Border brief,
Canada-U.S. deal talks advance, but 50% tariffs still apply; CBP posts filing rules
Carney said Sunday that negotiators will work toward a trade deal in the coming weeks, but no terms are public and the 50% Section 338 duties remain. CBP's Oct. 29 notice sets filing rules. Midwest diesel was $6.480 for the week of Oct. 26.
At the border
We could not pull our live wait-time feed when this brief was written, so we have no Monday-morning commercial waits for the Ambassador, Gordie Howe or Blue Water bridges, or for Buffalo–Niagara and the Soo. A news search this morning found no new closure reports, but that does not replace live data. Check the live wait times and the Niagara page before dispatching.
The main news is on trade. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday he had a productive call with President Trump and that negotiators will work toward an agreement in the coming weeks, AP reported. Reuters reported that Trump described the "concept" of a deal, and said it would include the Keystone XL pipeline. AP said relief on steel and auto tariffs has been discussed, but no terms have been announced. Carney said Wednesday that a deal could not be reached before Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections.
Analysis: nothing changes at the booth today. Until a signed text appears, price loads on the duties now in force. Shippers holding Canadian goods for possible relief are taking a bet with no published date.
Correction to Friday's brief: we said CBP filing guidance had not been posted. CBP had issued it on Oct. 29 in CSMS 70314289. The notice covers entries on or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern on Oct. 30. It removes 22 tariff lines from heading 9903.03.14 and adds 100, marked in bold on CBP's updated list. Headings 9903.03.12 and 9903.03.13 do not change.
Analysis: brokers who filed Friday's entries against the proclamation annexes should check them against CBP's list. BDO notes the duties apply even to USMCA-origin goods, so a USMCA claim alone does not clear them.
Diesel
EIA's latest survey is still the week of Oct. 26: Midwest $6.480 a gallon, up 12.8 cents from $6.352, and U.S. average $6.352, up 7.6 cents. EIA lists its next release as Nov. 3, so Tuesday's brief should carry new numbers.
We could not confirm this week's Windsor price or the Bank of Canada exchange rate, so we give no cross-border gap today. See the diesel page.
What we're watching
- Windsor Assembly. Production is cancelled for the weeks of Oct. 19, Oct. 26, Nov. 2 and Nov. 9, AM800 reported Oct. 28, with no return date given. Analysis: expect light inbound parts volume to the plant this week and next.
- Unifor and Stellantis. As of Oct. 27, bargaining had not resumed and the union was not in a legal strike position, despite a 97.3% strike vote, CP24 reported. We found nothing newer.
- Midterms. Tariffs are a campaign issue in Michigan, AP reported. Analysis: the result could shape the tone of talks, but we would not plan freight around it.
Sources
Trade talks: AP via KSAT, Nov. 1; Reuters via Freedom 96.9, Nov. 1. Tariff filing: CBP CSMS 70314289, Oct. 29; BDO, Oct. 27. Diesel: EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update. Auto plants: AM800, Oct. 28; CP24, Oct. 27.