Borderlands: Canada

The U.S.-Canada border will remain closed for nonessential travel for at least another month because of COVID-19.

ENTREC begins soliciting offers for ENTREC Cranes and Heavy Haul in the U.S. and ENT Oilfield Group in Canada under creditor protection in both countries.

TFI International acquiring Gusgo Transport, a small Canadian trucking company specializing in hauling and storing containers.

Murray Mullen, the CEO of Mullen Group, says the Canadian transportation and logistics company has “weathered the worst of this crisis” as it gears up for a rebound.

Descartes Systems Group buys UK-based freight platform provider Kontainers in a deal worth up to $12 million to capitalize on as more transportation companies embrace digital solutions.

The Canada Border Services Agency reported a significant jump in truck drivers crossing the Canadian border from the U.S last week as freight volumes continued to rise.

Canadian truck driver Randy James Ulch says anguish over systemic racism rings true in his native Canada and its trucking industry.

Canada’s largest privately owned bulk carrier said combining its maritime activities in a single department will improve efficiency and better prepare it for a post-COVID-19 economy.

Darren Prokop provides information on the USMCA, which goes into effect on July 1, 2020. How will the agreement impact trade and supply chains in the three countries?

The transportation and warehousing sector improves as Canada’s economy adds a surprising 290,000 jobs in May in the latest Statistics Canada employment report.

Canada Border Services Agency reports that cross-border truck traffic from the U.S. hit its highest level since late March. This is an encouraging sign as freight and trade slowly recover from COVID-19 falloff.

New guidelines from Transport Canada explain how and when truckers should use personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of getting or transmitting COVID-19

A fiery crash briefly shut down Highway 401 near Toronto as trucks contend with recovering freight volumes and more dangers on the roads.

Clearpath Robotics’ division closes Series C as it prepares to put more of its autonomous vehicles into additional warehouses and manufacturing facilities as demand grows during COVID-19 pandemic.

Sysco, Svitzer, Adnavem and AddSecure add industry all-stars

Canadian heavy equipment hauler secures Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection, clearing the way for the company to court buyers and investors for its trucking and crane assets in Alberta and Texas.

The intertwined economies of the U.S. and Mexico mean that trade will play a large role in the economic recovery of both nations from COVID-19-related shutdowns.

Canadian supply chain software provider posts a 51% increase in net income, but says it will reduce its global workforce by 5% in the face of economic uncertainty

“Crew changes cannot be postponed indefinitely,” warned the world’s largest maritime and air transport organizations.

The courier and less-than-truckload subsidiary of Canada’s postal carrier had a decent first quarter considering the impacts of COVID-19 and C$1 billion expansion of its network.

Canadian judge approves heavy-equipment hauler’s plans to operate under creditor protection as CEO urges U.S. bankruptcy court to recognize proceedings.

The Canadian government shifts from planes to ships to import larger volumes of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies for COVID-19 pandemic.

Trucking and crane services provider pursues interim financing and court approval to market its Canadian and U.S.-based subsidiaries while under creditor protection.

Ontario-based Joseph Haulage buys Bergland Transport to build on its growing business serving agriculture and food sectors.

Panel of importers and exporters will advise the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission on policies of competitiveness, reliability, integrity and fairness in ocean shipping.

U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner Rebecca Dye said Fact Finding 29’s work will help the American ocean shipping industry better prepare the supply chain for the post-virus economic recovery.

U.S. Federal Maritime Commission finds sufficient credibility in Lake Carriers’ Association petition to support invoking rarely used 1920 Merchant Marine Act investigative authority.

Latest Canada Border Services Agency data shows uptick in commercial vehicle traffic in a good sign for cross-border freight.

Kriska looks beyond its cross-border bread and butter as it buys small drayage business from Wills Transfer

Supply chain management solutions provider project44 said it has shippers covered no matter where and how their cargo is transported throughout the world.

Alberta-based trucking and crane provider blames COVID-19 and the collapse of the oil sector as it looks to sell off its businesses in Canada and the United States.

Manitoba carrier Paul’s Hauling credited with helping avoid wider spread from terminal thanks to proactive siloing of employees and close collaboration with health authorities.

Cervus Equipment’s Peterbilt dealerships had a strong first quarter, but the company says it expects COVID-19 will hit short-term demand.

Titanium Transportation Group depends on no single customer for more than 6% of its business. That diversification is paying off during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Titanium Transportation Group reports 13.6% increase in revenue on the strength of its growing brokerage business in the United States and steady performance from trucking.

“I hope like hell we never have to avail ourselves of it,” Challenger CEO says as the Canadian government emerges as a lender of last resort for the country’s largest businesses.

Emirates SkyCargo’s business fell in fiscal year 2019-2020, but the airline division is experiencing strong demand for its services during the coronavirus crisis.

The transportation and warehousing sector sheds 10.4% of employees in April as Canadian Trucking Alliance calls for additional federal aid.

Canada’s trucks are moving more freight as volumes recover from a pandemic low, but bargain-basement rates and cash flow issues continue to weigh on carriers.

Canadian e-commerce firm says Q1 saw the largest increase in merchants joining Shopify Fulfillment Network as $1 billion push into Amazon’s territory continues.

International association of forwarders says members have tools and knowledge to ease container-shipping pain of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 pandemic challenges American seed producers to secure airfreight capacity to meet spring planting.

Resilience360 recently released reports analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on trade between the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“We’ve definitely seen things coming back,” Energy Transportation CEO says as a key measure of truckload volumes in Canada rises 27% over two weeks on FreightWaves’ SONAR platform.

The smallest of the standardized ocean containers in the global fleet remains ideal for dense, heavy agricultural goods, forest products, and machinery shipments.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created the need for social distancing, even while working. For the freight industry, the adoption of autonomous vehicles might be a good start.

As a plunge in freight volumes and rates take a toll, Canada’s trucking industry seeks relief on payroll taxes to hold on to precious cash.

Canadian transportation and logistics company says it laid off or furloughed 1,000 employees as it posts first-quarter results.

Canada’s largest transportation company reveals cutbacks as it reports a 16% jump in profits during the first quarter.

Canadian truck driver Nicole Folz learned that she tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks after falling seriously ill during a cross-border run in the US.

On road to recovery, Nicole Folz raises money to get more personal protective equipment in the hands of fellow truck drivers.

From quarantine, Canadian truck driver Nicole Folz detailed her saga of falling ill hundreds of miles from home.

The duty deferment applies to qualifying importers facing “significant financial hardship,” Customs and Border Protection said.

Radio frequency identification has matured in terms of its cost effectiveness and efficiency over the past decade, the company says.

From quarantine, Canadian truck driver Nicole Folz recounts the scary reality of falling seriously ill hundreds of miles from home during a less-than-truckload run in the United States.

Short-sea shipper says economic impact of COVID-19 has forced service disruption and employee layoffs.

The current $61 billion set-aside for the domestic airline industry left out the forwarders.

Less-than-containerload services offer forwarders and their shippers an alternative to more expensive air freight and full-container transport services, industry experts say.

Truck drivers must wear a nonmedical mask or face covering when they enter the country from the U.S. under a new rule to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The Canadian government has ordered thousands of coffee cup-sized Spartan Cubes, but it remains unclear if it will deploy them at border crossings.

The Supply Chain Intelligence Center pinpoints trouble spots on the nation’s highways and ports to U.S. humanitarian relief providers responding to the health crisis.

Cargo has had a window view on some international airlines. Now U.S. airlines are looking to load boxes in the passenger cabin when operating in cargo-only mode. The next step — remove the seats altogether.

Problem-solving supply chain bottlenecks is the way to build customer loyalty, freight experts say.

Shelley Uvanile-Hesch hopes people will think twice about leaving home during the COVID-19 pandemic after seeing her trailer as she moves vital goods between Canada and the United States.

Third-party logistics providers engaged in international trade are facing the difficult decision of whether to thin staff or even close altogether in the face of a prolonged economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Canada’s Aleafia Health aims to minimize risks to its older patients and ensure steady supply by launching final-mile service.

Continued drop in cross-border truck traffic mirrors broad decline in Canadian freight as COVID-19 crushes demand for nonessential goods.

Members of the Washington, D.C.-based National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America interviewed by American Shipper this week generally praised CBP for permitting the flow of legitimate trade across the continent.

Passenger aircraft are being used to fly essential cargo between continents. Learn more about what the airlines are doing to survive and to assist key supply chains.

Sharp Transportation Systems keeps Americans and Canadians supplied with essential medicines and vaccines as tensions mount over cross-border medical supply chains.

The Justice Department said joint logistics operations among five American medical supply distributors to provide protective medical gear to virus hot spots does not violate antitrust law.

3M pushes back as Trump pressures company to keep all domestically produced N95 masks within the U.S. as hospitals and healthcare workers encounter shortages of personal protective equipment as they fight COVID-19.

Cross-border trucking and logistics company Titanium Transportation Group explains why it decided to haul a load of N95 masks for free.

FIATA questions the reasonableness of assessing demurrage and detention charges against shippers and forwarders during pandemic.

Almost 24% fewer truck drivers entered Canada from the U.S. last week than a year earlier, a sign that COVID-19 is hurting cross-border freight.

Canadian prime minister makes clear that trucking companies can qualify for 75% wage subsidy as some carriers struggle far from the robust volumes of essential consumer goods.

“A lot of carriers could go into bankruptcy without help,” Energy Transportation Group CEO says. But a 75% wage subsidy from the Canadian government offers hope for vulnerable trucking companies and freight demand hit by COVID-19.

The Trump administration is considering deploying troops near the Canadian border in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Murphy’s Law Distillery is supplying Canadian trucking companies with hand sanitizer as COVID-19 puts its artisanal alcohol business on hold.

Directive from Transport Canada has similarities to the U.S. HOS waiver — but with more rules, including a requirement for carriers to provide notice in advance.

While the decision to close the United States and Canadian border for non-essential travel will hopefully slow the spread of the coronavirus, this ban will not affect trucking and trade.

One of Canada’s largest transportation and logistics companies says it will temporarily lay off some employees, suspend dividend and slash executive pay as it braces for economic fallout to hit freight.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterates that “extraordinary” restriction does not apply to cross-border trade.

With increased volatility in international airfreight, Cargojet is bringing back planes to focus on the hot domestic market.

Freight keeps on trucking as the United States and Canada prepare to shut down their shared border to non-essential travel as early as Friday night to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Key FreightWaves SONAR index pushes past post-Canadian National strike level as trucks continue to move loads.

The coronavirus is an existential threat to the airline industry, Air Canada’s CEO says

Deal would allow goods to continue to flow between the U.S. and Canada to preserve vital cross-border trade relationships.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says supply chain must keep moving as the province bans large public gatherings and closes restaurants – but leaves key openings that should help freight demand amid coronavirus pandemic.

The Canadian government leaves crucial openings for the movement of goods and U.S. citizens as it introduces an extraordinary travel ban because of coronavirus.

Coronavirus has strained supply chains and had a huge impact on the movement of freight.

North American trade agreement clears last major hurdle, but more immediate questions loom about the free flow of freight between Canada and the U.S. amid talk of tighter border controls.

Cross-border freight executive says “supply chain must remain intact” as Canadian government looks at placing more restrictions at the border with the United States.

New report highlights the industry’s efforts to recruit and retain drivers as it warns that vacancies will swell above 25,000 in Canada.

Cross-border trucking and logistics firm isn’t cheering for the pandemic. But for the moment, freight volumes are increasing in Canada and the U.S. even as fears over fallout loom on both sides of the border.

Trump administration reminds U.S. exporters of semiconductors and other technologies that it views the Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer as a continued security threat.

Canadian trucking and logistics company reports record fourth-quarter revenue and slim profit as its upstart brokerage office in Charlotte helps offset trucking weakness.

Steel giant working to restore normal operations “as quickly as possible” as trucking companies report disruptions in freight from Canadian facility.

Trucking company says the shutdown of the Saskatchewan facility from purported ransomware attack will have a “significant impact” on operations.

Brian Aoaeh explores the vulnerability of supply chains in an interconnected world that is threatened by a potential pandemic.