This option is for importers who have the knowledge, resources, and confidence to independently manage all aspects of their CARM portal. JORI provides minimal involvement and supports only on an on-demand basis for specific tasks such as reconciliation, troubleshooting, or reporting. 

Ideal for Importers Who: 

• Have a dedicated, trained customs compliance team familiar with CARM and CBSA requirements. 

• Want full control over their CARM portal and prefer to handle discrepancies and payments without external assistance. 

• Can allocate time and resources to regularly monitor and reconcile their CARM balances. 

• Are comfortable addressing CBSA errors, penalties, or system glitches without significant external support. 

This is a hands-off solution for importers with the expertise and resources to handle their CARM obligations independently. 

What JORI Provides: 

• Customs clearance processing. 

• On-demand services, including reconciliation, troubleshooting, and reporting, billed at an hourly rate. 

Importer Responsibilities: 

• Register and maintain access to the CARM portal (log in every 180 days to keep the account active). 

• Reconcile and pay balances directly to CBSA or through JORI. 

• Investigate discrepancies and resolve them without JORI’s ongoing involvement. 

• Provide JORI with the appropriate delegation of authority for customs processing. 

This option provides a balanced approach for importers who want JORI to monitor their CARM balances and notify them of discrepancies, while retaining responsibility for investigating and resolving those issues. JORI supplies monthly summaries and limited troubleshooting support. 

Ideal for Importers Who: 

• Have a moderate understanding of CARM but appreciate regular summaries to ensure no discrepancies go unnoticed. 

• Want to minimize operational disruptions during the CARM transition while maintaining responsibility for discrepancies. 

• Need a proactive partner to flag potential issues but are willing to troubleshoot and resolve discrepancies independently. 

• Use JORI as their primary broker but may occasionally work with other brokers and need help monitoring transactions across multiple sources. 

This option provides monthly monitoring and balance summaries, giving importers insights into discrepancies while allowing them to troubleshoot and resolve most issues independently. It’s designed for importers who want proactive oversight but prefer to retain control over their compliance management. 

What JORI Provides: 

• Monthly CARM Portal Summary Balance and JORI CBSA Summary Statement, enabling importers to compare balances and identify discrepancies. 

• Two free hours of troubleshooting and reconciliation per year (additional time billed at $95/hour). 

The importer will receive regular updates showing any outstanding balances on their CARM account. They can troubleshoot and reconcile these discrepancies independently or collaborate with JORI for assistance. 

How It Works: If there are discrepancies or unpaid balances, importers must focus on two key priorities: 

1. Find Out Why There Is a Balance: It is recommended that importers investigate the cause of discrepancies between the CARM portal and the JORI statement. This process may involve: 

1. Pay the Outstanding CARM Balance: Prompt payment of outstanding balances is critical to minimize interest accumulation on overdue amounts and to avoid CBSA audits or inspections triggered by unpaid balances. Payments can be made directly through the CARM portal by the importer or through JORI, which can process the payment on behalf of the importer. 

(Over simplified) Sample of the monthly CARM / JORI CBSA Statement comparison: 

In this example: 

• The $245.52 discrepancy consists of $60.50 GST, $35.02 Duty, and $150.00 in other CBSA fees (likely a penalty or interest). 

• The importer can investigate by contacting JORI or logging into the CARM portal to determine the source of the discrepancy. 

• After identifying the issue, they can: 

• Pay the balance to avoid interest accrual. 

• Appeal penalties or incorrect charges with CBSA. 

• Adjust internal processes to prevent similar issues in the future. 

Risks with This Option: Importers may inadvertently pay discrepancies without fully investigating their cause, potentially overpaying GST or duties or neglecting underlying issues. 

Overview 

Option 3 builds on the features of Option 2 by adding an extra layer of support and providing importers with detailed insights into their CARM account. It is designed for importers who want comprehensive assistance from JORI to efficiently identify, investigate, and resolve discrepancies between their CARM portal and JORI’s CBSA Summary Statement. 

The key differences in Option 3 include: 

• Access to a detailed CARM balance report, in addition to the summary balance provided in Option 2. 

• More free hours of JORI’s support to assist with troubleshooting and reconciliation issues. 

What JORI Provides 

1. Monthly Summary and Detailed Balances 

• A CARM Summary Report showing an overview of discrepancies between the importer’s CARM portal and the JORI CBSA Summary Statement. 

• A Detailed CARM Report that breaks discrepancies down by transaction, broker, and other CBSA-assessed charges, providing greater transparency. 

Here is an (oversimplified) example of the CARM Detailed Statement: 

From this detailed breakdown, the importer can immediately see: 

• A customs entry processed by another broker (ABC) contributed $60.50 in GST, $35.02 in duty, and $150.00 for a late penalty. 

• JORI’s entries are accurate, and the discrepancies stem from transactions outside JORI’s control. 

Next Steps for the Importer: 

1. Resolve the Discrepancy 

• Pay the $245.52 balance to avoid interest accumulation. 

• Appeal the $150.00 penalty or accept it as valid. 

• Contact the other broker (ABC) to address late filings and ensure future compliance. 

1. Prevent Future Issues 

• Use the insights from the detailed report to adjust internal processes. 

• Work with JORI to ensure consistent communication with all brokers involved in customs entries. 

Key Benefits of Option 3 

For importers seeking maximum support, this option includes detailed reporting, comprehensive troubleshooting, and reconciliation assistance. JORI provides an added layer of insight and guidance to help importers address discrepancies quickly and effectively. 

Ideal for Importers Who: 

• Want peace of mind by outsourcing a significant portion of CARM-related responsibilities to JORI. 

• Require detailed transaction-level reports to quickly identify discrepancies and resolve them without extensive manual investigation. 

• Aim to minimize risks of overpayment, duplicate payments, or unresolved CBSA charges by leveraging JORI’s expertise. 

• Use JORI as their primary broker and want streamlined management of all customs transactions and balances, even when involving multiple brokers. 

A key distinction of Option 3 is that it equips importers with enhanced tools, including detailed reports and additional support from JORI, to thoroughly identify and investigate discrepancies between the JORI CBSA Statement and the CARM Portal. This ensures that issues are properly addressed and corrected, rather than simply paying off balances without fully understanding their origin or validity.