As trade conditions between Canada and the United States continue to evolve, Bison Transport is closely monitoring tariff developments and the potential impacts on cross-border supply chains.

For businesses moving goods between Canada and the U.S., changes in tariff policy can extend beyond the direct cost of duties. Shifts in shipping patterns, inventory strategies, sourcing decisions, and shipment timing can alter freight demand and capacity requirements on both sides of the border.

As one of North America’s leading cross-border transportation providers, Bison is prepared to help our customers navigate these changes and keep freight moving.

Current Tariff Update

The U.S.–Canada trade environment has recently experienced another significant change:

• Effective August 22, 2026, the United States implemented additional tariffs of up to 50% on approximately $27.6 billion of targeted Canadian goods.
• Effective September 8, 2026, Canada has announced counter-tariffs of 15%, 25% and 50% on approximately $27.6 billion of targeted U.S.-origin goods.
• Canada’s announced measures target products across several sectors, including steel and aluminum, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, plastics and electronics.
• Tariff treatment varies by commodity and country of origin, making accurate classification and documentation increasingly important.
• The situation remains fluid, and additional changes to tariff rates, affected commodities or implementation timelines remain possible.

Customers should work closely with their customs broker or trade compliance team to understand how the measures apply to their specific products and shipments.

What Customers Should Consider

Review impacted commodities
Work with your customs broker or trade compliance team to confirm country of origin, commodity classifications and potential tariff exposure.

Evaluate upcoming shipment timing
Review shipments scheduled around tariff implementation dates and determine whether changes in shipping or inventory timing may be appropriate.

Validate documentation
Accurate commercial invoices, commodity descriptions, country-of-origin information and customs documentation will continue to be important in supporting efficient border crossings.

Communicate volume changes early
If you anticipate accelerating shipments, changing sourcing locations, adjusting inventory levels or experiencing significant volume changes, communicate those expectations with your Bison representative as early as possible.

Evaluate your transportation network
Changing trade patterns may create opportunities to reconsider routing, mode, consolidation strategies and inventory positioning.

How Bison Can Help

Bison’s extensive U.S.–Canada transportation network provides customers with multiple solutions as they respond to changing trade conditions.

Cross-Border Capacity

Our established Canadian and U.S. asset networks provide reliable cross-border capacity across key transportation corridors.

Flexible Transportation Solutions

Bison’s combination of Asset, Logistics and Intermodal solutions allows us to respond when customer shipping patterns move outside traditional networks or additional capacity is required.

Capacity Planning

If tariff changes are expected to accelerate or shift shipment volumes, our teams can work with you to plan capacity ahead of anticipated demand.

Network & Lane Analysis

Bison can help evaluate changing freight patterns and identify opportunities to improve routing, transportation mode, consolidation and overall network efficiency.

Expedited & Time-Sensitive Support

When inventory strategies or tariff implementation dates create urgent transportation requirements, our team can help evaluate available solutions to keep critical freight moving.

Scenario Planning

For customers considering changes to sourcing, production or distribution strategies, Bison can help assess the transportation implications and develop solutions that support an evolving network.

Plan Early. Stay Flexible. Keep Freight Moving.

Trade conditions can change quickly. Early communication gives us the greatest opportunity to secure capacity, evaluate alternatives and build solutions around your changing supply chain.

If you anticipate changes to your U.S.–Canada freight volumes, sourcing strategy or transportation network, please connect with your Bison representative.

Our team is ready to work with you to understand what is changing and determine how Bison can help keep your supply chain moving.

This advisory is provided for general informational purposes and should not be considered customs, tax or legal advice. Customers should consult their customs broker, trade compliance team or legal advisor to determine how tariffs and trade regulations apply to their specific commodities and shipments.