Customs

It depends on the courier selected

Courier   Fed Express (air), DHL, UPS, Air Canada

Broker    UCalgary Customs team

Contact information   customstraffic@ucalgary.ca

Courier   All others, including Fed Express (ground)

Broker    Thompson Ahern

Contact information   customstraffic@ucalgary.ca

Email: pars@taco.ca

Address: 6299 Airport Road, Suite 506

                 Mississauga, ON  L4B 1N3

Phone: (905) 677-3471

Fax: (905) 677-3464

The responsible party is usually the consignee who is listed as the ‘Importer of Record’ on the shipping documents.

CERS is an export declaration form (replacing the B13A) completed by UCalgary’s customs team for exporting goods valued at $2,000 or greater.

Permits are applied for through the myCFIA website once registered for an account. Once an account is set up, the UCalgary Customs team can provide access to the U of C party profile. For guidance on which government agencies require permits or on obtaining permit application forms, email customstraffic@ucalgary.ca

Most countries use a harmonized system of names and numbers to classify goods imported and exported. This code determines the applicable duty for entering a county.  Contact customstraffic@ucalgary.ca for the appropriate code if a supplier is requesting one.

An invoice for goods sold that is completed by the exporter (sender) that accompanies a shipment entering Canada. The commercial invoice should contain specific information to assist in Canadian Customs Clearance:

• Sender's Name and Address
• University of Calgary
• Consignee's Name, Full address, including Department name
• Importer of Record (IOR) - the name of the responsible party in Canada
• Detailed Description of goods
• Country of origin (Manufacture) of goods
• Valued and currency of goods
• Reason for shipment - sale, repair, replacement, temporary import

** This is a mandatory requirement for all inbound shipments and must be provided by the supplier

An invoice for goods not sold, i.e., lab-to-lab shipments of research materials or warranty repairs completed by the exporter (sender) accompanying a shipment entering Canada. The Pro-Forma invoice should contain specific information to assist in Canadian Customs Clearance:

• Sender's Name and Address
• University of Calgary
• Consignee's Name, Full address, including Department name
• Importer of Record (IOR) - the name of the responsible party in Canada
• Detailed Description of goods
• Country of origin (Manufacture) of goods
• Valued and currency of goods
• Reason for shipment - sale, repair, replacement, temporary import

** This is a mandatory requirement for all inbound shipments and must be provided by the supplier

Scan the invoice and email a copy to customstraffic@ucalgary.ca with the accounting string to which the charge will be applied.

Customs charges consist of GST, duty and brokerage. If the broker is the University of Calgary, usually only GST is payable; however, duty may be payable on certain plastic and steel products. There is no brokerage owing for any shipments the UCalgary customs team clears. A brokerage fee ranging from $14 - $50 is charged for shipments an outside broker clears on UCalgary’s behalf.

For example:complimentary samples and gifts

Taxable goods and services imported into Canada are subject to GST, the amount of which is calculated on the value of the goods plus duties in Canadian Dollars at the time of importation.  GST is payable by either the "purchaser" or the "importer."  In most cases, despite no purchase transaction, the University is the importer and is therefore accountable for the GST.

All goods entering Canada are required to be reported to CBSA.  The value for duty is usually based on the "price paid or payable" to the supplier, but in cases where a price is not paid to the supplier, a fair market value is used.

In the case of research samples, if there is no commercial value, a nominal value of $10 USD/CAD/EUR should be used for the entire shipment. Under no circumstances would CBSA accept a declared value of $0 or “No Commercial Value.”

For example: sample shipping from another lab

** Note: Shipments from the USA are GST exempt up to $40, with up to $20 exempt for international

Temporary import arrangements should be made before the goods arrive in Canada.  Eligible goods may be documented on a Temporary Admission permit or an ATA Carnet.  Generally, all goods being imported temporarily, so long as they are not being imported for sale, lease, further manufacturing, or processing, will qualify for duty-free entry and, in some cases, be GST exempt. Please contact customstraffic@ucalgary.ca  if you are anticipating the arrival of a temporary import.

Every shipment entering Canada must be declared to the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA). When shipments indicating the University of Calgary as the receiver (importer of record) arrive at customs, the CBSA requires the university to remit the customs charges.

For example: research collaboration or gift.

If the item was purchased through a PO, the customs charges will be applied to the same accounting string from the PO through an Accounts Payable voucher.

If the item was purchased via a UCalgary PCard, the customs team will contact the cardholder and request an accounting string to process the charge through an Accounts Payable voucher.

**Note: if the value of the goods is less than $600 CAD, the GST is paid by Supply Chain Management.

No, personal goods are imported differently, and you should report them to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to declare "personal effects."  If the two types of goods are combined, the entire shipment will be treated as "business" related, and you or your department may be required to pay duty and taxes on otherwise exempt goods.

Usually, imported shipments arrive the next day; however, delays may be caused by the following:

• No accounting was provided for the customs team to process customs clearance
• Shipment missed courier cut-off
• Inclement weather
• Not addressed to the University of Calgary
• Missing information

There is no need to have a Speed Code set up. The Speed Code is your Project ID number for research-related costs and Department ID number for costs directly related to a Department Operating budget.

If needed, Distribution Service Main Campus can provide you with a Speed Code label. They can be picked up from Distribution Services or sent to you via internal Mail. For bulk shipments, you can all print off your Speed Code on paper and affix it to your bundled/bulk shipments.

For more information, please contact UService through finance@ucalgary.ca.

Complete an Off-campus shipment form found on the portal under SCM Service forms. On the form, ensure to indicate the estimated value of the repair and if the repair is under warranty.  Send an email to distributionservices@ucalgary.ca if you have any additional questions.

**Note: The GST will be exempt if the shipment is for a warranty repair.

Send an email to customstraffic@ucalgary.ca providing the following information:

• Name of courier
• Tracking number
• Contents of the shipment
• How the item(s) should be stored, i.e., refrigerated or frozen

Visit https://www.ucalgary.ca/ancillary/residence/current-residents/services/mailing  for more detailed information on how to send parcels. All personal shipments addressed as Residence, including ones intended for labs, will be received by Shipping and Receiving in Supply Chain Management but then delivered to residence.

Ensure all customs charges are pre-paid. In the event there are outstanding customs charges, Shipping and Receiving will refuse the shipment.

Packing Slips are verification that the item(s) received is what was ordered.

If goods were ordered via a PO, packing slips would be verified by the Distribution Services team upon receipt of goods in the warehouse. This verification will check that the item and quantity match the line items in the PO and that there is no visual damage.

Item(s) with no packing slip ordered on a PO will not be updated in PeopleSoft and will require the requestor to verify the goods and receive the items(s) in PeopleSoft.

If the goods were ordered via a PCard, the Distribution Services team will stamp the package as 'not received’ in PeopleSoft and deliver the item(s) to the requestor.  No additional receiving in PeopleSoft is required.