Peak season doesn't begin when vessels fill up.
It begins months earlier — when production schedules are still flexible, routing decisions haven't been locked in, and documentation is still easy to fix. By the time capacity tightens and booking lead times start stretching, many of the decisions that determine whether your freight moves smoothly have already been made. For better or worse.
That's why we start the peak season conversation in spring, not September. Not because we're being overly cautious — because we've seen what happens when planning waits until the pressure is already on.
On July 20, 2026, the U.S. Executive Branch announced new Section 338 tariffs on Canadian goods. These new proclamations under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 each impose an additional 50% tariff on certain Canadian goods exported into the United States. The tariffs take effect 30 days after signing, approximately August 19, 2026.
If you're a Canadian business exporting goods into the United States, our job is to help you understand what this means for your cross-border operations and figure out what to do about it before the clock runs out.
What's Actually Happening
Three separate proclamations each cover a different category of Canadian goods. The US administration framed the measures around three sectors where it claims Canada applies differential treatment to American products: motor vehicles, alcoholic beverages, and dairy. The covered goods span a wider range than just those sectors. Wine, cement, and hockey sticks are among the examples cited in the fact sheet.
The carve-outs matter too. The following are explicitly excluded from these Section 338 tariffs:
If there's one thing we've learned over years of reviewing customs documentation and clearing freight into Canada, it's this:
Most customs delays aren't caused by customs.
They're caused by paperwork.
A shipment can arrive on schedule, the carrier can do everything right, and the cargo can still sit because one document doesn't match another, a tariff classification needs clarification, or information is missing altogether.
The good news?
Most of these delays are preventable.
At StraitLink Global, reviewing documentation is part of the shipping process—not something we leave until the freight reaches the border.
There's a question worth asking about every shipment before it moves: Who is actually behind the wheel, and do they meet the standard?
Canada's freight network depends on trucking at almost every stage. Containers arriving by ocean at Vancouver or Halifax eventually need a truck. Air cargo clearing at Pearson needs a truck. Cross-border shipments arriving in Windsor or Lacolle require a truck for the final move. Whether freight travels by sea, air, or ground to reach Canada, there's a good chance the last leg depends on a driver completing the job safely, legally, and on time.
That's why trucking compliance isn't just a trucking industry problem. It's a supply chain problem. And it's one shippers can't afford to ignore.
The latest Section 232 changes modify U.S. tariff treatment for certain aluminum, steel, copper, and derivative products. For Canadian importers, exporters, and cross-border shippers, this matters because many goods moving into the U.S. may now need a closer look at classification, metal content, origin documentation, and entry timing.
