2025 Membership Directory

4 | 2025 CIFFA Membership Directory • Répertoire des membres de l’ATIC 205 2025 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY PRESIDENT’S SPEECH Dear CIFFA Members We are thrilled to have you as part of the CIFFA family! We appreciate your continued support of our association as we grow and evolve to serve you better. As we begin 2025, and I enter my last few months as CIFFA’s President, I find myself filled with gratitude and a renewed sense of purpose. This past year has been nothing short of extraordinary—both professionally and personally. It was a year that saw milestones achieved, challenges overcome, and the strengthening of a vision that transcends borders. I have been a board member for ten years and have witnessed firsthand the incredible dedication poured into this 76-year-old association by our board and our Secretariat team. One of the most profound honours of my career was stepping into the role of President of CIFFA in June 2023, becoming the first Brazilian to hold this position. It’s a testament to how far we, as newcomers to this great country, can go when we combine determination, community support, teamwork and a passion for making a difference. Canada is a land of opportunity, but the path is not always straightforward, especially for immigrants. When I arrived here, I carried a suitcase full of dreams, and an unwavering desire to contribute to this amazing country. Studying supply chain at Seneca Polytechnic, and starting my own logistics company in 2002, was the turning point in my life - it was the foundation that allowed me to break barriers. To have the opportunity to lead one of the most respected associations in this sector is a privilege beyond words. As CIFFA’s President, I had the distinct opportunity to represent our association in Mexico, Panama, and Brazil, sharing our mission and story at every chance. It is my hope that these efforts inspire others, showcasing the strength and impact of this association and the industry it serves. CIFFA’s path and focus have not changed throughout the decades, prioritizing the three important pillars of Membership, Advocacy and Education to drive our success. When people deal with a CIFFA member, they know they’re working with trained professionals who carry Cargo Liability Insurance, specific licensing requirements and who abide by CIFFA’s professional Code of Ethics. CIFFA membership means trust, compliance and professionalism. CIFFA has adopted new Standard Trading Conditions and Created a General Agency Agreement which can only be used by a CIFFA member. These conditions, which govern the relationship between CIFFA regular member firms and their clients, are regularly upheld in Canadian courts. (Members can obtain these documents as well as a number of resources through our website’s Resources page). The last year at CIFFA has been a busy one, and as we head into 2025, on the domestic and foreign political fronts, uncertainty continues to affect our business opportunities. Political leadership for Canada will be key to our success as a trading nation, domestically and on the world stage. Canada-U.S. border issues will once again become heightened. Trade and tariff “wars” are an ongoing threat, as are any outstanding labour disruptions. Last year proved to be a heavy but productive year for CIFFA’s advocacy efforts. We continue to push forward on issues such as the duplication of Reporting Requirements in the Pre-Load Air Cargo Targeting program, the Weakness of Canadian Competition legislation, the e-Manifest AMPS, CARM implementation concerns, infrastructure funding deficits, demurrage and detention charges, supply chain education, training, and licensing requirements and the need for stable labour contracts. Much of this work is conducted in our eight various committees and I would like to thank the tireless efforts of our committee chairs for their time, assistance and direction: • AIRFREIGHT – William Gottlieb • Customs – Paul Courtney • Customs Regulatory – Kim Campbell • Drayage – Chris Ford • Freight Broker – Gary Nicholson and Tim Drake • Sea Freight – Martin Schultz • Sustainability – Christina Fisker • Technology – Marc Bibeau The f al l issue of CIFFA’s Forwarder magazine, available online, highlights all of our 2024 efforts on the advocacy agenda. The Advocacy section of our website also contains all of our correspondence and lobbying to government over the past year. A recently published Report of the Standing Committee on International Trade on CANADA’S SUPPLY CHAINS AND EXPANDED INTERNATIONAL TRADE: CHALLENGES AND MEASURES, mentions CIFFA’s testimony as witness to this important topic. CIFFA’s 75 th Anniversary Conference on April 23 and 24, 2024 in Toronto brought together more than 400 people for a strong program, with informative sessions presented by several internationally known experts and leading figures from Canada’s supply chain. Conference sessions looked at timely topics in the maritime, air, rail and road sectors, as well as developments in technology, sustainability, the legal environment and the economy – key areas of focus for CIFFA members. The conference was so well received that CIFFA has elected, through a vote by its Board of Directors, to throw an annual conference, hiring a dedicated event planner for this task. We are thrilled to announce the 2025 CIFFA Conference, themed “Forward Thinking: Redefining Excellence in the Supply Chain”, set to take place on October 29-30, 2025, in Toronto. After 75 years of freight forwarder representation, in 2024, and at our Annual General Meeting at the CIFFA 75 th Anniversary Conference last April, CIFFA became known as CIFFA Corp., reflecting its new direction as an association representing not only regular members such as forwarders but also freight brokers, customs brokers, warehouse professionals and drayage carriers, as well as our Associate Members in the support services. ARNON MELO President