About eManifest

Making the Border Smarter and More Secure

eManifest is a transformational initiative that will modernize and improve cross-border commercial processes.

When fully implemented, eManifest will require carriers, freight forwarders and importers in all modes of transportation (air, marine, highway and rail) to electronically transmit advance commercial information to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) within prescribed mode-specific time frames.

On June 11, 2009, Bill S-2, Customs Act Amendments, was granted Royal Assent, the final stage required for the Bill to become law. This allows the CBSA to mandate various members of the trade community to submit pre-arrival data for risk assessment purposes.

Benefits for Businesses

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

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.

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 complement the systems and processes that will be put in place by eManifest.

Fulfilling Canada's International Obligations

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 are 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.