Custom Packaging from China to Canada: Duties, Brokers and Bilingual Artwork

Setting up as a Canadian importer

1. Business number and import-export account: registered with the Canada Revenue Agency.
2. CARM Client Portal: the Canada Border Services Agency's system for commercial importers. Register, then delegate access to your customs broker so they can act for you.
3. Release and payment: importers who want goods released before paying duties and taxes generally need financial security, such as a customs bond. Ask your broker which option suits your volume.
4. Classification: each item (printed cartons, corrugated boxes, paper bags, plastic pouches) is classified under the Customs Tariff. Ask the supplier to describe each item clearly by material and construction on the invoice.

Canada commonly calculates value for duty without the international freight cost from the point of direct shipment, which differs from the UK and EU approach. The tax and duty position for your goods should be confirmed by your broker; this page does not state rates.

GST and HST in general terms

Commercial imports are generally subject to GST at the border, or to HST in participating provinces depending on the circumstances. GST/HST-registered businesses can usually claim it back as an input tax credit when the import is in their name. Provincial sales taxes in non-HST provinces work differently and are not always collected at the border. Because the treatment depends on your province, registration and who the importer is, confirm it with your broker or accountant before choosing DDP.

Bilingual and Quebec artwork

For prepackaged consumer products, Canadian federal labelling rules commonly require mandatory information, such as the product name and net quantity, in both English and French. Quebec has its own French-language rules, which have been tightened in recent years. Food, cosmetics and other regulated products also have sector-specific labelling rules.

The packaging factory prints the artwork you approve; it does not decide what your label must say. Practical steps:

• Design the dieline with room for both languages. French text often runs longer than English, so do not size panels on English copy alone.
• Have the French copy reviewed by someone qualified before the digital proof.
• Check accents and special characters on the proof; font substitution can drop them.
• If you sell in Canada and the US, decide whether one bilingual design or separate SKUs is simpler. See the barcode requirements guide for code placement.

Freight routes to Canada

Sea freight from China commonly arrives on the west coast at Vancouver or Prince Rupert. Goods for Ontario and Quebec often continue by rail from there; other services run to Montreal or Halifax on the east coast. Your forwarder can compare routings for your delivery city. Air freight suits samples and urgent launch quantities. Any transit times are estimates, especially in winter, when rail and road delays are more frequent.

Paper packaging can absorb moisture. In cold months, letting cartons reach room temperature before opening reduces condensation on printed surfaces. Wooden pallets need ISPM 15 treatment marks, which the Canadian Food Inspection Agency enforces. For a comparison of delivery terms and freight modes, see DDP vs FOB vs air freight for packaging.

Provincial EPR and plastics reporting

Packaging extended producer responsibility in Canada is run at provincial level, with programmes in provinces such as Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, each with its own rules on who is obligated and what to report. Separately, the federal Plastics Registry requires certain producers to report on plastic packaging. In both cases the obligation sits with the Canadian business, but the supplier can provide component material and weight data, measured on the approved sample.

What to put in a Canadian RFQ

• Product type, size, material, print, finish and quantity (from 500 PCS).
• Delivery city and province, and whether goods go to your own premises, a 3PL or a marketplace warehouse.
• Preferred Incoterm (FOB, CIF, EXW or DDP) and your broker's details if you have one.
• Whether the artwork is bilingual, and who supplies the French copy.
• A request for a per-component material and weight sheet.

Every product BestPackFactory sells is made in its own factory; what each quote includes is confirmed in the quotation. Popular formats for Canadian brands include cosmetic packaging boxes and custom stand-up pouches.

Common mistakes

• Shipping before the CARM account and broker delegation are set up.
• Choosing DDP and then being unable to claim the GST/HST because the import is in someone else's name.
• Sizing artwork for English only and then cramming French text in at proof stage.
• Ignoring local brokerage and delivery fees when comparing quotes.

Related pages

• How to import custom packaging from China
• DDP vs FOB vs air freight for packaging
• Custom cosmetic packaging boxes
• Custom stand-up pouches
• Packaging barcode requirements
• Request a quotation for delivery to Canada