2026 Spring Forwarder Magazine

6 THE FORWARDER | SPRING 2026 In the first quarter of 2026, CIFFA’s Advocacy Team met with Members of Parliament, Senators, and senior federal officials to advance priorities on behalf of our member companies. Representing over 14,000 employees across freight forwarding, drayage and port trucking, customs brokerage, freight brokerage and warehousing — companies that manage approximately 80% of Canada’s freight traffic — CIFFA continues to ensure government understands the operational realities facing Canada’s trade supply chain. Below is a summary of the key issues raised in Ottawa. CBSA System Outages and Transparency Concerns CIFFA continues to press the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Public Safety Canada regarding persistent system outages and the lack of timely communication with Trade Chain Partners. As of January 20, 2026, CIFFA had tracked 167 system outages since October 2024. We have raised concerns directly with the Minister of Public Safety about the systemic nature of these disruptions and the need for greater accountability and transparency. While the Border Commercial Consultative Committees are intended to meet regularly, meetings have been inconsistent, limiting meaningful dialogue. Encouragingly, engagement between CIFFA, the Minister’s office, and CBSA officials has recently improved, with direct meetings now taking place. CIFFA will continue to update members on progress and outcomes. Trade Diversification Corridors Fund and Supply Chain Strategy CIFFA continues to seek clarity on the future of the Trade Diversification Corridors Fund, including timelines for new application intakes. Members require predictability to support infrastructure planning and investment. We also reiterated the importance of a coordinated national supply chain strategy — previously promised but not yet released. CIFFA remains concerned that future trade corridor initiatives must avoid adding red tape or bureaucratic complexity. We are actively engaging federal officials to ensure that diversification efforts enhance efficiency and innovation across Canada’s major gateways and corridors. Labour Disruptions and Canada’s Trading Reputation Labour instability in the transportation sector remains a top concern. CIFFA has participated in parliamentary committee studies in both the House of Commons and Senate, highlighting the economic and reputational impact of repeated labour disruptions on Canada’s reliability as a trading nation. CIFFA also released its policy proposal, Leveraging Canada’s Labour Advantage – A Team Canada Approach to Labour Relations, calling for a more collaborative and less adversarial labour relations framework in transportation. We have encouraged parliamentarians to take leadership in advancing reforms that support stability and long-term competitiveness. Skilled Labour Shortages in Trucking and Air Cargo Beyond labour disruptions, workforce shortages are emerging as a structural threat to supply chain resilience. The trucking sector continues to face acute driver shortages, compounded by compliance challenges such as the “Driver Inc.” issue, which CIFFA addressed in a formal submission to the House of Commons Transport Committee. The air cargo sector is also experiencing significant staffing gaps — including ground handling personnel, pilots, and air- traffic controllers — resulting in slower cargo processing, longer aircraft turnaround times, and reduced network resilience. Periodic air-traffic control tower closures at regional airports due to staffing shortages further highlight the fragility of the system. CIFFA emphasized that while automation can support efficiency, skilled human expertise remains indispensable. Rebuilding the workforce pipeline through training, recruitment and credential portability must be a federal priority. Red Tape Review: Transport Canada and CBSA CIFFA expressed strong support for the federal Red Tape Review and is prepared a new submission focused on improving border efficiency and reducing regulatory irritants that hinder international trade. The full submission is available on CIFFA.com’ s Advocacy page at: https://www.ciffa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/260227- CIFFA-Official-red-tape-review-submission.pdf We have specifically called for improved coordination between Transport Canada and CBSA, particularly through enhanced interoperability between Transport Canada’s Pre-load Air Cargo Targeting (PACT) system and CBSA’s e-Manifest program. A modernized “tell us once” data-sharing approach would reduce duplication, lower administrative costs, accelerate decision-making, and improve overall supply chain fluidity. Continuing the Dialogue CIFFA will continue advocating for practical, solutions-oriented federal leadership on these critical issues. We welcome member feedback on the topics outlined above, which will inform our ongoing engagement with Parliament and federal departments. Together, we are ensuring that the voice of Canada’s freight forwarding and logistics community is heard clearly in Ottawa. CIFFA Advocacy Update: Issues Raised in Ottawa – Q1 2026