Freight & customs guides.
Plain-English answers to the questions Canadian importers and exporters actually ask. We skip the jargon and keep these current.
Before you book a freight forwarder.
What to check before you hand a forwarder your freight, and what actually goes into the bill.
How to choose a freight forwarder in Toronto
Ten checks for GTA importers and exporters, and the question to ask a forwarder for each one before you book.
Read guideHow much do freight forwarders charge?
The parts of a forwarding bill, what drives the total, and how to compare quotes like for like.
Read guideGuides for shippers and importers.
New to importing, or just tired of the acronyms? Start here. Each guide is written to be read once and understood, and checked against the primary sources (CBSA and the ICC).
Freight forwarder vs. customs broker vs. 3PL
Three terms that get used interchangeably and shouldn't be. What each one does, who needs which, and how a forwarder differs from a freight broker.
Read guideDo I need a customs broker to import to Canada?
No, it is not legally required. What the CBSA actually says, what self-clearing involves, and when a broker is worth it.
Read guideIncoterms 2020 explained
FOB, CIF, EXW, DDP and the rest. Who pays what, where risk transfers, and the CIF trap that catches buyers.
Read guideThe CBSA's import system, explained.
CARM changed how every Canadian importer deals with the border, and the financial-security part trips up most businesses. These two go together.
CARM explained: what importers must do
What CARM is, the CARM Client Portal, Release Prior to Payment, and why you now post your own financial security.
Read guideCARM financial security: bond vs. cash
How the amount is calculated, non-cash bond (50%, min $5,000) vs. cash deposit (100%), a worked example, and which to choose.
Read guideMoving freight across the border.
What actually happens at customs when a truck crosses, and the paperwork that keeps it moving.
PARS vs PAPS explained
How pre-arrival customs release works both ways: PARS northbound into Canada, PAPS southbound into the US, and where eManifest fits.
Read guideCUSMA certificate of origin
The nine required data elements, who can certify, blanket certifications, and when you need one to claim duty-free treatment.
Read guideContainers, ramps, and freight class, in the GTA.
How boxes move through the Greater Toronto Area, and how road freight is priced.
What is drayage? Container drayage in the GTA
What drayage is, port versus rail drayage, chassis, free time and demurrage, and how a container gets from the ramp to your door.
Read guideGTA intermodal ramps: CN Brampton and CPKC Vaughan
The two main GTA rail ramps, which railway serves each, and what to know about dwell, chassis, and appointments.
Read guideFreight class and NMFC for LTL shippers
How the NMFC assigns one of 18 classes from density, stowability, handling, and liability, and why it drives an LTL rate.
Read guideFreight forwarder vs. freight broker
Both can get a truck to your dock. What each one does, who you contract with, and who handles a claim.
Read guideIntermodal rail vs trucking in Canada
When rail is cheaper than a truck, rail or truck from Toronto lane by lane, and what CN and CPKC publish from the GTA ramps.
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