As one who regular purchases items in the USA; the following may be of some help:
Use ONLY the postal service, regular mail. Using any courier service will up the charges, as much as 50 percent higher than the base value of the goods shipped. Upon entering Canada all goods to individuals are subject to duty and taxes, regardless. Under so-called free trade there are no duties per se, the government now calls those formerly named "duties" taxes. Free Trade applies "only" to companies! Individual citizens get screwed again! There is a flat service fee depending upon the value of the goods. $10.00 is the fee, for paperwork, the fee is taxable (see below). The item imported will be subject to the Federal Goods & Service Tax of 7 Percent In the province in which importation applies, the provincial tax is also paid except Alberta which has no provincial sales tax. If you're in a province which has the combined tax, you'll pay the combined tax on the imported items plus the $10.00 fee. If the goods are valued in Canadian dollars (the item is say US$100.00, at current rates that is CAN$132.35), the sales taxes and extra taxes if any are based on the value of the goods in Canadian dollars at the time of importation. If the goods imported are in excess of CAN$1000.00 you will be directed to a customs broker who will clear the item for you. The fee varies for this service, last time it was $150.00 for goods up to CAN$5000.00! Anything over that, be prepared to pay, big time. And also many questions will be asked, trust me on this one! One of the real sneaky ways the courier companies screw you is to have the value of the service ie the courier fee added to the overall cost; after all the Canadian government sees the courier fee as a "service" and hence under Canadian Federal law, taxable, as in fact any service is! So be very careful if you do get taxes on that fee, even if it originates in a foreign country. In theory you shouldn't have to pay taxes on the fees; and of course we all know the service taxable fee probably never goes back to the government... How each of you handle this is your business. I have found however in sending goods of considerable value to other countries is use a courier especially if the goods are valuable/breakable and you wish to put insurance on the goods to cover all liabilities. Rule of thumb, post office in bound, courier company outbound... Bryce Lee Burlington, Ontario -- Mac Canada is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Shop Canadian, visit Mantek Services <http://www.mantek.mb.ca> Low Prices That Will Keep YOU and Your MAC Smiling Educational discounts are now available Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> Mac Canada info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/mac-can.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/mac-canada%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
