The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has released its July 2026 list of verification priorities. Importers should review the updated focus areas to confirm their goods are correctly classified, valued, and declared.
Compliance priorities
CBSA has identified the following areas for review:
- Tariff rate quota and classification of supply managed goods, including frozen desserts containing 5% dairy products and spent fowl products
- GST and excise duties and taxes, covering GST exemption codes, vaping products, and precious metal
- CUSMA origin verifications in the automotive industry
- Import origin verifications under CETA, CUKTCA, and the CPTPP short supply list
- Duties Relief Program (DRP) verifications of licensees importing supply managed goods
- China Surtax Order (2024) for electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum
- United States Surtax Orders, including Order 2025-01, steel and aluminum (2025), and motor vehicles (2025)
- Additional surtax measures on certain steel goods, steel and aluminum goods, and steel derivative goods
- Energy commodities and final accounting, including electricity imports under Chapter 27 of the Customs Tariff
Tariff classification priorities
The current tariff classification verification and compliance priorities are:
- China Surtax Order (2024): electric vehicles
- China Surtax Order (2024): steel and aluminum
- United States Surtax Order (2025-1)
- United States Surtax Order (Steel and Aluminum 2025)
- Steel Derivative Goods Surtax Order
- Energy commodities (valuation)
Carried over from previous lists
Several items remain active from earlier rounds:
- Gloves (Round 3): headings 39.26 and 42.03
- Bags (Round 3): heading 42.02
- LED Lamps (Round 2): heading 85.39
- Spent Fowl: headings 02.07, 16.01, and 16.02
- Frozen desserts: tariff item 2105.00.10
CBSA also maintains a historical verification priorities list, which all importers should review, as the agency frequently circles back to prior priorities to confirm ongoing compliance. Because CBSA sets its priorities through a continuous, risk-based process, new items may be added and existing ones revised at any point during the year.
If your goods fall under any of these priorities, our customs compliance team can review your classifications, valuations, and origin declarations before CBSA does.
For more information, contact Ivy Woo, Manager – Customs Consulting Services.
