Importers warn new duty payment system could cause headaches, delays
MONTREAL – Importers are warning that the launch of a new online payment regime this week will cause financial headaches and logistical snarls for shippers bringing goods into Canada.
Fresh rules come into force Tuesday that require businesses importing products into the country to post a financial security deposit — a tally based on the largest of its monthly loads over the past year.
The Canada Border Services Agency told customs brokerages last week that only 30 per cent of the country's more than 197,000 active importers had signed up for a key part of the revamped system.
That component, dubbed 'release prior to payment,' requires a cash deposit or a guarantee known as a surety bond for the goods to be released at the border without taxes and duties being paid immediately on entry.
The stricter regime aims to make sure the federal government can collect even if the shipper fails to come up with the cash, such as in bankruptcy cases.
But Winnipeg-based customs broker Alan Dewar says the new online portal known as CARM has complicated the import process and imposed an unneeded financial burden on the supply chain that could trickle down to consumers in the heat of a trade war.
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The Canada Border Services Agency says the portal will smooth out cross-border transport by offering tens of thousands of shippers direct access to their information and a user-friendly platform for submitting documents while shoring up enforcement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 19, 2025.
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