Toronto, Ontario – April 14, 2021 – Livingston International, Canada’s largest customs broker and third-largest entry filer in the United States, proudly announced today that Candace Sider, vice president of government and regulatory affairs, North America, has been chosen to participate in the newly formed Canada-U.S. Trade Council.
The Trade Council, which will include members of companies from both sides of the 49th Parallel, was established by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to work toward harmonizing bilateral relations between the two countries.
“This is a pivotal moment for Canada-U.S. relations,” said Ms. Sider. “With a new administration in Washington and a number of critical, ongoing issues at play, including border cooperation related to trade and COVID-19 restrictions, the implementation of the USMCA/CUSMA and the meteoric adoption of e-commerce, the Council offers a diverse, timely and united industry voice.”
Livingston will be the only customs broker on the Council, offering in-depth perspective on the impact of new policies on customs processes, including the cost and expediency of cross-border transactions.
The Council has a full agenda, aiming to provide the Canadian government guidance on core issues, such as regulatory and border cooperation, Buy American provisions, defense and security, energy and environment.
“Businesses across the continent are experiencing significant disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Ms. Sider. “Ensuring government officials are privy to the concerns of businesses engaged in cross-border activity offers the potential to mitigate further disruption and find opportunities to streamline processes so that these businesses can adapt seamlessly to a new normal.”
Ms. Sider has been a strong voice for Livingston and the entire customs brokerage industry for many years, most recently serving as Chair of the International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations (IFCBA) for the 2018-2020 term, and previously as a managing director and treasurer on the IFCBA board. She currently sits on Canada’s Border Customs Consultative Committee (BCCC) and is the past chair and a current board member of the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers and Executive Director on the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance (CanAm BTA).
About Livingston
Livingston International has served as a trusted trade adviser to businesses around the world for 75 years. It specializes in customs brokerage and trade compliance, and offers international trade consulting, global trade management and freight forwarding. Livingston provides clarity in a world of trade complexity, and reliability in times of volatility, so businesses can grow further, smarter and with confidence. Livingston employs approximately 3,000 associates at more than 90 key border points, sea ports, airports and other strategic locations across North America, Europe and Asia. Visit us at www.livingstonintl.com, and on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.