The Canada Border Services Agency has announced that CARM Release 2 is now scheduled to be launched no earlier than January 2023. A specific date will be announced at a later time.

CARM Release 2 is when a major change in importing bonds will take effect. Importers will need to secure and post their own financial security if they would like to participate in the Release Prior To Payment Privilege (RPP). While we had originally advised you to get this bond in place by January 2022 with the previously scheduled Spring 2022 for CARM Release 2, we are now advising you, as per the CBSA, that there’s no need to obtain one until a specific date for CARM Release 2 is announced.

If you have already obtained a bond and submitted the information directly through your financial security provider or yourself directly, the CBSA has assured us that it will be in place through the CARM Client Portal upon CARM Release 2.

For more detailed information on this rescheduling of CARM Release 2 and corresponding details, here is a pre-recorded webinar by the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers (CSCB): https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/6619490329277576450

In the meantime, we do advise you to please ensure that you and your staff are registered on the CARM Client Portal: https://ccp-pcc.cbsa-asfc.cloud-nuage.canada.ca/en/homepage

All importers, customs brokers, and trade consultants must register and create an account on the CARM Client Portal. To ensure you are ready for this important transition with CARM Release 2, we’ve laid out the key steps to register for the CARM Client Portal in a previous update: Onboarding to the CARM Client Portal. Once registered, you will need to delegate authority to Summit Customs Brokers & Trade Consultants (or Alliance Border Services of ISL Customs Brokers) as your designated customs broker so that we can continue to process transactions on your behalf.

To get ready to set up your account on the CARM Client Portal, you will need the following information:

• The 9-digit BN and importer RM extension registered to your legal business
• The exact legal corporate name and complete address
• The answers to 2 of 3 following questions:

1. What is the transaction number, and total duties and taxes of one of your recent transactions?

This is a recent transaction for the RM importer account (15-character Importer Number) that you are using to register your account. You can find the transaction number on your invoice under the heading: Transaction Number

2. What is the exact value of your most recent payment?

This is the most recent payment on your RM importer account that you are using to register your account.

3. What is the balance of your last Statement of Account?

This is the last Statement of Account for your RM importer account that you are using to register your account.

The CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) project is a multi-year initiative that changes how duties and taxes are collected on commercial goods imported into Canada. CARM Release 1 is the launch of the CARM Client Portal, and it launched on May 25, 2021 and CARM Releases 2, now scheduled for no earlier than January 2023, is when the financial security change will take effect. You must also be registered on the CARM Client Portal to continue importing at this time.

For frequently asked questions, past updates and resources on CARM, please visit: nearnorthcustoms.com/carm. You can reach our CARM team via our contact form.

We look forward to supporting you and your business.