Just as imports into Canada must be declared, so do goods exported from the country, which require Form B13A.

Exceptions to this rule concern shipments valued at less than CAD$2,000 for non-controlled goods, and goods for which the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands are the final destination. For all other destinations, where the total value of your shipment is CAD$2,000 or more, or when the goods are controlled, a declaration must be made.

Since October 1, 2020, export declarations must be filed electronically on the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) portal: the Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS).

Exports to Mexico often transit through the United States by truck, with exporters failing to report their shipments, and motor carriers neglecting to inform their clients. Failure to report these exports can result in a penalty of $500 to $2,000 per shipment. CBSA can apply these penalties on all unreported exports within the previous six years.

You must correct this situation as quickly as possible by submitting a voluntary disclosure, before the error is detected by CBSA or any other government department.

The first step is to send a list of all your unreported exports over the past six years, including the date of shipment, port of exit, and means of transportation.

Next, a document describing the situation, how the problem was identified and how you intend to resolve it, should be prepared along with a series of statements.

All of this should be forwarded to the CBSA customs compliance team, after which you must ensure that your export declarations are filed.

It is very important to be fully transparent in your voluntary disclosure. Please contact one of our consultants to make sure your goods comply with export standards.