Customs and Compliance


Cargolution offers customs brokerage services tailored to your specific needs. Our team takes care of your customs clearance requirements across Canada, no matter the type of transport: ground, sea, rail or air.

Our services


  • Assistance in obtaining a business number (BN), an importer/exporter account

  • Assistance regarding the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA)

  • Submission of reimbursement and readjustment requests (B2)

  • Preparation of release documents (bill of sight) for clearing customs

  • Detailed preparation of declaration documents

  • Remittance of duties and taxes to the Receiver General of Canada

  • Quality control of products

  • Consultation and customs compliance

In the event of changes or errors, Cargolution can quickly make the necessary amendments to your product database for past declarations, and ensure compliance of future ones.

Who is responsible?


Widely regarded as a necessary inconvenience in business, customs can sometimes remain an abstract topic for import and export companies. Since 2000, the onus to comply with customs procedures has been put on the importer.

It is important to note that, for customs authorities, everything is in compliance until the moment it is checked. If your imports or exports are deemed to be non-compliant, penalties are levied in accordance with the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS).

These financial penalties have become so severe that a company’s finance and accounting department should be responsible for applying the law. However, it is the shipping and receiving department that normally takes responsibility for customs compliance, despite its minimal authority over and influence on other departments, which are often too overwhelmed to be aware of the numerous activities carried out by the shipping and receiving department.

As an importer, you must comply with customs procedures under threat of sanction. The consistency of your transactional activities with respect to compliance enhances your reputation with customs authorities.

Customs consultancy


Cargolution’s customs experts team advises and assists you during your export and import activities in Canada or abroad, so that nothing is overlooked due to a lack of awareness of complex administrative details.

Cargolution can help you:

  • prepare a customs compliance plan and a full or partial audit, by using a sample of your customs transactions to identify potential issues and correct them in an efficient manner;

  • prepare for a customs audit if one is required by customs services;

  • plan your import and export activities for more complex items;

  • classify your products by harmonized code. If you have a large number of products to export or import into Canada or internationally, you might have to code your products so that there are no surprises and that customs clearance goes smoothly;

  • claim your customs duties (B2 Form and Drawbacks Program). It is possible to claim a reimbursement of customs duties if an order is changed, products are missing or damaged, or merchandise is re-exported;

  • clarify various possible tax consequences for declared values and taxation;

  • apply regulations with regard to manufactured products, customs laws and tariffs under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). As a manufacturer, you are responsible for documenting and coding your products, validating regulations and proving that the product meets the standard in terms of regional value;

  • conduct research about different government departments, such as Health Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Transport Canada, Global Affairs Canada;

  • obtain expert legal representation before trade tribunals and Canadian and American customs authorities. We can assist you in mitigated cases involving, for example, products that are subject to dumping or various eligible goods.

In order to deliver customs brokerage services that meet your expectations, the Cargolution team stays on top of changes in legislation and international regulations, as well as new practices in the customs sector.

you have questions?