CALGARY — Canadian Pacific Railway has become the first railway in North America to be approved under a new Canada Customs and Revenue Agency program to streamline clearance at the border for imports from the United States, the railway announced in a press release.
CPR’s approval as a low-risk carrier under the Customs Self-Assessment (CSA) program means shippers who are also approved as low risk will see their goods enter Canada on CPR as if the border did not exist.
Under the program, CSA-approved shippers must use CSA-approved carriers to get the benefit of borderless entry. In addition, the goods being imported must be approved as low risk. CPR is now the only railway on the continent that can offer shippers the opportunity to take advantage of their CSA status while shipping goods into Canada by rail. Eligible goods include finished vehicles, parts for vehicles, food products and other common frequently imported items from the U.S.
“Our low-risk designation under the program means CSA-approved shippers can reduce their costs by shipping on CPR,” Robert Ritchie, President and Chief Executive Officer, said. “CPR is now the only carrier on the continent that offers a rail option to shippers that enables them to take full advantage of their CSA status.”
The CSA program reduces the cost of compliance with Canada’s import regulations. Under the program, approved importers can file monthly summary customs reports on their shipments instead of a report on each shipment. In addition, importers will see improved efficiencies as their goods are delivered directly to their facility without stopping for inspection at the border or waiting to have their goods cleared by customs.
CPR also expects to see benefits from improved freight car velocity as shipments for CSA-approved customers move seamlessly to the customer’s siding.
CPR began the rigorous CSA application process 18 months ago. Its application involved an investigation by Canada Customs and Revenue Agency of CPR’s documentation and accounting processes, recruiting and hiring practices, human resource policies and security measures. The entire life cycle of rail shipments was also examined in detail. The investigation was followed by a risk assessment.
CPR’s 14,000-mile network serves the principal centres of Canada, from Montreal to Vancouver, and the U.S. Northeast and Midwest regions. CPR’s track feeds directly into the Chicago hub from the East and West coasts. Alliances with other carriers extend CPR’s market reach into the major business centres of Mexico. For more information, visit CPR’s website at www.cpr.ca.