Export - J.B. Ellis & Co. Ltd. | Canadian Customs Brokers in Vancouver, BC

Softwood Lumber Permitting

Since the expiry of the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA), Canada and the United States have been in continued negotiations over trade in the softwood lumber industry, which is an important sector of the Canadian economy. At this time, permits are required for all softwood lumber exports to the U.S. for surveillance purposes.

As an approved agent of Global Affairs Canada, J.B. Ellis has specialized software that provides us with the ability to apply for these permits, and can be used to track export quantities by mill and province. This control mechanism also allows us to generate reports which, according to our clients, are critical in managing their export sales.

Once set up, clients simply provide us with a copy of the commercial invoice that was sent to the U.S. broker for customs clearance; we can apply for the permit from there.

Export Reporting

In most cases, the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) requires goods exported from Canada to countries other than the United States, be reported to Statistics Canada (StatsCan).

A list of export reporting exceptions is available here

J.B. Ellis has the ability to report your exports via two CBSA-approved methods:

Canadian Automated Export Declaration (CAED)
This application is the primary method of export reporting, and must be submitted by the following deadlines:

Marine – 48 hours before the goods are loaded onto the vessel
Air – 2 hours before the goods are loaded on board the aircraft
Rail – 2 hours before the railcar on which the goods have been loaded is assembled to form part of the train for export
Highway – immediately before the exportation of the goods
Summary Reporting Program
If the goods you export are of bulk or homogenous nature (such as logs, or grain for example), you may be eligible to register for the Summary Reporting Program. This program, offered by the CBSA and administered by StatsCan, allows exporters to submit monthly reports instead of declarations for each individual shipment, alleviating the stress associated with tight deadlines and allowing more flexibility for last minute adjustments. Contact us if you believe you may be eligible for summary reporting.

U.S. Clearance

In partnership with our U.S. agents, J.B. Ellis can help facilitate your southbound clearances. Contact [email protected] or call our office toll-free at 1-800-655-5258 for more information.