Items That Can Be And Cannot Be Shipped From Canada [Complete List]

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures how well an economy is doing and how far it has progressed, receives significant contributions from import and export activities. Because no nation is entirely self-sufficient in terms of its resource supply, it is impossible for any nation ever to have a closed economy. Whether due to the uneven distribution of natural resources or geographical division of labor and specialization, the desire of individuals to raise the standard of their life ultimately drives them to engage in commercial activity in other countries.

Consequently, imports reduce shortages of essential consumer items, capital goods, and various inputs that are not easily accessible inside the nation. Examples of such items are sugar, ores and minerals, petroleum and crude products, chemical and associated goods, and so on.

The vast majority of products can be transported without any problems whatsoever. Nonetheless, each shipping company has a list of things they either limit or outright forbid. It is essential to be aware of the policies of your carrier to guarantee that you are transporting things that that carrier has authorized. When shipping restricted or forbidden materials, you risk incurring significant fines and, in certain instances, having the commodities seized.

Reasons for imposing restrictions

When a government places limitations or outright bans on importing certain goods, one of the primary objectives is to protect the economic standing of the country doing the importing. However, just because there are limits on imports does not mean that imports are outright banned. Suppose the import of a product has a detrimental effect on the health of people, animals, plants, or other species. In that case, the nation's government doing the importing may restrict that product's import. 

The foreign trade policy of the government of the nation that is doing the importing is the one that decides what kinds of limits are placed on imports. This policy may be adjusted as needed from time to time. The nation's government doing the importing maintains and regularly publishes a list of items that are not allowed to be imported for various reasons. The importer can acquire information about their importing items from the authorities, such as whether or not the products are subject to the restriction list of the importing country.

Difference between Prohibited and Restricted Goods

Although the terms "prohibited" and "restricted" may seem to be synonymous, there is, in fact, a significant distinction between the two: prohibited things are never permitted to be sent over the mail, but restricted items may be sent through the mail provided certain conditions are met. When something is prohibited, it signifies that carrying out that activity is not an option. When something is 'restricted,' it implies that it may be done within limited parameters.

Prohibited items shipped from Canada 

The following list contains items cannot be shipped from Canada:

• Beverages containing alcohol
• Animal skins (non-domesticated)
• Antiques with a very high value (i.e., works of art, antiques, precious stones, gold, and silver)
• Dangerous goods/Hazardous materials (following IATA regulations for Express and Expedited, and ADR regulations for the standard)
• Firearms
• Furs
• Remains or parts of either humans or animals
• Illegal items
• Ivory and items made with ivory
• Animals still alive
• Products that perish quickly
• Plants
• Materials intended for pornographic use
• Seeds
• Tobacco and goods made from tobacco

Restricted Goods

These things are allowed to be transported with a few limitations since they are not items cannot be shipped from Canada. They may impose limits on the numbers, the packaging, or even other aspects of the product. In addition, they will need a license or exclusive permission to export the goods to your chosen location.

The following are the restricted goods with Canada shipping restrictions that you need to be aware of:

• Class 3 Flammable Liquids
• Explosives (e.g., airbags, small arms ammo, and model rocket engines)
• Gas that cannot catch fire and is not toxic
• Flammable solids
• Any transaction that the International Traffic governs in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or involves other goods that need import authorization.
• Antiquities, including works of art and relics from archaeological digs
• Biological agents, etiological agents, and hosts and vectors of human diseases
• Corrosive Materials of Class 8
• Class 9 Miscellaneous (e.g., self-inflating life rafts, lithium batteries, and dry ice)
• Flammable gas
• Combustible on its initiative, flammable solids
• Flammable solids that become dangerous when wet
• Oxidizers
• Organic Peroxides
• Toxic Substances (solid or liquid)
• Flowers
• Fresh foodstuffs
• Gems, cut or uncut
• Radioactive materials, in addition to hazardous items and harmful commodities
• Items from around the house and any personal effects
• Batteries that use lithium metal and lithium ions
• Devices Relating to Medicine - It is necessary to confirm that the receiving warehouse satisfies the state's criteria for the distribution of medicines in terms of licensing and permits. Mobile phones, microchips, computer chips, central processing units (CPUs), and microprocessors all fall within this category.
• Articles that are one-of-a-kind and irreplaceable, such as works of art with prices ranging between $250,000 and $500,000, as well as other singular goods with prices starting at $250,000 or more
• Other items that spoil quickly
• Pharmaceuticals
• Precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum in their scrap, dust, sulfide, and residual forms, as well as jewelry and industrial preparations such as silver powder and silver termination paste.
• Project Freight
• Retail outlets selling tobacco goods
• Bringing peace to the firearms and ammunition
• Transportation movements for and on behalf of the United States government, the Department of Defense contracting items, or other governmental agencies, wherever they may be located, need a special license before any transfer.

The particular terms and circumstances under which an item may be sent vary greatly depending on the amount you deliver, the carrier you choose, and other factors. Both UPS and Canada Post have policies prohibiting the shipment of live animals, for example. UPS is willing to transport them "under specific parameters," but Canada Post demands an agreement "before sending" before they would do so. Whether you are preparing to send anything that is forbidden by one carrier, you should check with any other carriers to see if they would take it.

According to the website for Canada Post, the company delivers various items, but to do so, they must first comply with specific prerequisites. Examples of goods subject to regulation include alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis. They recommend how to package anything from live bees to batteries to ensure that your item is delivered without incident.

Conclusion

If you are exporting to a nation, you have never been sent to. You must familiarize yourself with their shipping requirements and also Canada shipping restrictions. According to the dietary, health, safety, and environmental regulations, each nation maintains a list of things not allowed inside its borders.

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