Clearit.ca's Blog on Customs Brokerage and News Updates

Alcohol prices in Canada are notoriously high—sometimes double what you’d pay in the U.S., even if that case of 24 cans of Molson Dry is being sold in the province where it’s brewed. So, whether you’re coming from abroad for a vacation, taking a trip to some international destination, or just popping down to the U.S. for a quick shopping trip (because who hasn’t taken a day trip to Plattsburgh to hit up Price Chopper?), it’s tempting ...

Importing and exporting goods is rarely as simple as putting a stamp and a destination on your package. There are rules and regulations that all Canadians must adhere to when shipping items over the border, and the AMPS penalties are what the CBSA uses to penalize those who don’t. The practice of following these rules is usually referred to as customs compliance. If you’re a regular importer or exporter, customs compliance practices are vital...

Over the last couple of years, vaping has become a household term. Like alcohol and tobacco, vape products have health risks associated with them and are meant to be enjoyed responsibly. These products are a hot topic in the news, especially with their controversial popularity amongst underage Canadians. Still, vape products can be legally used by adults and many people wonder if they’re allowed to leave or enter the country with them. If you h...

On October 27, 2018, the Trudeau government legalized cannabis (commonly known as marijuana) in all of Canada. The Cannabis Act was officially put into effect after several years of discussion on debate. Whether you’re interested in the recreational use of cannabis or not, it could be helpful to understand the rules about traveling with cannabis in Canada.  While laws and issues continue to be straightened out, the reception to cannabis in ...

What is the single window initiative? The Single Window Initiative (SWI) is a recent implementation by the CBSA intended to modernize import processing. It offers a better alignment of the Canadian and U.S. importing processes and allows importers to provide all required import information electronically. All the required data will be shared between Participating Government Agencies (PGAs), the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), and the Gov...

Many people have never heard of the Canada Customs duty refund program, or Casual Refund Program, but it could really pay off to know how to claim duty back. Many Canadians go over the US border for an occasional day of shopping. Even more commonly, they shop online and order products from outside of Canada. If you do too, you might be missing out on some cash from the Canada Customs duty refund program. By the end of 2019, Canadians are expec...

Have you ever wondered “What does a customs broker do?” Or maybe “Do I need a customs broker?” To some, paying customs broker fees might seem like an unnecessary cost. But once you understand exactly when a customs broker is useful and what they can do for you, you’ll be able to recognize the ways a customs broker could save you money on your future shipments.  What Does a Customs Broker Do? Much like how a lawyer represents clie...

While CUSMA or USCMA has been extensively covered in news since 2018, there is still a lack of clarity about what it means, and how exactly it differs from the NAFTA agreement. The NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) was, until recently, the trade deal agreed upon by Canada, Mexico and the United States. However, the demand to renegotiate took precedence based on various concerns and doubts raised by the economists, trade specialists and ...

To those who are not familiar, duties can be somewhat of a mystery and seem extremely arbitrary. Why on earth are you paying extra fees on something you already paid for, just because it came from another country?  Paying duty on shipped items may sting, but there is in fact good reason for those extra fees. Duty is put in place to protect Canadian industry, and is a protectionist approach to balancing trade with domestic industry. Duty rates...

When crossing the Canadian border, every person is required by law to submit themselves and their goods for inspection. This standard procedure, called Primary Inspection or Customs, is second nature for frequent travellers and people shipping across the border. However, you may be pulled aside again after the initial inspection. A secondary inspection at Canada’s border might be alarming at first, but you shouldn’t worry. In most cases, s...