Canada is a strong, under-served market for China importers — less crowded than the US but with its own customs quirks (CARM, GST/PST, bilingual labelling). Whether you're stocking Amazon.ca or shipping DTC to Toronto and Vancouver, here's how the China–Canada lane works on cost, transit and clearance in 2026.
Quick Answer: Air vs Sea
- Urgent or under ~300 kg → air freight, 5–8 days to YVR/YYZ.
- Cost-sensitive volume → ocean to Vancouver (West) or via LA + cross-border truck for the East.
- Amazon FBA Canada → DDP to YYZ1, YVR3 and growing network.
Transit & Gateways
| Mode | Transit (door-to-door) | Main gateways |
|---|---|---|
| Air freight | 5–8 days | YVR (Vancouver), YYZ (Toronto), YUL (Montreal), YYC (Calgary) |
| Sea (West) | 14–20 days | Vancouver, Prince Rupert |
| Sea (East via US) | 26–34 days | LA/Long Beach + cross-border truck to ON/QC |
For Eastern Canada, going straight to Vancouver and railing across can be slower than routing via a US West Coast port and trucking north — we price both.
CARM: The Big 2026 Change
Canada's CARM (CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management) system has changed how duties and taxes are managed. Importers of record now need to register on the CARM Client Portal and post their own financial security. If you ship DDP, your forwarder can act as importer of record and handle this — otherwise you must be CARM-registered before your goods arrive.
If you're new to importing into Canada, CARM is the step most first-timers miss. Sort it out before the cargo lands, not after.
Duty, GST & PST
- Duty: varies by HS code; many consumer goods are low or zero, but verify — a wrong code is costly (see HS code errors).
- GST (5%): federal goods & services tax on import value.
- PST/HST: provincial sales tax varies by province (e.g. Ontario HST 13%).
Don't Forget Bilingual Labelling
Many Canadian consumer products require English and French labelling. Build this into your packaging at the factory — relabelling in Canada is expensive and can hold up FBA check-in.
What a China–Canada DDP Quote Should Include
- Origin pickup + China export clearance
- Air or sea freight
- Canadian import clearance (CARM-compliant) + duty + GST
- Delivery to door or Amazon FBA Canada appointment
Bottom Line
China–Canada is a great lane if you handle CARM registration, pick the gateway closest to your market, and label bilingually. Ship DDP and your forwarder absorbs the customs complexity. Tell us your destination province and we'll quote air and sea — get a Canada quote.
Sammi Ding
Has handled 500+ shipments from China to Australia, US and Europe. Based in our Shenzhen office, available on WhatsApp at +86 136 8628 7742.