Canada Seeks Input on Proposed Updates to Customs Sufferance Warehouse Policy
Trade Update • March 26, 2026
Key Points
- Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is consulting stakeholders on proposed updates to Memorandum D4‑1‑4: Customs Sufferance Warehouses.
- Updates address language clarification and the introduction of form BSF897 for sufferance warehouse enrolment.
- The consultation supports broader efforts to modernize the sufferance warehouse program under the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) framework.
- Stakeholders should submit comments by April 23, 2026 to inform draft revisions and future policy work.
The Canada Border Services Agency opened a consultation process on draft changes to Memorandum D4‑1‑4: Customs Sufferance Warehouses, which governs licensing and operation of sufferance warehouses in Canada. Key revisions include clearer policy language and integration of form BSF897 to standardize enrolment information in the CARM Client Portal. Stakeholders in the trade and logistics sector can share feedback on administrative edits and suggestions for future improvements. CBSA plans to use stakeholder input to refine the current draft and inform broader policy updates to improve consistency and compliance across the sufferance warehouse program.
Updates
Language and Policy Clarification
Draft updates aim to simplify language throughout D4‑1‑4 and remove ambiguity in definitions and requirements for obtaining, amending, or cancelling a sufferance warehouse licence.
New Enrolment Form (BSF897)
CBSA proposes using form BSF897 as the standard application form for sufferance warehouse enrolments, amendments, renewals, and cancellations. This form organizes key information for licence processing via CARM.
Consultation Details
In line with this, the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers (CSCB) invites stakeholders to provide feedback by emailing cscb@cscb.ca no later than the end of day on Thursday, April 23, 2026, so that we can compile and submit the consolidated response by the deadline. Input will support final revisions and may influence related CBSA policy documents and regulatory amendments.
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