It is often useful, because it accounts for years that the conferring institution's transcript compresses into transferred credits. Whether it is required depends on the file and the route, so treat it as evidence that answers foreseeable questions rather than as a universal requirement.
Anticipate the questions the record raises
A transcript showing a degree completed in two years invites a question about the years before it. Having the earlier record on hand answers that without improvisation. Order both transcripts in official form, keep them sealed if the receiving process expects that, and store copies for personal use. Do not substitute unofficial portals or screenshots for the institutional record.
Gather what proves the dates rather than what anyone remembers: travel history and I-94 records, passports with entry and exit stamps, prior applications and any refusal or removal paperwork, correspondence from any agency, and employment or school records covering the disputed period. Employers write open-ended letters because that is how they hire, but TN is a temporary classification and a letter that implies indefinite permanent employment raises a question the applicant then has to answer standing at a counter. A translation should reproduce the original faithfully, not silently substitute a different institution. Add proof of Canadian or Mexican citizenship and that profession’s precise degree, licence, or experience requirement; permanent residence in Canada is a different fact.