㽶Ƶֱ

Skip to content

Border service says it detained solar panels in forced labour probe in 㽶Ƶֱgood faith㽶Ƶֱ

Canada Border Services Agency responses to lawsuit filed by Canadian firm affected by the seizure
web1_20250106160132-20250106160124-efdf15865f3939b6b2a3b82b8151b23b64b3243c4c0905fe2e7f79fdda88c5db
A patch is seen on the shoulder of a Canada Border Services Agency officer㽶Ƶֱs uniform in Tsawwassen, B.C., Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Canada Border Services Agency says it acted lawfully and in 㽶Ƶֱgood faith㽶Ƶֱ when it detained nearly 50 containers of solar panels belonging to a Victoria, B.C., company over concerns they were made using forced labour.

Charge Solar Renewables Inc. sued the border agency in Federal Court in November 2024, alleging the detention of solar panels from China worth more than $5-million caused it to lose its 㽶Ƶֱdominant market share.㽶Ƶֱ

The company㽶Ƶֱs lawsuit says border guards detained the shipments that came through ports in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto between February and April 2024, but later lifted the detentions after determining the panels weren㽶Ƶֱt prohibited under rules that came into force in 2020.

The border agency㽶Ƶֱs statement of defence filed last month in Federal Court says the company 㽶Ƶֱmade the economic decision㽶Ƶֱ to purchase and import the panels knowing they were subject to examination and possible detention.

The agency says it owes no 㽶Ƶֱduty of care㽶Ƶֱ to importers because the law doesn㽶Ƶֱt oblige border guards 㽶Ƶֱto consider the impacts of detention decisions on private business interests and their commercial relationships.㽶Ƶֱ

The statement of defence says there are 㽶Ƶֱimportant policy reasons㽶Ƶֱ against allowing the company㽶Ƶֱs lawsuit for negligence because it 㽶Ƶֱwould create indeterminate liability㽶Ƶֱ over each decision made by border officers regarding imported or exported goods.

The Charge Solar shipments were eventually released in June and July.





(or

㽶Ƶֱ

) document.head.appendChild(flippScript); window.flippxp = window.flippxp || {run: []}; window.flippxp.run.push(function() { window.flippxp.registerSlot("#flipp-ux-slot-ssdaw212", "Black Press Media Standard", 1281409, [312035]); }); }
Pop-up banner image