CARM at two: CBSA says 263,000 businesses use it and 99.65% of imports are processed electronically
The border agency says duty and tax collection rose to $41.7 billion in the system's first full year. Core development came in at $498.6 million, under a $526.8 million budget.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) says its CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) system has settled in two years after launch. The agency gave the update on Oct. 29.
CARM went live on Oct. 21, 2024. It is now Canada's official system of record for commercial imports, replacing paper-based workflows and older IT.
The numbers
- The CARM Client Portal is online and reliable 99% of the time, the CBSA says.
- Importers can sign up for Release Prior to Payment directly in CARM. The agency now processes 99.65% of imports electronically.
- More than 263,000 businesses use the system.
Release Prior to Payment lets an importer get goods across the border first and handle accounting and payment later. For carriers, that is the piece that touches the truck at the booth.
Revenue
| Fiscal year | Duties and taxes collected | |---|---| | 2023-24 (before launch) | $39.8 billion | | 2024-25 (first year) | $41.7 billion | | 2025-26 | Projected to exceed last year |
The CBSA says CARM also let it apply counter-tariffs on U.S. goods quickly, along with relief and refunds under remission orders.
The cost
Core development was completed for $498.6 million, against an approved budget of $526.8 million. Counting IT maintenance from 2010-11 through 2025-26, the total investment is $804 million.
What it means for carriers
CARM is an importer's system. Carriers don't account for duties in it. But a shipment held up by an importer's CARM account, bond or payment status still sits at the border. Fleets running cross-border freight should confirm customers and their customs brokers are fully set up before peak.
The CBSA says user guides, webinars, live demonstrations and on-site help at its commercial offices remain available.