2026 Spring Forwarder Magazine

11 THE FORWARDER | SPRING 2026 Canada’s foreign worker numbers, affecting the trucking industry as some drivers are having to leave the country when their visas expire and others may be unwilling to cross the border and risk not being able to return to Canada. With no standard for “English proficiency,” the U.S. has likely become risky for some French-speaking drivers, as well, even those who’ve crossed the border many times in their careers. Seafreight Committee – Chair Martin Schultz • MSC Canada on March 3 issued an “end of voyage” announcement for all shipments under its custody destined for ports in the Arabian Gulf. It said that all shipments en route would be diverted to the next safe port and discharged. A surcharge of US$800 per container, as well as discharge-related expenses, would be applied. Not only would this action create havoc throughout supply chains; it is also illegal according to the Hague-Visby Rules. • FIATA has drafted a best-practices guide for forwarders that choose to self-file cargo data to meet PLACI requirements should they be mandated for ocean shipments. • One of the PSA terminals at the Port of Halifax started about two months ago to close one day a week due to limited volumes. Committee members have experienced no issues resulting from that. • Average dwell at the Port of Vancouver in February for containers going to Canadian destinations was 6.7 days. This high level was due to poor weather in Western Canada, along with the tail end of the pre-Chinese New Year surge. The slowdown in shipments from China during their New Year holiday period is now having the effect of reducing on-dock footage at the port. Sustainability Committee – Chair Christina Fisker •Information from sustainability resources from the Government of Canada, the UN Global Compact Network Canada, the UN and Smart Freight Centre is now accessible through CIFFA’s Ask RUTH tool. • Environment and Climate Change Canada’s consultation period on the draft 2026-2029 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) is open until May 12. The strategy is updated every three years. The strategy outlines the government’s sustainable development priorities, goals, targets and plans. Each department and agency of the federal government implements the FSDS through its own Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy. • The chair of the Sustainability Committee met recently with the chairs of CIFFA’s other committees to discuss the possibility of support from the Sustainability Committee, in the form of research or education, related to their specific sustainability issues. Technology Committee – Chair Marc Bibeau • The Technology Committee is planning its next webinar for CIFFA members . If you are interested in participating on any of the national committees, please send your request to either admin@ciffa. com or the Regional Chair for your area, whose contact details can be found in the National Board of Directors listing on the CIFFA website.