Agency's new system to affect importers

The Canada Border Services Agency has announced that its Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) digital initiative is changing how the border services agency assesses and collects duties and taxes on commercial goods imported into Canada. The change is aimed at advancing the agency's compliance and enforcement efforts. CARM protects a growing $40 billion a year in revenue for Canadians and the digital change will provide many other benefits, the agency claims. This includes improving functionality for importers by enabling them to more easily submit accounting documents, enrol in commercial programs, and receive notifications through their CARM client portal account. It will also eliminate time-consuming paper-based processes. The CARM system of record, which importers and other trade chain partners will use to pay duties and taxes, will become official on May 13. Charla Robinson, president of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce, said the government is changing the process by starting a new registry system for anyone who is importing to manage the necessary paperwork. "(The importers) should have all been notified by now," she said. "This is a reminder to businesses that the new system will come into play in mid-May." There will be some training provided for business owners to be able to navigate the new digital system. "People get a lot of information and sometimes they miss pieces," Robinson said, adding the government is making sure that businesses that are doing impact importing and that might be affected by this process change are aware of the steps to register. The new system will be ready for about 71,500 importers now registered in CARM. These importers represent more than 92 per cent of the volume of goods imported into Canada.

Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal