Trade News

The following is excerpted from a 5 December 2011 news release by the Department of Finance Canada. The Department of Finance announced today that Canada’s official international reserves increased by an amount equivalent to US$312 million during November to US$65,740 million. Details on the level and composition of Canada’s reserves as of November 30, 2011, as well as the major factors underlying the change in reserves, are provided below. All figures are in millions of US dollars unless otherwise noted.

This important message is to notify you that Canadian Pacific has updated its Tariffs with changes, effective January 1st, 2012. This notice is available in its entirety on the Canadian Pacific website at: http://www.cpr.ca/en/customer-centre/customer-bulletins/Pages/Changesto…

Further to our message yesterday, “CBSA Message: Tariff Notice TN-58” here is the authorizing Order in Council. We are aware that there have been and continue to be many challenges associated with the implementation of this package of amendments and we therefore have directed several questions to CBSA regarding which we are awaiting responses. We will continue to provide updated information as it is received. __________________________________________________

This is a reminder that a full database backup of the production database (PROD) is scheduled for Saturday, December 3rd, 2011. CFIA systems will be unavailable from 3am to 7am EST. Please note that full database backups of the production database (PROD) are scheduled for the first Saturday of every month between 3am and 7am EST. __________________________________________________

In addition to the CBSA message distributed this morning, DFAIT has advised: Due to communication problems, the electronic data interchange (EDI) of permit data from the EICS system to CBSA is not operational. Until further notice, CBSA is allowing the presentation of paper permits for the release of controlled merchandise. There is currently no ETA for the resolution of this situation. __________________________________________________

The following is excerpted from the 1 December 2011 edition of The Globe and Mail. This week, the Harper government pushed through the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly on selling wheat and barley. It also eliminated tariffs on 70 imported products, to the delight of Canadian manufacturers. Both steps, the government argued, would help Canadians compete internationally. Said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz of the Wheat Board’s demise: “This is what we have been waiting for, [for] decades.”...

The following is excerpted from a 1 December 2011 news release by Export Development Canada. A survey released today by Export Development Canada (EDC) shows that twenty per cent of exporters had their trade flows significantly impacted by the European financial crisis and the Japanese earthquake.

The following is a CBSA message EDI11-078 (Update – December 2nd) Please note that we are still experiencing communication problems between the EICS - DFAIT and the CBSA and as a result we are unable to process electronic permits. You may present a paper permit. There is no ETA. __________________________________________________

Appeal No. Appeal Name Act AP-2009-014 Transport Desgagnés Inc. Customs Act AP-2010-033 AP-2010-042 Contech Holdings Canada Inc. Customs Act AP-2010-036 Accessoires Sportracks Inc. de Thule Canada Inc. Customs Act AP-2010-037 Great West Van Conversions Inc. Customs Act AP-2010-046 VGI Village Green Imports Customs Act

The following is excerpted from a 2 December 2011 release by Statistics Canada. Following a notable decrease the previous month, employment edged down 19,000 in November, and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 7.4%. Despite the recent declines, employment was up 1.2% (+212,000) from 12 months earlier. This release is available in its entirety at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/111202/dq111202a-eng.htm

Due to communication problems, the electronic data interchange (EDI) of permit data from the EICS system to CBSA is not operational. Until further notice, CBSA is allowing the presentation of paper permits for the release of controlled merchandise. There is currently no ETA for the resolution of this situation. The CSCB has been in touch with DFAIT and were advised that the cause of the communication problems has not yet been determined. Updates will be provided to members as they become available.

The following is a CBSA message (EDI11-079) Please be advised the changes outlined in Tariff Notice TN-58 found on the CBSA website (http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/trade-commerce/tariff-tarif/2011/tn58-eng.ht…) will be updated in the Customs Commercial System (CCS) on December 1st, 2011. These changes have an effective date of November 17, 2011. Please contact Tariff Policy at 613-952-3655 for further information on these changes.

Serial No. 178 This Notice to Exporters is to inform exporters of the Minister’s decision respecting the allocation methodology and provide the eligibility criteria for export allocations of certain Softwood Lumber Products first manufactured in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan and exported to the United States in 2012. This Notice is available in its entirety on the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website at:

The following is now available on the CBSA Web site: Customs Notice 11-023, Summary Reporting Program Review http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/cn-ad/cn11-023-eng.html __________________________________________________

In March 1990, Roe Herring was added to the Export Control List (ECL), a regulation made under the authority of the Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA), for the purpose of implementing an intergovernmental agreement between Canada and the United States. The agreement was the ultimate result of a United States challenge under the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement against the Canadian landing requirement for roe herring caught in Canadian waters imposed under the Canadian Pacific Herring Fishery Regulations. This notice is available in its entirety on the DFAIT website at:

The following is excerpted from a 30 November 2011 news release by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Once the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act is passed, the Manitoba wheat and barley industry will be able to seize new economic opportunities. "Our Government intends to bring marketing freedom to Manitoba wheat and barley farmers by August of next year," said Minister Ritz. "An open grain market will attract investment, encourage innovation, create value-added jobs, and build a stronger economy not only here in Manitoba, but right across the country."...

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has provided the following list of changes to the regulatory standards proposals contained in bulletins published in April-October 2010. http://cscb.ca/sites/default/files/repository/Amendment_13-Regulatory_U… Previous bulletins are available at: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/regulations/home_page.cfm

This notice is to inform importers and brokers that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will be implementing phase 8 of the changes to import notification requirements for products in the non-federally registered food sector effective Feb 27, 2012. Details are available on the CFIA website at: http://inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/invenq/20111128e.shtml __________________________________________________

The following is a CBSA message (EDI11-078 - Update - December 1st ) Please note that we are still experiencing communication problems between the EICS - DFAIT and the CBSA and as a result we are unable to process electronic permits. You may present a paper permit. There is no ETA. __________________________________________________

The Presentations from the CSCB Toronto and Ontario regions educational seminar that was held on November 15, 2011 are now available on the CSCB members’ site. To access the presentations, please go to our website at www.cscb.ca, login, and look under “Regional Activity”. __________________________________________________