Experience Shipping to Canada?

bdery · 11-08-2013, 11:34 AM

Originally posted by gofour3

If a courier company is doing the shipping you will be charged EVERY time

Plus a hefty brokerage fee so UPS/Fedex/others are sure to make double the profit they would otherwise have made on this shipment.

mrNewt · 11-08-2013, 11:36 AM

Originally posted by gofour3

Any photographic item coming into Canada from the US is subject to PST & GST or HST only.

Not really true... for all the photographic equipment I have bought from US I was never charged anything...
I was charged for actual body cameras, but never equipment/accessories.

**gofour3** · 11-08-2013, 01:01 PM

Originally posted by mrNewt

Not really true... for all the photographic equipment I have bought from US I was never charged anything...
I was charged for actual body cameras, but never equipment/accessories.

You were lucky then, anything shipped into Canada from anywhere is subject to sales tax if it’s worth more than $20 or a gift over $60.

Check the CBSA site:

Importing by Mail

Whether they charge taxes is another story, as I indicated I have been charged taxes on an photography item worth less that $50 and have not been charged on one worth more $500. Whether you were charged sales tax or not has nothing to do with if it’s a camera body or accessory it's just pure luck.

Phil.

mrNewt · 11-08-2013, 01:08 PM

Originally posted by gofour3

You were lucky then, anything shipped into Canada from anywhere is subject to sales tax if it’s worth more than $20 or a gift over $60.

Check the CBSA site:

Importing by Mail

Whether they charge taxes is another story, as I indicated I have been charged taxes on an photography item worth less that $50 and have not been charged on one worth more $500. Whether you were charged sales tax or not has nothing to do with if it’s a camera body or accessory.

Phil.

Yea, it is interesting... I've just received last week from US... an item over $1600... no tax, no duty... no nothing... and was marked on package as well

So I guess they either don't know what they are doing OR there are some sort of exceptions that maybe we are not aware of.

On an annoying side... I once sent my Yashica for a repair and when it got shipped back I got taxed on my own property...

... figure that one out...

**gofour3** · 11-08-2013, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by mrNewt

Yea, it is interesting... I've just received last week from US... an item over $1600... no tax, no duty... no nothing... and was marked on package as well

So I guess they either don't know what they are doing OR there are some sort of exceptions that maybe we are not aware of.

On an annoying side... I once sent my Yashica for a repair and when it got shipped back I got taxed on my own property...

... figure that one out...

I think it’s because they (CBSA) are under staffed and just too busy to check every package then fill out the forms. It’s probably a random draw, like every tenth package that they process for taxes. If they taxed every item then your shipping time would increase by weeks.

Another example is here in BC with the main border crossing into the US at Blaine, Washington. This crossing is one of the busiest in Canada and the wait time can be hours in each direction during holiday weekends or in the summer.

If the lines are bad coming back into Canada the CBSA agents have be told to let most people through without paying taxes, even though they may be way over their personal exemption for the time they have been outside Canada.

I have most of my US purchases (KEH, B&H) shipped to a postal outlet in Blaine, WA. Then I drive down pick them up and come right back into Canada. For being out of the country for less than 30 minutes I have no personal exemptions. Same issue as with mailed items, I’ve been dung for sales tax on purchases of $100 and let through tax free for items over $800.00. All items were camera equipment. It’s comes down to how busy the CBSA agents are and what mood they are in.

Phil.

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11-08-2013, 11:34 AM	#16
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,357	Originally posted by gofour3 If a courier company is doing the shipping you will be charged EVERY time Plus a hefty brokerage fee so UPS/Fedex/others are sure to make double the profit they would otherwise have made on this shipment.

11-08-2013, 11:36 AM	#17
mrNewt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ON, RH Posts: 2,181	Originally posted by gofour3 Any photographic item coming into Canada from the US is subject to PST & GST or HST only. Not really true... for all the photographic equipment I have bought from US I was never charged anything... I was charged for actual body cameras, but never equipment/accessories.

11-08-2013, 01:01 PM	#18
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,091	Originally posted by mrNewt Not really true... for all the photographic equipment I have bought from US I was never charged anything... I was charged for actual body cameras, but never equipment/accessories. You were lucky then, anything shipped into Canada from anywhere is subject to sales tax if it’s worth more than $20 or a gift over $60. Check the CBSA site: Importing by Mail Whether they charge taxes is another story, as I indicated I have been charged taxes on an photography item worth less that $50 and have not been charged on one worth more $500. Whether you were charged sales tax or not has nothing to do with if it’s a camera body or accessory it's just pure luck. Phil.

11-08-2013, 01:08 PM	#19
mrNewt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ON, RH Posts: 2,181	Originally posted by gofour3 You were lucky then, anything shipped into Canada from anywhere is subject to sales tax if it’s worth more than $20 or a gift over $60. Check the CBSA site: Importing by Mail Whether they charge taxes is another story, as I indicated I have been charged taxes on an photography item worth less that $50 and have not been charged on one worth more $500. Whether you were charged sales tax or not has nothing to do with if it’s a camera body or accessory. Phil. Yea, it is interesting... I've just received last week from US... an item over $1600... no tax, no duty... no nothing... and was marked on package as well So I guess they either don't know what they are doing OR there are some sort of exceptions that maybe we are not aware of. On an annoying side... I once sent my Yashica for a repair and when it got shipped back I got taxed on my own property... ... figure that one out...

11-08-2013, 04:06 PM	#20
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,091	Originally posted by mrNewt Yea, it is interesting... I've just received last week from US... an item over $1600... no tax, no duty... no nothing... and was marked on package as well So I guess they either don't know what they are doing OR there are some sort of exceptions that maybe we are not aware of. On an annoying side... I once sent my Yashica for a repair and when it got shipped back I got taxed on my own property... ... figure that one out... I think it’s because they (CBSA) are under staffed and just too busy to check every package then fill out the forms. It’s probably a random draw, like every tenth package that they process for taxes. If they taxed every item then your shipping time would increase by weeks. Another example is here in BC with the main border crossing into the US at Blaine, Washington. This crossing is one of the busiest in Canada and the wait time can be hours in each direction during holiday weekends or in the summer. If the lines are bad coming back into Canada the CBSA agents have be told to let most people through without paying taxes, even though they may be way over their personal exemption for the time they have been outside Canada. I have most of my US purchases (KEH, B&H) shipped to a postal outlet in Blaine, WA. Then I drive down pick them up and come right back into Canada. For being out of the country for less than 30 minutes I have no personal exemptions. Same issue as with mailed items, I’ve been dung for sales tax on purchases of $100 and let through tax free for items over $800.00. All items were camera equipment. It’s comes down to how busy the CBSA agents are and what mood they are in. Phil.