Learn More About the Canadian Single Window Initiative (SWI) and the Integrated Import Declaration (IID)

How is the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) developing the Single Window Initiative (SWI)?

The work on the Canadian SWI first began with CBSA internally, then the discussion expanded to associations, committees and sub-committees. Much of work also comes from coordination on a personal level through meetings and conference calls, from feedback from the trade and through testing with SWI software solution providers. CBSA is also working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and has been aggregating information from the trade through the Border Commercial Consultative Committee (BCCC) SWI sub-committee and others.

Will the Single Window change the current Other Government Department (OGA) processes that we have today?

Yes. The old OGA processes for Accelerated Commercial Release Operations Support System (ACROSS) Phase III will no longer be needed.
 
Are there US government agencies involved in this initiative?

From an agency perspective, SWI will deal with Canadian agencies.  The US has ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) that deals with US Partner Government Agencies (PGAs). Both countries are focused on risk assessment, streamlining low-risk shipments and modernization. For example, ACE has the Document Imaging System (DIS) and SWI has the Document Imaging Functionality (DIF).

Will SWI eventually replace ACROSS? When does CBSA plan to do this?

There is no concrete information that has been provided by CBSA.  All that they have committed to is that this initiative will replace ACROSS in the future.

What should brokers say to their clients regarding SWI?

We would encourage you to say that the benefits that CBSA has proposed to the trade can be realized.  What will balance this is the amount of data that is required electronically for some commodities has increased significantly.

Will having multiple Cargo Control Numbers (CCNs) change the way I declare data to CBSA?

Yes, multiple CCNs will significantly change the declaration since invoice-level reporting is only available through SWI’s Integrated Import Declaration (IID) message.

Why are some data elements repeated in the IID?

Some data elements are repeated so that you can have License/ Permit/Certificate/Other (LPCO) information on the line-level. Please note that LPCO information on the line-item level will supersede (override) the LPCO information declared at the header-level.

I have multiple Account Security Numbers (ASNs). How will this impact the on-boarding of Single Window.

CBSA has indicated that each ASN will need to be tested separately.