Late last Friday, Canada’s border agents reached a new tentative agreement with the Canadian government. The deal came after 36 straight hours of negotiations. There was immense pressure to get a deal done, after a daylong work-to-rule campaign by CBSA workers left long lines at international gateways. Because 90% of CBSA workers are deemed essential, they are not legally allowed to strike, but what they did was follow procedures to the letter, which slowed down operations immensely. Reported commercial wait times in Surrey, BC, reached 5 hours by Friday afternoon.

Due to an increase in e-commerce clients, our Toronto office has relocated to a brand-new warehouse space this month. This new location has more space to provide pick and pack services, transloading, storage, and other services to facilitate the growth of our Canadian warehousing services.

Yesterday, July 28, 2021, it was announced that the 9,000 Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) workers voted in favour of a strike. This means that the workers are in a legal strike position as early as next week, because of an impasse in negotiations between their union and the Government of Canada.

Each month we will publish highlights from the important articles we’re reading about shipping and logistics. This month’s articles include forest fires impacting B.C. terminals, lockdowns in Southeast Asia, and reasons for the current high demand for ocean and air freight.

We recently read an excellent article on change management in the Harvard Business Review, with the title “How Good is Your Company at Change? A new system for measuring (and improving) your ability to adapt“. In this article, we share highlights of what we learned and how we are trying to apply these lessons at Canaan Group.

The CP rail line that was shut down because of the B.C. interior wildfires is now operational. The backlog of trains is now being processed.

Each month we will publish highlights from the important articles we’re reading about shipping and logistics. This month’s articles include non-compliance penalties for electronic manifests, US retail demand surges, Southern China port congestion, the West’s misconceptions about doing business in China, and air freight rate updates.

Each month we will publish highlights from the important articles we’re reading about shipping and logistics. This month’s articles include trans-pacific rates doubling next year, carrier on-time reliability near an all-time low, real-time cargo visibility technology, Canada’s ELD implementation, and India’s shipments being impacted by COVID-19.

The Port of Montreal Longshoremen gave a 72-hour notice of an indefinite strike starting Monday, April 26th to the Maritime Employers Association (MEA). 

Each month we will publish highlights from the important articles we’re reading about shipping and logistics. This month’s articles include shippers diverting their cargo as the Port of Montreal dispute escalates, container shortages in Asia due to the Suez Canal Blockage, a $36-million cargo expansion at Edmonton International Airport, using the Port of Vancouver as an alternative to the congested Los Angeles and Long Beach, transporting excavators from Germany to Canada, and celebrating the essential work of our truck drivers.

99.71% of the union dock workers at the Port of Montreal rejected an offer from management. A strike could happen anytime, with 72-hours of notice.

Each month we will publish highlights from the important articles we’re reading about shipping and logistics. This month’s articles include implications of another Port of Montreal strike, the challenges reefer shippers are facing, delays at all North American ports, a look at how air cargo is doing in 2021, and the story of shipping a drilling rig from India to Benin, Africa bring clean water to those in need.

The union representing the longshoremen at the Port of Montreal announced on Tuesday to its members that contract negotiations with management and mediators have been suspended. The Union president Martin Lapierre clarified that the mediation process had been suspended and did not end.

Each month we will publish highlights from the important articles we’re reading about shipping and logistics. This month’s articles include the need for better accuracy in shipping forecasts, electronic manifest requirements, real-time cargo visibility platform, ELD implementation, Canaan Group being named a BC Finalist for Canada’s Best Managed Companies, and forwarders expanding charter flights to increase capacity.

We are pleased to announce that Canaan Group has been selected as one of three BC Finalists for Canada’s Best Managed Companies, which is Canada’s leading business awards program that recognizes excellence in private Canadian-owned companies. Every year hundreds of businesses compete for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates the calibre of their management abilities and practices.

Each month we will publish highlights from the important articles we’re reading about shipping and logistics. This month’s articles include a 2021 air freight rates outlook, eBill of Lading standards, limited warehouse space, shipping antique cars, and a Canadian terminal and rail operations update.

As 2020 comes to a close, I’ve found myself reflecting on the challenges and highlights from this past year, as well as planning for what’s to come in 2021. At the core of our business is the phrase “Delivered as Promised,” which is our commitment to our customers and everyone we work with.

The Association for Supply Chain Management has found resilience to be the top priority for executives in the supply chain industry for 2021, with digitization also trending as critical.

Between continued capacity issues, rising shipping costs, and anticipated changes to the way contracts are negotiated, it’s more important than ever to partner with the right logistics company.

With increasing demand and soaring freight rates for container liners, multipurpose carriers are offering their ships for use to try and help close the supply gap.