CBSA offers tips on coming back to Canada after summer shopping and vacations

Movement is speeding up on Saskatchewan’s border with the US as summer vacations come to an end and people are looking to head over for deals.

With so many people and purchases heading over the border, it’s wise to know some of the rules the border has for those making the trip.

Corporate chief for the Canada Board of Services Agency (CBSA) Scott Kienlen talks about some of the rules around the border.

“There’s a couple of different exemptions that returning residents would qualify for. So after you’re out of the country for a 24-hour absence, you’re allowed $200 CAD worth of goods. If you exceed the $200 then there would be applicable duties on taxes on the entire amount. Obviously, if you’re under the $200, then there would be no duty in taxes collected or owned, and that’s for general goods.”

“Once you’re absent from Canada for 48 hours or more, the exemption rise is up to $800 Canadian and within the $800, there’s liquor and alcohol exemption as well. So on alcohol, it would be 24 beer or 40 ounces of spirits or 1.5 liters of wine and for the tobacco products, it’s one carton of cigarettes and seven ounces of cut tobacco would be allowed on as part of your exemption.”

With products heading over the border, there are some that Kienlen says must be declared.

“You need to declare all your purchases or acquired items, including gifts that you received down in the United States. So basically everything that you’re bringing back into Canada that you didn’t take down there with you as well as if any firearms or weapons that you may have acquired, we need to know about those and we can determine the admissibility.”

“You’ll be questioned as to whether you have any currency over $10,000 CAD or not coming into the country, you’ll be asked a cannabis question and the rule of thumb is don’t take it out of Canada and you can’t bring it in. So unless you have a special exemption or permit from Health Canada, cannabis products will not be allowed into Canada.”

When pulling up to the border Kienlen reminds people to have a few essential documents ready.

“Either your passport or birth certificate or something to indicate your citizenship, just having that handy when you pull up to the officer as well as tallying up any receipts you have for your goods, having a total for us and if you happen to be at a flea market or anything like that, you know, get a receipt for those purchases.”

“If you’re receiving a gift, have a value get a value of what that would be and you can include that in your total amount for your declaration and just make sure that all those goods are declared.”

Flaunting those rules can result in serious consequences according to Kienlen.

“If a declaration is not accurate, you know and we do do secondary exams to confirm declarations. They may be subject to penalties and depending on what it is, there could be criminal charges laid or whatever the circumstances would be. So goods can be seized and penalties applied, it just really depends on the situation. It’s hard to speak, but that’s in general terms.”

Kienlen asks that people be open and honest with border officers to ensure the process goes smoothly and recommends checking border wait times on the CBSA’s website.