On May 6, 2015, the Government of Canada published legislation in the Canada Gazette, Part II, making the eManifest a legally binding requirement for highway carriers, rail carriers and freight forwarders.

The eManifest is an initiative by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) aimed to enhance cross-border commercial processes and represents the third phase of the Advance Commercial Information (ACI) program. Once fully implemented, the eManifest will require carriers, freight forwarders, and importers in all modes of transportation to electronically transmit cargo, conveyance, house bill, and importer data to the CBSA prior to arrival.

The following timeline will apply to all Highway, Rail, Marine, and Air Carriers:

• May 6, 2015 - July 10, 2015, CBSA will provide carriers with a period of transition during which penalties for non-compliance will not be issued.
• July 10, 2015 - January 10, 2016, carriers who do not comply with eManifest requirements may be issued zero-rated penalties (non-monetary)  
• Beginning January 10, 2016, carriers who do not comply with eManifest requirements may be issued monetary penalties.

While monetary penalties will not be issued to rail carriers who fail to submit the required Conveyance Arrival Certification Message (CACM) during the transition period, “beginning July 10, 2015, carriers who do not comply with the CACM requirement may be issued monetary AMPS penalties.”

The regulatory amendments can be accessed here