Where was this boat made?

[Vespucci]

Canada slaps a whopping 9.5% import duty when non-US built boats are imported from US to Canada. Does anyone have any experience getting around this for really old boats, boats with American refits or similar forms of value add to otherwise 'offshore' made boats?

 

[grperrin]

Canada slaps a whopping 9.5% import duty when non-US built boats are imported from US to Canada. Does anyone have any experience getting around this for really old boats, boats with American refits or similar forms of value add to otherwise 'offshore' made boats?

Last time I looked into this (+3 years ago...); the only thing that seemed to matter was "country of origin"...

 

[B-Slick]

Anything outside of NAFTA is subject. Don't forget about the 13% HST also.

 

[Schnick]

The stuff added in the US will fall under NAFTA. My dad brought in a Brazillion-built boat from the US a few years back and was able to show that sails, stove, instruments, and a few other more expensive items were US-built, so knocked down the duty bill a fair bit.

 

[pointyend]

Sink it in US waters and get a salvage title.

 

[Maxx Baqustae]

I've been dealing with Canada Customs for most of my working life - both as an importer and an exporter and there is no way to fiddle system. The rules are etched in stone. But Scnick is right about maybe going to that length but at the end of the day you have ask yourself: is it worth it? You'd have to document every item carefully and never put anything in a grey area that could be suspect. And use a customs broker. Customs' officers will take great delight picking apart items that are not normal. And being an asshole or the wrong Customs officer will find yourself being fined, your boat impounded etc. Don't go there unless you've got your ducks in a row in that vein - trust me.

 

[Icedtea]

What about a boat of "unknown origin"?

 

[Maxx Baqustae]

What about a boat of "unknown origin"?

I'm not a Customs broker and I've never had to work with a product that was "unknown origin". You usually know where it's been. But Customs being Customs will slap a tariff at their leisure but "free" or "it's okay - pass friend" isn't in their vocabulary.

 

[Icedtea]

What about a boat of "unknown origin"?

I'm not a Customs broker and I've never had to work with a product that was "unknown origin". You usually know where it's been. But Customs being Customs will slap a tariff at their leisure but "free" or "it's okay - pass friend" isn't in their vocabulary.

Well I got a sail in without duty paid last week....however a boat would be alot more profitable...

 

[bljones]

What about a boat of "unknown origin"?

If it's origin is unknown, then it IS known that it is not American. Knowing that, the tariff will apply.

C'mon, give your head a shake- does CRA ever err on the side of NOT collecting a tax?

The onus is always on you to prove you don't have to pay, it's not on them to prove that you do.

What's the sale price of the boat in question?

 

[Icedtea]

What about a boat of "unknown origin"?

If it's origin is unknown, then it IS known that it is not American. Knowing that, the tariff will apply.

C'mon, give your head a shake- does CRA ever err on the side of NOT collecting a tax?

The onus is always on you to prove you don't have to pay, it's not on them to prove that you do.

What's the sale price of the boat in question?

Yeah good point, however I've gladly not had to deal with them

 

[Maxx Baqustae]

What about a boat of "unknown origin"?

If it's origin is unknown, then it IS known that it is not American. Knowing that, the tariff will apply.

C'mon, give your head a shake- does CRA ever err on the side of NOT collecting a tax?

The onus is always on you to prove you don't have to pay, it's not on them to prove that you do.

What's the sale price of the boat in question?

Exactly. CRA is the guilty until proved innocent people - I think it's in their mandate. But nobody can tell you what the mandate is exactly.

 

[Thisbe_8Can9]

Funny story. Before NAFTA or even CAN-US free trade, my father and his partner brought in our boat from the States. It was built in the states, New York in fact, but at the time the size of the boat was more important than where it was built. As the customs agent filled in the import papers at the customs station at Toronto Island Airport he asked my father the builders name, where it was built and the type of boat - 8 Metre. Around this time Canada was switching to metric from imperial measurement and the Customs agent, being the smart man he was assumed that if it is an 8 Metre then it had to be under 30ft., which was the next question - how long is the boat. For this reason the boat was imported duty free and all that they claimed was a new flash light they bought before bringing the boat across the lake. :lol:

 

[simbert]

Can always try to claim that all the wood from Canada, glass and glue from the States, lead from Mexico

 

[Dawg]

That's pretty weird. The opposite is true for getting a boat from Europe imported to Canada then to the US to avoid duties or so I've heard.

I've heard that if you want a Charger Norlin MK3 2.4mR (not sure why you would), buy if from a Canadian dealer and not from the Factory in order to avoid major import fees.

 

[douglas]

Well I got a sail in without duty paid last week....however a boat would be alot more profitable...

and you are in another country where standards and enforcement are different.

for a while i was importing italian motorcycle parts (and the bikes too). should have had duty, but customs said they were being exported from the states so that made them duty free. paid only gst on everything i ever brought in.

they stopped my last shipment because i was importing race bikes, but one model had headlights.

i'd bitch at the country of origin rule, and contact transport canada to see how they stand on it. here may be a loophole in their regs.

 

[Rain Man]

One of the soaring clubs I fly at imported a used glider. Turned out the glider was shipped on a very nice German-built utility trailer. When the club went to Canada customs to take possession of the glider, customs pointed out that no mention of the trailer had been made on the import documentation. So, the club could have the glider but not the trailer.

Ok, no problem, you can keep the trailer. Nope, the trailer has to be destroyed, and if you don't do it, we'll hire a company to do it at your expense. In the thousands of dollars.

Club members had to show up with grinders and cutters, and destroy the entire trailer, including cutting up the tires, before the customs people were satisfied. Then pay to have it taken to landfill if my memory serves me correctly.

Talk about a waste..... there are pictures around somewhere but I can't find them....

dash