** Paying duty/taxes at Canadian border
May 9, 2010 by
Filed under canada vacation homes
We will be taking a refrigerator made in the USA up to our vacation trailer in Canada. We are USA residents and have a vacation home up there. The old built in ‘fridge that was original equipment in our trailer finally died so this would be a replacement.
Can anyone tell me about how much in taxes/duty we will pay to do this? Or maybe someone can suggest a website where I can find this infomation? I haven’t had any luck yet finding the answer to this question and I just spoke with the Canadian Consulate office in Philadelphia who didn’t seem to have a clear idea where to get this information, either…
We priced refrigerators in the local Canadian stores on our last trip in July and were astonished to see how much they want for a 4.4 cubic foot compact refrigerator. Even with taxes and duty being paid at the border, I think we can make out better.
Thanks very much in advance for the help!
Have you brought things before? If not…
Seasonal residents
If you are a non-resident of Canada and you acquire a residence in Canada for seasonal use or lease one for at least three years, you have a one-time entitlement to furnish the residence with certain goods, duty- and tax-free. This does not apply to a mobile or portable home, a time-share residence, a residence that you will share with a resident of Canada, or a residence that you will rent or lease to others in your absence.
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Allowed goods
As part of your seasonal resident entitlement, you can include items such as removable furniture, appliances, household effects and tools you use to maintain your seasonal residence. To take advantage of this opportunity, you have to meet all of the following conditions:
* the goods must be for your personal use only, not for commercial or business use;
* you must have owned, possessed and used the goods before you arrive to occupy the seasonal residence for the first time;
* you must declare all the goods in detail when you first arrive in Canada to occupy the seasonal residence. Even if the goods do not accompany you on your first arrival, you must identify them as “goods to follow”; and
* you cannot sell or dispose of the goods in Canada for at least one year after you import them.
Otherwise I would call Border Services direct: If you are calling from outside Canada, you can access BIS by calling 204-983-3500 or 506-636-5064 (long-distance charges will apply). If you call during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time, Monday to Friday, except holidays), you can speak directly to an agent by pressing “0″ at any time.
(you are right…some things are CRAZY prices up here as compared to the USA…some things are the same though)
The first answer was very good, BUT I noticed that there is a part about not being able to bring stuff for a “trailer ” home. Did you see that ?
Jim B. Toronto.