be unable to obtain the proper licence at the border.

Those that currently hold a licence should review their profile to ensure that it has been issued for “importing” and that the commodities you intend to import are mentioned on the licence.

For those that don’t currently hold an SFC licence, it’s important to note that the application for a new licence or any request to amend a current licence could take up to 15 business days or longer.

To apply for a Safe Food for Canadians licence, importers need to create an account in My CFIA, and determine their licence structure before applying. There is no limit to the number of SFC licences one can hold; importers can operate on a single licence or multiple ones to suit their needs.

More information about importing food into Canada with a Safe Food for Canadians licence can be found here.

More About Argo Customs

The team from Argo Customs are procedural experts with all of the governmental agencies involved in exporting and importing goods in and out of Canada. Their specialists can provide customs clearance assistance and exchange shipments with any country on any form of transportation, saving you a great deal of time, trouble, and resources.

Learn more about Argo Customs by contacting 1 (888) 311-8303 or set-up an online account today!

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) began investigating imports originating from China and Vietnam for illegal dumping of upholstered domestic seating. It is believed that these products are originating from China and Vietnam. The CBSA received the complaint on October 16, 2020, from Palliser Furniture, Ltd., a company based out of Winnipeg. Palliser and several other companies joined in the complaint alleging the import of these goods are them material harms in the form of lost profits and market share, reduced capacity, price depression, and low prices.

The CBSA started its investigation on December 21, 2020. The CBSA will determine whether the goods are being sold at subsidized or unfair prices and will issue a preliminary decision on March 22, 2021. Concurrently, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) will conduct a parallel investigation to determine if the imports are harming domestic producers. The CITT will issue its decision on February 19, 2021.

The goods subject to the investigation are upholstered seating under the following tariff classifications:

• 9401.40.00.00
• 9401.61.10.10
• 9401.61.10.90
• 9401.71.10.10
• 9401.71.10.90

Upholstered means leather, pleather, and other fabric covers that are used with pads and springs to provide a soft covering for a seat frame. The covering can be permanent or semi-permanent (i.e., sewed or attached with Velcro). The definition also includes removable cushions. The types of seating include various types of chairs.

Illegal dumping refers to goods being imported at artificially low prices to either (1) undermine a domestic competitor or (2) to dump a large stock of a particular good. Illegal dumping can significantly harm domestic industries. Illegal dumping is a problem because certain countries, like Vietnam and China, specialize their industries in providing consumer and industrial goods at a larger scale than their Canadian counterparts and can use their lower labor and operating costs to outcompete domestic companies. The World Trade Organization, regional trade groups, and bilateral trade agreements restrict illegal dumping.

Contact ARGO Customs foo Canadian Importing & Exporting

ARGO Customs provides import and exporting solutions and services for personal and commercial shipments. To learn more, visit https://argocustoms.com/ or call 1 (888) 311-8303 today.

December 15, 2020 – Toronto, On – The new Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS) is now online, and the experts at Argo Customs are ready to help shippers adopt this new system.  CERS is a free web-based self-service portal that is designed to speed up export declarations.  Features such as universal accessibility from any browser and the ability to make bulk declarations can help streamline shipments – and ARGO Customs has the expertise to make it easy.

This is the basic process:

1. All exporters must have a business number issued by the Canada Revenue Agency.
2. Exporters must identify all goods being exported, and vouch that they are also legally admissible at the country of final destination
3. If the goods are in some way controlled, regulated, or prohibited, a permit may be required.  Argo Customs may be able to help in securing required documentation.
4. The export declaration must include the appropriate export code for the goods.  This can be determined manually via the Canadian Customs Calculator, or Argo Customs can assist in the determination.
5. The method of shipment (air, rail, highway, etc.) must be reported, along with an expected timeframe for the shipment.
6. With these pieces of information, Argo Customs can then complete and submit the declaration.   In some situations, declarations may not be necessary – Argo can assist in determining these situations and ensuring proper labeling.
7. Argo Customs can directly utilize CERS to finish the declaration on your behalf, making it easier than ever to complete shipments.

ARGO Customs is excited to be able to bring this new service to its customers. CERS will make exports faster and more reliable, as well as gathering vital data to help the Canada Border Services Agency provide better service in the future.  Any Canadian exporters are advised to contact a broker like Argo Customs for assistance in setting up their shipments.

About ARGO Customs

ARGO Customs employs exports in global imports and exports to provide the smoothest possible experience when moving goods in and out of Canada.  They can handle even complicated shipping situations while minimizing any bureaucratic problems and avoiding costly violations.  Argo Customs saves shippers time and money whenever moving goods across the Canadian border.

For more information or press inquiries, please contact 1 (888) 311-8303.

[Nov. 30, 2020 – Toronto, CA] – Recently, some significant changes were made to The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement’s (CUSMA) policies. Since it’s such an important aspect of importing and exporting in and out of Canada, the team from Argo Customs has collected some information here about the most recent changes.

Here are the most frequently asked questions related to the CUSMA updates.

Q: How are the latest CUSMA amendments applied?

A: The most recent amendments to the CUSMA regulations are applied retroactively.

Q: If my certificate of origin was issued under NAFTA but hasn’t been in effect for 12 months, will I need to have a new one issued, or is the old one still valid?

A: Unfortunately, the NAFTA certificate is only valid for goods imported under NAFTA and release on or before June 30, 2020. If will not be accepted for claims under CUSMA. Those importing goods into Canada moving forward will need to have a new CUSMA certification at the time of import.

Q:  Our Vendor has indicated there is no possible way they will have the resources to issue a CUSMA certificate to us by July 1, 2020. I understand the general regulations of who and how the new certificate can be created and the requirements of each field; but I am not confident to issue an importer certificate because of changes to our vendor’s sourcing and routing in the current environment.

A: For many goods, there will be no difference between the NAFTA and CUSMA rules of origin. Therefore, the importer can claim preferential treatment for goods released on or after July 1st, 2020, and the CUSMA rules of origin will apply, including provisions on the CUSMA certification of origin.

Based on the above, the CUSMA certification of origin must be used to certify that the goods meet the rules of origin under the CUSMA, and as such, there will be no transition period.

More About Argo Customs

For years, the team from Argo Customs has helped streamline the Canadian customs clearance process with their customs software solutions. They’re procedural experts with all of the governmental agencies involved in exporting and importing goods in and out of Canada, including Industry Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Environment Canada, and many others.

The specialists from Argo Customs can provide customs clearance assistance and exchange shipments with any country on any form of transportation, saving you a great deal of time, troubles, and resources.

To learn more about Customs clearance in Canada (import and export), contact us at 1 (888) 311-8303 or set-up an online account today!

[Nov. 24, 2020 – Toronto, CA] – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recently announced that in an effort to drive more strategic, fair, and consistent compliance they’ve updated their Compliance and Enforcement Policy.

The move comes as part of a greater overall enforcement approach enabling the CFIA to continue effectively delivering its mandate by employing a compliance continuum based on transparency.

There’s no major policy shift in terms of the Compliance and Enforcement Policy update, which hasn’t been revamped since 2015. But there are some notable changes important to those importing and exporting food into, or out of Canada.

Some of the highlights include revisions to the policy to add Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), as well as changes to the information about Administrative Monetary Penalties (AMP). Additional updates were also needed to address the evolving nature of the CFIA’s operating environment, making note of such things as the online services it offers to various regulated parties through the agency’s My CFIA tool.

Other key changes to the policy include the detailed explanation of the agency’s inspection versus investigation tactics delineated under the “Roles and Responsibilities” section. It also included a new “Inquiries” section in the policy, and the removal of the “Department of Justice Roles.”

More About the CFIA

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is a regulatory agency committed to safeguarding food, plants, and animals in Canada and to enhance the well-being of the country’s people, environment, and economy. The agency is governed by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister of Health.

Find more information about the CFIA here or call 1 (800) 442-2342.

More About Argo Customs

Argo Customs is a leading customs brokerage company in Canada dedicated to streamlining the Canadian Customs clearance process through the use of state-of-the-art software and years of expertise. Their team of highly-experienced, fully-licensed international trade specialists work with all governmental departments and agencies, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Industry Canada, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Environment Canada, and many others.

To learn more about their importing and exporting solutions, contact them online or call 1 (888) 311-8303.

Recently, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has announced that they’re going to reduce the inspection frequency of all meat shipments from New Zealand and Australia. The decision is due in part to both countries’ good compliance rates for meats that are imported into Canada.

As of November, 2020, brokers of meat and meat products from New Zealand and Australia can take advantage of the CFIA’s Automated Shipment Inspection Status Search Tool (ASISST) to determine whether or not their shipment will require CFIA inspection. The decision will then be available after a shipment has cleared Canadian customers and brokers have received a notification from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

Moving forward, meat shipments imported from New Zealand and Australia will only be subject to a 10 percent random inspection frequency. All of the shipments that don’t require an inspection can be transferred directly to the importer’s warehouse or final destination in Canada.

As one of Canada’s leading importer and exporter firms, the team from Argo Customs understands the many moving parts of bringing goods into the country or shipping them out of Canada. For those who need more information regarding the recent changes in meat imports from New Zealand and Australia, our team of experts is always available to help.

Contact Argo Customs today for your import/export needs!

In addition to the services mentioned above, Argo Customs is also equipped to offer customs consulting solutions. We can provide you with professional expertise to minimize your import/export costs and ensure that all of your activities are in-line with the most current Canadian regulations. These services include things like freight forwarding consulting, tariff classification analysis, NAFTA services, and more.

Additionally, Argo Customs offers specialized services for personal shipments to ensure that all of your cargo clears Canadian customs, as well as the ability to check your cargo status online.

For more information, contact us online today or call 1 (888) 311-8303.

As Canada was poised to announce a round of retaliatory tariffs aimed at United States exports, the US government announced they would be dropping the 10% tariff on Canadian aluminum which had previously been imposed.  It is not publicly known what exact US exports would have received tariffs, although reports were that they would have strategically targeted states and industries considered important to US President Trump.

This is not the end of the line.  The US government promised to revisit the issue in the future.  Likewise, the Trudeau administration has reaffirmed their willingness to initiate tariffs, should the US resume pressure on Canadian exports.

These are uncertain times for anyone doing cross-border commerce between Canada and the United States.  Anyone who relies heavily on importation into Canada is strongly recommended to find partners who can help them navigate political and bureaucratic tensions.  When the rules, regulations, and tariffs can potentially change in a matter of days due to political shifts, only true experts who specialize in keeping up with trade regulations will be able to guarantee deliveries on either side of the border.

About ARGO Customs

ARGO Customs specializes in aiding importers looking to legally ship goods into and out of Canada while navigating the bureaucracy which surrounds Canadian customs.  The trade specialists at ARGO are deeply familiar with import and export policies around the world and can offer critical help for importers and exporters around the world.  With fair rates and a focus on customer satisfaction, partnering with ARGO Customs means seeing goods arrive on time, with a minimum of hassle.

For more information, please visit https://argocustoms.com/ call toll-free: 1 (888) 311-8303.