Effective April 1, 2012, the CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) will eliminate the manual reporting process
form (B13A) for exporters and implement mandatory electronic reporting.This policy will not impact exporters who
report their exports using the Summary Reporting Program option. In addition, for goods covered by an export permit,
the requirement to present a paper copy of the electronic export declaration and the export permit at the CBSA office
closest to the point of exit will remain unchanged, when electronic permit reporting options are not available.
Electronic reporting will align Canada’s Export Program with the reporting processes in other countries and is
consistent with the overall direction of the CBSA’s commercial program.

Exporters will enjoy several benefits from this change in policy: the elimination of the paper B13A and its preparation;
elimination of the requirement to physically present B13As at a CBSA office for stamping; expedite goods shipped
via courier, as these shipments would normally be held by the courier if the declaration has not been reported to
the CBSA in accordance with the reporting time frames.
There are two options available for exporters to report electronically: the Canadian Automated Export Declaration
(CAED) and the G7 Export Reporting Electronic Data Interchange (G7-EDI).

The CAED software is available free of charge on the Statistics Canada website at: www.statcan.gc.ca/exp.
The G7-EDI option provides a direct link to the CBSA’s ACROSS System and requires an investment from the
exporting company. Information on becoming an EDI-G7 participant may be obtained at: www.cbsa.gc.ca/eservices.
To register or for more information on how to report goods electronically using CAED or G7-EDI, you may contact
the CAED/G7 helpline at: 1-800-257-2434.

As a reminder, the CBSA requires exporters to declare their shipments destined to non-US destinations
according to the following time frames by mode:
marine – no less than 48 hours before the goods are loaded onto the vessel;
air – no less than two hours before the goods are loaded onto the aircraft;
rail – no less than two hours before the railcar containing the goods is
assembled to form part of the train for export.

Christian Sivière, Import Export Logistics Solutions TM, Montréal
January 2012 All rights reserved