Pallets across the bridges to Ontario
Not for now. Wood packaging coming into Canada from the continental United States is currently exempt from CFIA policy D-98-08, pending a phased move to full ISPM 15 implementation.
What the rule says
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the standards for wood packaging imports vary by the originating country. Wood packaging from countries other than Canada or the continental United States must follow D-98-08. Wood packaging from the continental United States is, at the time of the review below, exempt from it. The CFIA and the US Department of Agriculture are working on a strategy to phase in full ISPM 15 implementation between the two countries, and D-98-08 will be updated when it happens.
| Where the pallet came from | The rule today | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Made or treated in the continental US | Exempt from D-98-08 | Heat treatment is not required to enter Canada, but check with your customer and carrier. |
| Made anywhere else, including overseas pallets that pass through the US on the way | Must meet D-98-08: debarked, heat treated or fumigated, and carrying an ISPM 15 mark | Do not assume the US exemption applies. It does not. |
| Canadian pallets coming back | Must comply with D-98-08 and carry the mark | Ask the exporter for the mark. |
What the exemption does not do
- It does not mean a customer cannot ask for the stamp. Many do.
- It does not cover wood packaging that is not from the continental United States, even if it crossed the border on a Detroit truck. Such packaging has to comply.
- It is not permanent. The agency has said full implementation is the plan, and the policy will change when it does. Check the current page before you ship.
Some references note that Canada asks for the stamp to be included even where the exemption applies, and keeps the right to act on a shipment that lacks it. Treat that as a reason to ask your customer. The safe choice is stamped stock if there is any doubt.
Why it matters at Detroit
The Ambassador Bridge, opened in 1929, carries more than 25% of US-Canada merchandise trade by value and more than 10,000 trucks a day. The Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor opened to traffic on July 27, 2026, linking I-75 with Ontario Highway 401, with its US port of entry in Detroit's Delray neighborhood. The CFIA policy is written by where the wood packaging came from, not by which crossing a truck uses, so the new bridge changes the route, not the rule.
What to ask before you ship
Where were the pallets made and treated?
If the answer is the continental US, the exemption is the rule that applies today.
Does the customer require the stamp?
A purchasing contract can ask for more than the border does.
Is the pallet repaired?
If so, ask whether the repair wood carries the mark. HT and ISPM 15.
Questions about Ontario
Is heat treatment required?
Wood packaging imported into Canada from the continental United States is currently exempt from CFIA policy D-98-08, pending a phased move to full ISPM 15 implementation.
Who decides?
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency sets the rule, and the receiver may add requirements of its own.
What if I am unsure?
Use a stamped, heat-treated pallet. It satisfies both versions of the rule.
A rule in motion
Phased changes mean today's exemption may not last. A lane that is safe this year may need a stamped pallet next year. Check the date of any guidance you rely on.
Keep a record
Keep the invoice that shows the pallet was heat-treated. It is the document a customs officer will ask for.