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For Canadians Receiving Goods Via UPS

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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 9:16 AM

rrebell
Wow, didn't relize small claims was different up north. Here you pay a fee and can sue for it back as part of your claim. You better have your ducks in a row for court but ussually the judge does not delay their judgment unless something goes really south.

The thing that can put 'teeth' in a small-claims judgment is that (at least in some states) it can be enforced the same as any other civil judgment: you can secure the services of a sheriff or other public official, show up at the now-debtor's property, and start seizing property to satisfy the amount.  Usually the combination of public shame and loss of assets at fair-market depreciated value gets the payment uncorked ASAP.

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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
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Posted by BATMAN on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 10:20 AM

rrebell
Wow, didn't relize small claims was different up north. Here you pay a fee and can sue for it back as part of your claim. You better have your ducks in a row for court but ussually the judge dose not delay their judgement unless something goes realy south.

Small Claims court here is pretty much the same, however, going to court to get $800.00 from a guy named Bob that didn't pay for the tires you sold him is a little different than dealing with a multinational corporation. UPS would be defending a huge part of its revenue stream and would show up with an Army of the best lawyers in the business. It would be like putting your 6-year-old son's hockey team up against an NHL team.

The Judge would order it moved to a higher court and then what?

My job with the Feds saw me on the stand in court many a time as I would often be involved in the transportation of evidence on a national level and international criminal prosecutions for the foreign affairs dept. It was mostly chain of signature stuff, but also provided details of how deceased individuals were repatriated from abroad when they died under suspicious circumstances. 

I did testify at a lawsuit brought by the Feds against a company once. The feds showed up with three top lawyers, the defendant showed up on his own in blue jeans and a sweatshirt. The Feds buried him in five minutes flat on my testimony alone. I had gone to the Crown Prosecutors' office and rehearsed what I was to say on the stand a couple of times, it was like I was getting ready to be in a play.Laugh

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

  • Member since
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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
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Posted by BATMAN on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 10:45 AM

Overmod
The thing that can put 'teeth' in a small-claims judgment is that (at least in some states) it can be enforced the same as any other civil judgment: you can secure the services of a sheriff or other public official, show up at the now-debtor's property, and start seizing property to satisfy the amount.  Usually the combination of public shame and loss of assets at fair-market depreciated value gets the payment uncorked ASAP.

It is the same here, if the debtor doesn't pay, you take it to the next step and fill out some forms and drop them at the courthouse. Depending on what your time is worth, determines whether it is worth it. I can make more doing other things than what the court would allow for compensation for time spent.

I have signed on to two class action lawsuits in my time involving stock fraud, I got my money back after 3 or 4 years with interest. But all I had to do was sign on. 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by Engi1487 on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 11:28 AM

I am in Canada as well. I live about 15 to 20 minutes away from the border, so I get whatever is the most inexpseive shipping to the package recieving place I pick up my order from, go to the broder and declear the toal of my items, and pay the tax inside. 

Either that or I pay the extra $50 and above shipping to my address in Canada, and have the delievry person hand me the invoice to pay the duty charge. I am not sure which to stick with.

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Posted by Engi1487 on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 11:31 AM

Good to see a fellow Canadian discussing this as well. I live about 15 to 20 minutes away from the border, so I get whatever is the most inexpseive shipping to the package recieving place I pick up my order from, go to the broder and declear the toal of my items, and pay the tax inside. 


  • Member since
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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
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Posted by BATMAN on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 11:48 AM

Engi1487

Good to see a fellow Canadian discussing this as well. I live about 15 to 20 minutes away from the border, so I get whatever is the most inexpseive shipping to the package recieving place I pick up my order from, go to the broder and declear the toal of my items, and pay the tax inside. 


 

We have a mailbox service we use in Blaine, Washington. 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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  • From: Canada, eh?
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Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, October 8, 2022 1:44 PM

If I'm buying model railroad stuff from the States, I usually have it sent to a friend in Ohio.

Pre-covid, I also travelled to various locales in the States to buy stuff in-person, too.

Bringing it back into Canada cost nothing, as long as the total worth was under $800.00.  Model train stuff is not subject to duty when re-entering Canada. 

That includes items mailed to Canada, but such items are subject to HST (Harmonised Sales Tax).

Wayne

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Posted by Attuvian1 on Saturday, October 8, 2022 3:58 PM

doctorwayne

. . . but such items are subject to HST (Harmonised Sales Tax).

Wayne

 
Dr. Wayne -
 
Does that mean that the revenue service hums a tune when they collect?  What a concept.  I was not familiar with this friendlier side of taxation.  Laugh
 
Once again, we could learn something from our Canadian friends. Geeked
 
John
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  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
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Posted by BATMAN on Saturday, October 8, 2022 3:59 PM

Attuvian1
Does that mean that the revenue service hums a tune when they collect

Ya, it's the Government singing for its supper!Laugh

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by Engi1487 on Saturday, October 8, 2022 8:35 PM

doctorwayne

If I'm buying model railroad stuff from the States, I usually have it sent to a friend in Ohio.

Pre-covid, I also travelled to various locales in the States to buy stuff in-person, too.

Bringing it back into Canada cost nothing, as long as the total worth was under $800.00.  Model train stuff is not subject to duty when re-entering Canada. 

That includes items mailed to Canada, but such items are subject to HST (Harmonised Sales Tax).

Wayne

 



This is interesting. When I am asked what I have to decare, I say the total and I say hobby stuff. I see its HST they collect, and not duty. Its been a while since I have been over to get something.

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Posted by doctorwayne on Saturday, October 8, 2022 9:08 PM

Yeah...to clarify, hobby items, under $800.00, brought into Canada are not dutiable, nor are they subject to HST.  Hobby items sent to Canada are not dutiable either, but they are subject to HST, which is 13% of their value.

Wayne

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Posted by betamax on Sunday, October 9, 2022 10:05 AM

It's not $800. That might be the amount which can be imported into the US.

As per the CBSA:

Under CUSMA, Canada has agreed to maintain a de minimis threshold of at least CAD$150.00 for customs duties, and CAD$40.00 for taxes, at the time or point of importation of goods shipped by courier from the United States or Mexico. There are otherwise no changes to Canada’s existing de minimis framework. Accordingly, postal shipments from the U.S. or Mexico, as well as any courier or postal shipments from any other country, will continue to have a customs duty and tax remission threshold value of up to CAD$20.00. Please note that the new thresholds will apply as of the date the CUSMA enters into force and, for greater clarity, time of importation means the time of release.

 

Customs Notice 20-18 - Implementation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) De Minimis Thresholds with Respect to Customs Duties and Taxes for Courier Imports (cbsa-asfc.gc.ca)

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Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, October 9, 2022 12:01 PM

betamax
It's not $800. That might be the amount which can be imported into the US.

The $800.00 limit info was given to me by one of the customs officers at the Canadian border, when I was returning from the States.

As for the HST fees, that was also from Border Services, a couple of months ago which included a mention that model railroad stuff (up to a limit which I don't recall) was not subject to duty, either.

Wayne

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