To use EDI, electronic trading partners must set up telecommunication interfaces. These can be established through the Customs Internet Gateway, Direct Connect with CBSA, third-party service providers, or Value Added Networks (VANs). CBSA is currently connected to various public VAN providers. Information can be found at https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/eservices/comm-eng.html.

It is the responsibility of the participant to arrange the necessary steps to send arrival and status query messages to CBSA and to retrieve release/referral/status messages or acknowledgment/error messages. The participants will be responsible for the transmission costs incurred for sending and receiving data with CBSA.