Practical supply chain thinking for mid-market operations.

2026 has not been a gentle year for Canadian supply chains. Oil prices surged 50 percent in the first quarter following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Diesel costs hit mid-market carriers hard. Tariff uncertainty between Canada and the United States continued to reshape sourcing decisions and landed cost calculations. And now, with the CUSMA joint review kicking off July 1, the rules governing North American trade are formally under review for the first time since the a

On July 1, 2026, Canada, the United States, and Mexico will officially begin the first joint review of CUSMA — the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that replaced NAFTA in 2020 and has governed North American trade ever since. For most mid-market operations leaders, trade agreements live in the background. They shape the rules of the game without requiring much day-to-day attention. Goods cross the border. Duties apply or they do not. Costs are what they are. That comfort

There is a moment that happens in almost every mid-market software evaluation. The demos have gone well. The vendor's platform looks impressive. The slides are clean, and the case studies are compelling. Then someone asks the question that changes the room. "How long does implementation take?" The answer, delivered with practiced confidence, is somewhere between nine and fourteen months. Sometimes longer. And in that moment, most operations leaders do one of two things. They