Meat Shipment CFIA Inspection Status Feature (CBSA)
|
🔖 This article is part of the BorderConnect PARS Software Guide |
Overview
All meat shipments entering Canada from the United States are subject to possible inspection by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
If a shipment is selected:
- The carrier is notified only after customs release
- The shipment must report to a CFIA-designated inspection facility
- Inspection must be completed before final delivery
Traditionally, carriers verify inspection status through CFIA’s external ASSIST tool. BorderConnect PARS now displays this status directly inside the platform and can automatically notify users and drivers.
How the CFIA Inspection Status Flow Works
| Step | What Happens |
|---|---|
| CBSA releases shipment | PARS receives release notification |
| CFIA processes status | ASSIST tool updates inspection decision |
| BorderConnect updates | Inspection status becomes visible |
| Notifications sent | Dispatchers and drivers are alerted |
Viewing CFIA Inspection Status in BorderConnect
Highway carriers using BorderConnect PARS can view inspection status directly within BorderConnect without visiting CFIA’s website.
Status can be accessed from:
- PARS Shipment detailed release view
- ACI eManifest Details Page
- ACI Shipment Details Page
This is especially helpful when reviewing multiple meat shipments on a single manifest.
Prerequisites
To use this feature:
- You must have BorderConnect PARS enabled
- The shipment must be released by CBSA
- CFIA must have published the inspection status in ASSIST
Inspection status is not available prior to customs release.
Where the Inspection Status Appears
When a meat shipment is released by CBSA, additional CFIA details appear within the PARS release message.
Information includes:
- Whether inspection is required
- The designated CFIA inspection facility
If using ACI eManifest, inspection status is also visible alongside each shipment for faster multi-shipment review.
Automatic CFIA Status Notifications
BorderConnect can automatically notify:
| Recipient | How They Receive It |
|---|---|
| Dispatchers & office users | Email notifications via RNS auto email option |
| Drivers linked to shipment | Email or text message (profile settings) |
Drivers are linked through:
- ACI eManifest association
- PARS Sequence entry in driver profiles
See: Driver Profile Guide
Important Limitations
| Limitation | What It Means |
|---|---|
| CFIA ASSIST downtime | Status may temporarily be unavailable |
| Processing delay | 5 to 30 minutes after CBSA release is common |
| 30-day visibility window | Older shipments no longer show status |
| External dependency | CFIA changes may affect availability |
BorderConnect displays inspection status only while it remains available through CFIA ASSIST.
Best Practices
- Check status shortly after CBSA release
- Enable notifications for real-time updates
- Use eManifest view when managing multiple meat shipments
- Plan routing based on inspection location when required