01Freight to Canada
Comparable to the UK, with fewer direct lanes outside Vancouver and Toronto.
| Parcel weight | Standard air line | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg | ¥100 | — |
| 2 kg | ¥135 | — |
| 3 kg | ¥170 | typical haul |
| 5 kg | ¥240 | — |
| 10 kg | ¥415 | sea line usually cheaper |
02The threshold is tiny
CAD 20 for duty, CAD 40 for tax — practically every parcel is chargeable.
Below CAD 20 in value, a parcel clears without duty. Below CAD 40, it clears without tax. Above those, GST at 5% applies federally, and PST or HST applies provincially — from 0% in Alberta to 15% in Nova Scotia.
Because the thresholds are so low, almost every real haul is chargeable. Budget GST/HST plus duty, and add the brokerage fee if the line is DDU.
03Brokerage is the real cost
On a small parcel, the fee can be larger than the tax.
Couriers clear parcels through their own brokerage and charge a flat or percentage fee: DHL and UPS are commonly CAD 17–40 depending on value, and it is charged on top of the tax. On a CAD 60 parcel with CAD 8 of GST, the brokerage fee is the bigger number.
04Declaring and provincial tax
The provincial rate changes the total more than people expect.
Declare the goods value accurately and specifically. Under-declaring does not avoid GST on a parcel the courier has already valued; it just adds a re-assessment delay. If you are shipping to Alberta, expect 5%; to Ontario, 13% HST; to Quebec, 5% plus 9.975% QST.
05What goes wrong
Brokerage surprises and CBSA holds.
Three patterns: a courier invoice arriving weeks after delivery, a parcel held for a value re-assessment, and branded goods detained by CBSA under IPR enforcement. CBSA also charges storage after a short free window, which accumulates quickly on a held parcel.
Q&AQuestions people ask about this route
What is the de minimis in Canada?
CAD 20 for duty and CAD 40 for tax. Below those values a parcel clears without the corresponding charge. Because the thresholds are so low, nearly every haul from China is chargeable.
Why is the courier fee higher than the tax?
Couriers charge a brokerage fee for filing the customs entry, commonly CAD 17–40 on DDU parcels. On low-value shipments that fee exceeds the GST, which is why a DDP line or a postal route often costs less overall.
Do I pay both GST and PST?
GST is federal at 5%. Provincial tax applies on top: 0% in Alberta, 13% HST in Ontario, 5% GST plus 9.975% QST in Quebec. The combined rate is what you actually pay.
Freight sorted. The other half of a disappointing order is what is inside the box — and that is readable before you pay.
How to judge quality →Keep reading
Guides on the same subject, in the order most people need them.
Shipping From China to the United States
No allowance at all since August 2025, plus Section 301 duties.
Read the guide →Customs Duty on China Parcels 2026: Who Pays and How Much
Where Canada sits against the other major markets.
Read the guide →China Shipping Agent Cost: Weight, Lines & Customs Duty
Freight pricing and how to cut it.
Read the guide →China Buying Glossary: W2C, QC, GL, RL and the Rest
DDP, DDU and brokerage, defined.
Read the guide →