Importers Must Report Aluminum Smelt and Cast Countries

Summary#

The federal government is proposing to change General Import Permit No. 83 — Aluminum Products so that importers must report the country where aluminum was smelted and the country where it was most recently cast when they bring goods into Canada. The change is a proposal published on April 4, 2026; comments are invited for 30 days and the Order would come into force on October 1, 2026 if adopted.

What it does#

• Adds clear definitions for:
  • country of largest smelt, country of second-largest smelt, and country of most recent cast.
• Requires importers to report those country-of-smelt-and-cast (CSC) details at the time of importation using the Single Window Integrated Import Declaration (SW IID).
• Adds three new CSC data fields to the SW IID for customs declarations.
• Requires importers to keep supporting documentation for 6 years after the year of importation.
• Exempts goods with a total value for duty of $5,000 or less from the CSC reporting requirement.
• Exempts participants in the Customs Self-Assessment Program from the new SW IID reporting rule (so their existing release process stays the same).
• The proposal notes that many importers already provide similar CSC information because of the separate Steel Goods and Aluminum Goods Surtax Order (which has required CSC documentation since July 31, 2025).

Who's affected#

• Aluminum importers into Canada — both large and small businesses.
• Customs brokers, since about 93% of aluminum imports already clear using the SW IID and brokers often fill in declarations.
• The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which will collect the CSC fields and pass the data to Global Affairs Canada.
• Global Affairs Canada, which runs the Aluminum Import Monitoring Program and would publish aggregate CSC data.
• Industries and associations that follow aluminum supply chains (producers, manufacturers, and trade groups).

If you import aluminum and are unsure whether this applies to you, the proposal and guidance are intended to clarify that.

Why it matters#

• It increases transparency about where primary aluminum is produced and where it is last cast. That helps governments and industry track supply chains and spot trade patterns or unfair practices.
• It makes monitoring easier because customs will collect the data in the same system used to clear goods. That may reduce paperwork compared with sending separate certificates.
• For many importers the extra work should be small. The government estimates the annualized administrative cost at about $16,011 (with $13,445 tied to adding the new SW IID fields and $2,566 tied to finding some CSC details). Many importers already gather this information because of the 25% surtax requirements in place for some goods.
• Not providing required import documentation can carry penalties (the CBSA’s Administrative Monetary Penalty System can levy fines up to $25,000 per infraction).
• This is a proposed change, not final law. The public comment period was opened on April 4, 2026 for 30 days, and the government held stakeholder consultations in May–June 2024 that showed general support.