The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has revised its timeline for implementing the mandatory Single Window Initiative (SWI), moving away from the original April 1st deadline in favor of a phased decommissioning approach. While the agency has not yet confirmed the new mandatory date, industry sources anticipate an October 2019 implementation.

Current Requirements for Trade Community

Despite the timeline adjustment, CBSA emphasizes that brokers and importers must continue using the Integrated Import Declaration (IID) system whenever possible. To encourage compliance, the agency is implementing immediate changes to service priorities:

· Priority processing for IID submissions through both CBSA and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

· Reduced service hours for legacy Other Government Department (OGD) service options on ACROSS (to be implemented soon by CFIA)

· Potential rejection of legacy OGD submissions starting July 2019 for transactions where IID functionality exists

Reasons for the Timeline Extension

The decision to extend the implementation period stems from:

1. Unresolved technical issues requiring additional development time
2. Significant feedback and concerns from the trade community

Updated Implementation Roadmap

CBSA has outlined the following phased approach:

1. April 2019: Release of an ECCRD addendum detailing required system changes and fixes (full revised ECCRD to follow in June)
2. Late April 2019: Deployment of technical fixes to CBSA’s test environment, allowing brokers and importers to conduct testing throughout spring and summer
3. Fall 2019: Production implementation of all fixes (exact date to be confirmed)

The agency maintains its commitment to providing six months for trade adaptation to system changes.

Staying Informed

For the latest SWI implementation updates, stakeholders should regularly check the CBSA Single Window page.

LOGICUS International remains actively engaged with CBSA to ensure our clients maintain full compliance throughout this transition. We will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.

Additional Resources:
For detailed information about SWI and participating government agencies, visit our Single Window Initiative overview.