As you are aware, eManifest requirements for Highway carriers are mandatory. January 11, 2016, marked the beginning of the monetary penalty period, meaning that carriers who do not comply with eManifest requirements may be issued monetary AMPS penalties.
On June 1, 2017, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) implemented a 90-day evaluation period, allowing drivers in the highway mode who arrive without Advance Commercial Information (ACI) to turn around and return to the United States to wait for ACI.
The CBSA is extending the evaluation period and will continue to allow highway carriers to return to the U.S. to avoid ACI penalties until midnight on December 31, 2017.
Carriers, not the exporter or importer/broker, are liable to ensure that all ACI provided to the CBSA is true, accurate and complete, which includes a detailed cargo description.
Providing a clear and concise description allows the CBSA to complete risk assessment in advance, thereby facilitating the movement of low-risk shipments. Please refer to the CBSA website for more information on detailed commodity descriptions, including a list of acceptable and non-acceptable descriptions. The CBSA recommends that carriers work with their business partners (i.e., shippers) to ensure they are provided with a sufficient description for CBSA purposes.
The CBSA would also like to remind carriers in the highway mode that conveyance and cargo ACI must be received and validated, a minimum of one hour prior to the conveyance arriving at the FPOA.
Questions or concerns related to commercial ACI compliance activities can be directed to the Transporter Compliance Unit, at Compliance_Monitoring.Verification_de_Conformite@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca.