Blog Archive - Ramsay Logistics

Ship It, Declare It, Store It: The Three-Step Checklist Calgary Importers Keep Skipping

August 12, 2026

Ask a Calgary importer what happens to a shipment and you’ll usually get the three-word version: it ships, it gets declared, it gets stored. Simple, in theory. In practice, each of those three words hides a decision most businesses make once and then forget about. Insurance gets set up for the first shipment and never […]

Border Delays Aren’t a Customs Problem. They’re a Broker Problem.

July 29, 2026

Most Vancouver importers have a shipment horror story. A container stuck at the port. Vague updates. Weeks of “still working on it.” And almost every time, the explanation is the same: customs is just like that. It’s not, though. Not always. One-off delays happen. Ports get congested, documents get flagged, CBSA runs a random exam, […]

What Happens When You Miss a CARM Payment Deadline (It’s Not Nothing Anymore)

July 15, 2026

For a while, missing a CARM payment wasn’t a big deal. Late? Fine. CBSA waived the penalties and interest during the transition, so a lot of Calgary importers got comfortable treating their Statement of Account like a suggestion instead of a deadline. That grace period ended on January 31, 2026. Overdue balances now rack up […]

Why Some Freight Choices Increase Your Risk of a CBSA Customs Exam in Vancouver

July 1, 2026

Most Vancouver importers know that CBSA customs exams happen. What few realize is that some of the choices made before a shipment even leaves their point of origin can make a customs exam more likely. Exams aren’t purely random. And while no freight forwarder or customs broker can predict or prevent one, the quality of […]

Why the Cheapest Freight Quote Costs Calgary Importers More Than They Expect

June 17, 2026

Comparing freight quotes is a normal part of importing. Costs add up fast, and keeping landed costs under control matters. But the cheapest rate on a quote sheet is rarely the cheapest shipment by the time goods arrive in Calgary. Here’s what that gap actually looks like in practice. The Quote Only Covers Part of […]

Switching Customs Brokers Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated. Here’s What It Looks Like With Ramsay.

June 3, 2026

Changing brokers mid-relationship feels uncomfortable. There’s history with your current provider, active shipments in motion, and a quiet worry that switching will create more disruption than it solves. But for many Canadian importers, the bigger disruption is already happening, they just stop noticing it after a while. Missed callbacks. Shipments held at the border with […]

How One Border Broker Eliminates Cross-Border Miscommunication

May 21, 2026

Most Canadian importers move freight across the U.S.–Canada border and don’t think twice about who’s handling what on each side. Their Canadian customs broker clears goods into Canada. Their U.S. customs agent handles the export side. Their freight carrier moves the truck. Three separate relationships. Three separate places where something can go wrong. And when […]

What CBSA Audit Expansion Means for Calgary Importers in 2026

May 6, 2026

If you’re importing goods into Canada right now, the compliance environment has shifted significantly and it’s happened fast. The Canada Border Services Agency has released one of its most expanded trade verification lists in years, introducing new audit priorities, expanding tariff classification targets, and increasing scrutiny across key industries. For Calgary importers, that shift has […]

The CUSMA Review Is 10 Weeks Out. Here’s What Canadian Importers Need to Know.

April 22, 2026

July 1, 2026 is the deadline for the first mandatory joint review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). All three countries must confirm in writing by that date whether they intend to extend the agreement. Most Canadian importers know this is coming. Fewer have actually done anything about it. For businesses that rely on cross-border […]

7 Reasons Your Shipment Gets Stuck at the Canada–US Border (And How a Customs Broker Can Help)

April 8, 2026

Cross-border trade between Canada and the United States moves more than $1 trillion in goods every year. Most shipments move smoothly through the border, but when delays happen, they can disrupt delivery schedules, increase costs, and create frustration for importers. In many cases, shipments get held at the border because of compliance or documentation issues, […]

Supply Chain Resilience in 2026: How Global Disruptions Are Reshaping Freight and Customs

March 25, 2026

For years, global supply chains were built around efficiency. Move goods quickly, minimize cost, and keep freight flowing. Today, the focus has shifted. Businesses are now designing supply chains around resilience. Geopolitical tensions, tariff changes, port congestion, rising freight costs, and evolving customs requirements are reshaping global logistics. For Canadian importers and exporters, these disruptions […]

Incoterms Explained for Canadian Importers: What Vancouver Businesses Need to Know

March 11, 2026

Three letters.Big consequences. EXW. FOB. DAP. CFR. If you’re importing into Vancouver and you’re not 100% sure what those mean for your business, this matters more than you think. As a Vancouver customs broker, one of the first questions we ask is: “What Incoterm are you shipping under?” Because that one answer determines who pays, […]