O.o

[arethinn]

Wine
Every adult may bring 1.5Litres of wine (2 bottles at 750ml each) into Canada without paying any extra charges. Beyond this amount there are various taxes and fees that add up to a 122% surcharge. In this example a person is bringing in three bottles of wine valued at $US10 each. The first two are duty free.

Additional bottle of wine is $US10
$US10 X 1.22 = $CAD12.20 (taxable amount)
$CAD12.20 X 122% = $CAD14.88

The person bringing in the cigarettes [this example was a continuation of a tobacco one] will need to pay the $CAD14.88 to bring $US10 worth of wine into Canada. The maximum volume of wine you can bring into Canada without an importer's license, including the duty free volume, is 42.6L (45US quarts / 11.25US gallons).

Hard Liquor (Whisky, Vodka, etc)
Every adult may bring 1.14Litres of wine (40oz US) into Canada without paying any extra charges. Beyond this amount there are various taxes and fees that add up to a whopping 254% surcharge. In this example a person is bringing in two bottles of liquor valued at $US20 each. The first bottle is duty free.

Additional bottle of liquor is $US20
$US25 X 1.22 = $CAD30.50 (taxable amount)
$CAD30.50 X 254% = $CAD77.47

The person bringing in the liquor will need to pay the $CAD77.47 to bring $US25 worth of liquor into Canada. The maximum you can bring into Canada without an importer's license, including the duty free volume, is 42.6L (45US quarts / 11.25US gallons) of liquor.

The O.o is mainly at the surcharges, but also at the idea of carting 11.25 gallons of hard liquor across the border. (I bet they don't like it if you try to fill your car's gas tank that way... ;) )

Comments

[graphxgrrl.livejournal.com]

I find the guidelines on meat and poultry more amusing, though I can't recall what they are off the top of my head. Something about only a certain percentage could be poultry--it seemed rather arbitrary. I can't imagine not laughing sometimes being the people who sort out these treaties.

[arethinn]

Huh. I've never looked at their rules for food products. The US ones regarding meat, poultry and dairy are basically "you can't." (It's not *exactly* that, it's actually rules about inspection and crap, but if you have a bunch of food and want to be sure you can bring it, you should leave meat out of it.)

[arethinn]

Dude, you're right.

The following are some examples of the limits that apply to each person:

* two dozen eggs;
* $20 in value and 20 kilograms of dairy products (for example, cheese and butter);
* three kilograms of margarine and/or butter substitutes; and
* 20 kilograms of edible meat and meat products, including turkey and chicken. Within the 20-kilogram limit, more restrictions apply from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) as follows:
o a maximum of one whole turkey or 10 kilograms of turkey parts ;
o a maximum of 10 kilograms of chicken; and,
o a maximum of 10 kilograms of beef or veal.