Benefits for Businesses

The CBSA is committed to delivering a reliable and efficient commercial border process to provide tangible benefits to the trade community.

When fully implemented, eManifest will be a virtually paperless process that starts before shipments reach the border. The collection and risk assessment of advance commercial information, sent electronically to the CBSA, will allow low-risk shipments to be identified prior to arrival and processed in a more efficient manner upon arrival in Canada. As a result, businesses may save time.

The transmission and notification systems implemented under eManifest will improve two-way communication between clients and the CBSA.

Trusted trader programs, such as the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program, the Customs Self Assessment (CSA) program, and the Commercial Driver Registration Program (CDRP), will continue to exist with the implementation of eManifest and will compliment the systems and processes that will be put in place by eManifest.

Improving Border Management

The eManifest initiative will enhance how the CBSA processes and screens commercial goods coming into Canada by:

• modernizing commercial processes that will reward compliance with predictable and expedited processing at the border; and
• improving the CBSA's ability to detect shipments that pose a potential threat to Canada's health, safety and security before their arrival in Canada, while facilitating the movement of low-risk shipments across the border.

Fulfilling Canada's International Obligations

Building on the Canada-U.S. Smart Border Declaration, the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America was launched in June 2005. eManifest is a key initiative under the SPP to increase security and enhance the prosperity between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico through greater co-operation and information sharing.

eManifest will make Canada's border processes more secure and compatible with North American and international standards, which is important for the business community and for Canada as a whole. The data required under eManifest is harmonized to the greatest extent possible with the World Customs Organization and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to reduce the administrative burden on business.