Shipping from China to Canada: Freight Forwarder & DDP

Freight from China to Canada, Coast to Coast

For any freight forwarder shipping from China to Canada, the route matters as much as the shipping mode, because Canada is a long country. Cargo for British Columbia lands at Vancouver or Prince Rupert and is delivered locally; cargo for Ontario and Quebec usually continues by rail across the Rockies, or arrives through Montreal or Halifax on all-water services.

JIEYI collects from your suppliers in China, books the ocean or air leg, clears your goods with the CBSA and handles delivery anywhere in Canada: to your door or an Amazon.ca fulfilment centre. Tell us your province and postcode and we plan the route around it.

Plan My Route to Canada

Container being lifted onto a ship by a gantry crane

How Your Cargo Reaches Each Province

Typical routing from South China. We confirm the best route for your postcode.

British Columbia

Vancouver, Prince Rupert · about 14–20 days port to port

Direct sailings to the West Coast, then local trucking. The fastest and simplest route in Canada.

Alberta and the Prairies

Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg · about 20–26 days to the rail terminal

Containers are unloaded on the West Coast and continue by rail to inland terminals, then by truck to your door.

Ontario

Toronto area · about 24–32 days to the rail terminal

The usual route is a West Coast port and a rail service across the country to the Greater Toronto Area.

Quebec and Atlantic Canada

Montreal, Halifax · about 30–40 days

By rail to Montreal, or by sea to Montreal or Halifax on all-water services through the Suez or Panama Canal.

Sea Freight, Air or Express from China to Canada

Sea freight is the default for stock. Air and express make sense for light, urgent or high-value goods.

Option	Best for	Door-to-door time	Cost per kg	Details
Sea freight FCL	Full containers of furniture, building materials or bulk stock	Vancouver 25–35 days, Toronto 35–45 days	$$$$	Sea freight
Sea freight LCL	Mixed cartons from several suppliers	About 5–7 days longer than FCL	$$$$	Shared containers
Air freight	Seasonal and urgent goods, from about 100 kg	6–9 days	$$$$	Air freight
Express courier	Samples and small parcels	4–7 days	$$$$	Express

In winter, heavy snow in the Rockies can slow rail services to central and eastern Canada. We build this into the schedule.

Transit Times by Region

Port-to-port and airport-to-door times from South China.

Region	Main gateway	Sea, port to port	Air, airport to door
British Columbia	Vancouver, Prince Rupert	14–20 days	5–8 days
Alberta / Prairies	Calgary, Edmonton (rail from Vancouver)	20–26 days	6–9 days
Ontario	Toronto (rail from Vancouver or Prince Rupert)	24–32 days	6–9 days
Quebec / Atlantic	Montreal, Halifax	30–40 days	6–10 days

How Much Does Shipping from China to Canada Cost?

Typical rates in November 2026 for the main freight from South China. Rates change weekly; send your details and we reply with today’s price within 2 hours.

Method	Typical cost	Door-to-door time
Sea FCL, 20ft to Vancouver	about $7,000–8,300	25–35 days
Sea FCL, 40ft to Vancouver	about $8,400–9,800	25–35 days
Sea FCL, 40ft to Toronto or Montreal (with rail)	about $9,500–11,500	35–45 days
Sea LCL	about $140–190 per CBM	30–50 days
Air freight (100 kg+)	about $6.5–8.5 per kg	6–9 days
Express courier	about $13–17 per kg	4–7 days

CBSA clearance, duties, GST and delivery are extra unless you ship DDP. Compare routes in our container shipping cost guide or ask for today’s price.

Importing into Canada: CBSA, CARM and GST

Canada’s import system changed with CARM. These are the registrations and taxes to have in place.

Business Number and import account

Commercial importers need a CRA Business Number with an import-export (RM) account. It is free and appears on every customs entry.

CARM registration

Importers register in the CBSA’s CARM client portal and post release security, either their own bond or through a customs broker.

Duties and surtaxes

Duty depends on the tariff classification. Canada also applies surtaxes to some Chinese goods, such as electric vehicles, steel and aluminium, so we check before you book.

GST, HST and PST

Imports pay 5% GST, or HST in participating provinces, and some provinces add their own sales tax. GST-registered businesses can usually claim it back.

Low-value shipments

Goods from China have a low duty- and tax-free threshold of CA$20, so even small parcels are usually charged on arrival unless shipped DDP.

No Business Number yet?

Ship DDP and we clear the goods and pay duties and GST for you in one price.

Ask for a DDP quote

Canadian Labelling and Product Rules

Products sold in Canada often need different labels from the US. Checking before production avoids relabelling after arrival.

Product type	Rule	What it means
Prepackaged consumer goods	Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act	Product name and net quantity in both English and French.
Clothing and textiles	Textile Labelling Act	Fibre content in English and French, plus a dealer identity such as a CA number.
Toys and children’s products	Canada Consumer Product Safety Act	Products must meet Canadian safety regulations for their category.
Plug-in electrical products	Provincial electrical codes	Approval marks from an accredited body, such as CSA or cUL.
Cosmetics	Health Canada	A cosmetic notification and a bilingual ingredient list.

A general guide, not legal advice. Requirements depend on the exact product.

Worker applying FBA labels to cartons in a warehouse

Shipping to Amazon.ca from China

Amazon does not act as importer of record, so your goods must be cleared in the name of an importer with a Canadian Business Number or under a non-resident importer arrangement. We check this before booking, clear the goods with the CBSA and deliver to Amazon.ca fulfilment centres with an appointment.

Importer set-up checked before booking
Bilingual labels checked in China
Duties and GST paid under DDP
Delivery appointment booked at Amazon.ca

Get an FBA Shipping Quote How FBA shipping works

From China to Your Canadian Address

A typical sea shipment to Ontario, step by step.

1
Route plan
Send the product, volume and postcode. We compare West Coast rail and all-water routes.
2
Pickup and checks
We collect from your suppliers and check cartons and labels.
3
Sailing
Export customs in China and sailing to Vancouver or Prince Rupert.
4
CBSA release
Customs entry through CARM; duties and GST paid if you chose DDP.
5
Rail inland
The container travels by rail to the Toronto, Calgary or Montreal terminal.
6
Final delivery
Truck delivery to your door or an Amazon.ca fulfilment centre.

Cost Example: 8 CBM from China to Canada

8 CBM of general goods in 60 cartons, 1,200 kg in total. By air the chargeable weight is about 1,334 kg (8 CBM × 1,000,000 ÷ 6000), because volume weighs more than the goods.

Option	Main freight (November 2026)	Door to door
Sea LCL	about $1,120–1,520	30–50 days
Air freight	about $8,671–11,339	6–9 days
Sea FCL, 20ft to Vancouver	about $7,000–8,300	25–35 days

Main freight only. Pickup, customs, duties and delivery are added in your quote. Under about 13 CBM, LCL is usually the cheaper option; between about 13 and 28 CBM we compare LCL with a 20ft container, which is faster and has lower destination charges.

China to Canada Shipping: FAQ

How long does shipping from China to Canada take?

Door to door, sea freight usually takes about 25–35 days to British Columbia and 35–45 days to Ontario and Quebec, air freight about 6–9 days and express 4–7 days. We confirm the schedule for your booking.

How much does shipping from China to Canada cost?

In November 2026, a 40ft container costs about $8,400–9,800 to Vancouver and $9,500–11,500 to Toronto or Montreal with rail, LCL about $140–190 per cubic metre, air freight about $6.5–8.5 per kg and express about $13–17 per kg. CBSA clearance, duties, GST and delivery are extra unless you ship DDP.

How do I choose a freight forwarder from China to Canada?

Ask for a written door-to-door quote that shows the route to your province, check that the forwarder can clear goods with the CBSA under your Business Number or ship DDP, and compare West Coast rail with all-water options for eastern Canada. We reply with a written quote within 2 hours.

Is it better to ship to Vancouver or Montreal?

For British Columbia and the Prairies, Vancouver or Prince Rupert is the obvious choice. For Ontario and Quebec, rail from the West Coast is usually faster, while all-water services to Montreal or Halifax can suit heavy cargo. We compare both for your postcode.

What do I need to import from China into Canada?

A CRA Business Number with an import-export account, registration in the CBSA CARM portal and release security, plus a commercial invoice and packing list. With DDP we arrange the clearance for you.

Do my products need French labels?

Most prepackaged consumer goods and textiles sold in Canada need key label information in both English and French. It is easiest to print bilingual labels at the factory.

How much GST do I pay on imports to Canada?

GST is 5% on the value of the goods plus duty, or HST in participating provinces. Some provinces add their own sales tax. Registered businesses can usually claim GST back.

Can Amazon.ca be the importer of record?

No. Amazon does not act as importer of record, so you need your own Business Number, a non-resident importer arrangement or a DDP service in which the goods are cleared for you.

Shipping from China to Canada