Shipping to Canada

Shipping times to Canada can vary. Shipping groupage in a shared container takes longer than shipping a full container load as different customers shipments need to be consolidated to fill one container.

NB: These are approximate sea freight shipping times to ports in Canada only. You will need to allow additional time for customs clearance and final delivery to your destination.

Usually our groupage transits for Canada are via Toronto. From there they will be forwarded on to your final destination and delivered to your address in Canada.

We always aim to deliver your consignment on time regardless of its size however it’s worth being aware of Canadian public holidays when planning your move. You can view a full list of those on the Canadian government website. It’s also a good idea to keep any localised disruptions in mind that may affect the timing of your shipment delivery.

Some of the public holidays to be aware of include:

• New Year’s Day: January 1
• Good Friday: The Friday before Easter Sunday 
• Canada Day: July 1
• Labour Day: First Monday in September 
• Christmas Day: December 25
• Easter Monday: Monday after Easter 
• Victoria Day: Monday before May 25 
• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: September 30
• Thanksgiving Day: Second Monday in October
• Remembrance Day: November 11
• Boxing Day: December 26

Addressing a package to Canada is similar to UK address formatting. You’ll need to include the recipient’s full name, followed by the street and area address. On the next line, add the city name, the two-letter Canadian province abbreviation, and the postal code in the format A1A 1A1. Be sure to write “CANADA” in capital letters on the last line to indicate the destination country clearly. Don’t forget to include a UK return address on the back of the envelope or parcel for added security.

You can take a look at this international posting guide for Canada for full details on how to label your belongings or talk to one of our team for full advice, however PSS’s parcel shipping service will ensure your items are correctly addressed and will go through any specific requirements with you before your belongings are shipped.

Canada has some strict rules about what can and cannot be imported. This includes the usual contraband that you might expect, but can also cover consumer goods allowed in some countries but banned in Canada for health and safety reasons.

It is therefore important you check the Canada Border Services Agency website to avoid problems when your goods arrive.

Even for restricted goods inspection fees can apply

Restricted Exports to Canada where regulatory requirement is required:

• Baby gates
• Car seats
• Cribs, cradles and bassinets
• Hockey helmets and face protectors
• Lighters
• Playpens
• Strollers
• Endangered animal fur, skins, tusks, ivory etc. (With CITES certificate)
• Firearms, ammunition and accessories
• Knives and daggers (even for sport)
• Martial art swords or weapons

Prohibited Exports to Canada:

• Baby walkers
• Balloon blowing kits
• Drugs, narcotics and stimulants
• Infant self-feeding devices
• Jequirity beans
• Lawn darts with elongated tips
• Plants
• Relight candles
• Yo-Yo balls with long cords
• Original pine cones or any plant matter used for Christmas decorations or wreaths
• Raw untreated wood or bark
• Endangered animal fur, skins, tusks or ivory (without CITES certificate)

Artwork and Antiques

If the artwork/item is over 100 years old proof of age will be required. The shipping of such items are eligible for duty free entry.

Please note: antiques and artwork imported into Canada for resale are subject to different regulations.

Shipping Tools to Canada

You could ship most of your tools to Canada (gardening, building, plumbing tools etc) however make sure to thoroughly clean those so they’re completely free from soil, plant material and any organic matter as Canada has strict controls to prevent foreign soil and pests from entering the country.

You can ship those affordably using our sea freight service or if you need your tools urgently for work you could use our air freight service which takes about 7-14 days. The cost of shipping tools to Canada is calculated based on volume and for air freight on weight.

Before shipping tools make sure they’re compatible with the Canadian electricity supply which uses 120V at 60Hz compared with 230V at 50Hz in the UK.

Shipping your vehicle to Canada can be worthwhile for luxury, classic or particularly valuable cars however Canada has strict vehicle import requirements and many UK-market vehicles aren’t eligible for permanent import. Our team at PSS can explain the process in detail and help arrange transportation using one of the following methods:

• Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo): Generally the most affordable option, available through selected ports. Your vehicle is driven onto a specialist carrier and secured for transport.
• Container Shipping: Gives you greater security and protection as your vehicle can travel in its dedicated container or alongside your household belongings where space allows for this. 

All vehicles permanently imported into Canada must meet the Transport Canada and Canada Border Services Agency requirements with most vehicles manufactured for a market outside the USA or Mexico not being eligible for import if they are less than 15 years old. Unlike in the USA however an originally ineligible vehicle can’t simply be modified after shipment to make it compliant.

To understand the full costs of shipping your vehicle, have a look at our car shipping service or use our international removals cost calculator for an estimate based on your move.

No matter whether you are taking one, a few or even multiple boxes to Canada then our box shipping service is the best way for you to ship your boxes.

We provide boxes and packaging materials and deliver them to your address in the UK.

You then pack all your personal possessions or household items and call us when you are ready for them to be collected.

There are two shipping options for your boxes. The method you choose depends on shipping costs to Canada and urgency.

1. Sea Freight: your boxes are sent in a shared shipping container with other people’s boxes and belongings moving to Canada. This is the cheapest, but the slowest method.
2. Air Freight: If you need your belongings to arrive sooner, then air freight can be a good option. Due to the large distances in Canada air freight can often be a cost effective solution.

Your dedicated Move Manager will help you with all the required paperwork and answer any questions you have.

You can then take time to enjoy a stop-over on your journey home to Canada whilst we take care of transporting your boxes.

Our partner company in Canada will notify you when your ship arrives, take care of customs clearance and deliver your boxes at a time that’s convenient for you.

They can also arrange storage for you if you are not yet ready to take delivery.

If you’re an immigrant or a returning resident who has lived outside Canada for at least 12 months, you may be eligible to import your personal and household belongings duty- and tax-free under Canada’s customs exemptions.

However, items mailed to Canada may still be subject to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and/or import duties. Unless specifically exempt, a 5% GST generally applies to items imported by mail.

To assist with your move, we recommend downloading and carefully reviewing our FIDI Customs Guide

All goods entering Canada are subject to Duty and Tax. however a personal or household effects shipment will qualify for free entry of Duty and Tax if:

• Your goods have been owned and used for 12 months or more by you.
• You are a first time immigrant who is taking up residency for a period of longer than 12 months.
• You are a returning Canadian Citizen who has been living outside of Canada for 12 months or more. Individual items with a value of $10,000 or higher will be subject to duty and tax

As part of our door-to-door service PSS will help you manage all relevant documentation. For more information, we recommend you download and carefully read our FIDI Customs Guide

Once your goods have been released by the Canadian customs, we will contact you to arrange a suitable delivery day.

Once we’ve received clearance of your goods, we will either deliver your sea freight container directly to your new home or it will be delivered in a separate vehicle. This all depends on the type of shipment you are sending. Our unloading crew will place your items in the rooms of your choice and unwrap and remove the packing material from any furniture.

The main ports for household goods shipping are:

• Toronto (BC)
• Montreal (QC)
• Vancouver (BC)
• Calgary (AB)
• Halifax (NS)

PSS can help you select the correct arrival port at the quotation stage to reduce onward transport costs and unnecessary container movement within Canada.

It is highly advisable to take out maritime shipping insurance or shipment protection cover before you ship your personal effects or household goods to Canada.

Although it is doubtful to experience problems when shipping items from the UK to Canada, it is still wise to have shipment protection cover when sending goods overseas, especially for items of significant financial value.

PSS International offers very flexible Shipment Protection Plans. You can cover your whole shipment or choose the individual items you wish to cover.

Your PSS Move Manager can explain the different options available and guide you through completing the Shipment Protection Valuation form.

How Do I Arrange Insured Shipping to Canada for Fragile Household Items?

International shipping insurance doesn’t work the same way as standard home contents cover, however this is widely misunderstood often leading to disappointment if items get damaged.

Standard marine insurance typically costs 1–1.5% of the declared shipment value. In most cases, this type of policy covers total loss only, meaning compensation is paid if the entire shipment is lost in transit, which rarely happens. This level of protection does not usually cover damage to individual items.

Comprehensive cover generally costs 2–3% of the declared value and protects against damage to individual items. Insurers typically require professional export packing and clear evidence of condition before shipment, such as dated photographs. Without these, a claim may be declined.

Insurers can decline claims for self-packed items which is why, for comprehensive cover, you’ll need professional packing in most cases. Custom crating, typically £100–£400 per item is typically used as it gives you additional protection for items like antiques, mirrors, artwork, etc. Make sure to take a picture of any valuable items before packing, keep receipts for pieces valued over £500 and describe items individually on your inventory to support accurate valuation in case you do need to make a claim. 

Full insurance options are available as part of our international shipping service, and these are reviewed in detail during the quotation process.