Canada is a large country with many remote areas. If you are sending goods to a remote area, please be aware that there may be a remote area surcharge and your delivery may well take longer than to Canadian cities.
When posting to Canada, you will require a customs declaration. Businesses must also include a commercial invoice with their shipment.
Always ensure to write a return address on any parcels to Canada or it may not be delivered.
If the goods you are sending are a gift, ensure to write ‘GIFT’ on the customs declaration. If your gift is worth less than CA$60, they will be duty and tax exempt. If it is worth over CA$60, the recipient will be charged duty on the remaining value. Tobacco, alcohol, advertising materials, and anything sent by a business do not qualify for the CA$60 duty free allowance.
Food imports are controlled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and will require additional paperwork.
Prohibited and Restricted Items
- Obscene materials
- Weapons
- Bookmaking and betting information
- Contraceptive devices and literature
- Currency and counterfeit coins
- Some types of alcohol
- Live animals and animal products
- Plants, seeds, soil and other plant matter
- Some toiletries
- Tobacco and vaping products
- Medicines
- Hate propaganda
- Various chemicals
- Rough diamonds
- Credit cards
Please note this is not an exhaustive list. Here is some useful information.
As it is your own responsibility to check postal restrictions and prohibitions for your destination, please check up to date Canadian customs information to ensure that the contents of your parcel will not be refused entry to Canada.
Business Shipments to Canada
The EU and Canada have a free trade agreement (CETA) that removes many import duties (but not taxes) on goods of EU origin. You can read more about it here. To avail of this agreement, you will need to add the following declaration to your commercial invoice:
Sample Statement of Origin:
(Period: from_______ to ________)
The exporter of the products covered by this document (Customs Authorisation No._________) declares that, except where otherwise clearly indicated, these products are of EU preferential origin.
__________________________
(Place and date)
__________________________
(Signature and printed name)
The Customs Authorisation Number is your Registered Exporter number which is required for all shipments over €6000. You can find more information about REX numbers here.
Canadian Address Format
Shipments to Canada should use the following address format:
Mr Fred Johnson
Ottawa West Dental
2353 CARLING AVENUE
Ottawa ON K2B 7G7
CANADA
- The street address should be written in capitals
- Each Canadian province has a two letter abbreviation, which should be written between the city and postcode on one line, leaving a little extra space before the postcode
- ‘Canada’ should be written in capitals
Postcodes in Canada
As with many other countries, Canadian postcodes do not refer to single addresses, except for the occasional very large institution or business with large volumes of mail. Postcodes more commonly refer to areas, which can range from one side of a city block to small towns.
Canadian Public Holidays
Around public holidays postal services may be disrupted. Public holidays, and statutory holidays, also known as ‘stats’ are as follows:
- January 1st New Year’s Day (Jour de l’An)
- Friday before Easter Good Friday (Vendredi saint)
- 1st Sunday after the full Moon on/after March 21st
- Monday after Easter Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques)
- Monday before May 25th Victoria Day (Fête de Victoria)
- July 1st Canada Day (Fête du Canada)
- First Monday in August Civic Holiday (Premier lundi d’août)
- First Monday in September Labour Day (Fête du travail)
- September 30th National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Journee nationale de la vérité et de la réconciliation)
- Second Monday in October Thanksgiving (Action de grâce)
- November 11th Remembrance Day (Jour du Souvenir)
- December 25th Christmas Day (Noël)
Please note that there are numerous other holidays that may be observed in various localities in Canada on odd days throughout the year that may cause delays in delivery.