Read Section 2.2:
http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/ma...Gcustoms-e.asp

Basically anything over $20CDN is subject to duties/taxes (with a few exceptions).

Items marked as "Gifts" under $60CDN are exempt; over $60CDN is duty/tax applicable.

If you use USPS, the only people that check are Canada Post, and they dont have the time nor manpower to inspect each package in full detail. That's why a lot of packages slip by without duties/taxes (even though they should get dinged).

Courier companies (UPS, Fedex) will be the broker for the packages they ship by default, so anything that's duty/tax applicable (as per the above criteria) WILL get flagged and processed by these companies. By providing this service, they will charge you their stupid brokerage fees. It's a source of revenue for them, so that's why they're so strict on it. It's totally legit, and they're following the letter of the law to a T for these packages. (You CAN refuse the brokerage fees and advise them that you wish to import it yourself, but there's a lot of paperwork you have to do before they will release the package to you, w/o their brokerage fees).

Technically by asking the US shipper to mark it as Gift or anything other than what it is, is illegal, and many US companies plainly state that they will NOT do that, as they will be committing mail fraud if they do.

If you ask them to declare a lower value than it actually is, then IF the package gets lost, you will only be covered for the amount stated on their customs declaration receipt. So that's a bit of a risk too.

These smaller companies shipping smaller packages dont really care one way or the other. But the larger ones may.

For anyone who lives near the US border, I do suggest you ship larger packages to a post office service right across the border, drive down to pick it up and pay them the $3US per package or whatever, then drive the package back to Canada yourself and take your chances with the Cdn border guards. You save on shipping costs since they will be at the cheaper domestic US rates (so the seller can't Gouge you for shipping to Canada), and you have a 50/50 chance at the border :P

I use this one all the time:
http://www.thelettercarrier.com/services

Just something to think about.

For what it's worth I just got a 48 ultra premium dimmable led kit plus 24 lenses for the xp-gs from rapidled.com. It was sent via USPS and I was apparently one of the unlucky ones and got charged $50 (less than I'd expected) by customs.. Maybe I was just unlucky or maybe the fact I opted for it to be sent insured had something to do with it. Either way, I wasn't having $500 worth of stuff shipping uninsured..

I believe (it wasn't itemized) that what I got charged was GST and PST rather than duty, so I'd have had to pay that even if I had it sent to the states and then picked it up, and then there would've been gas etc..

I personally overnight things if they have to be shipped via UPS or FEDEX if it is a smaller item.
if you overnight it, there are no brokerage fees and often times it is cheaper than shipping normally plus the brokerage fees.
regardless if the item is built in the states or not, you are required to pay the GST and PST of the province you live in...which is what you pay at the door. if there are duties then that is on top of that as well.
the only reason that it if is 20.00 or less it is too much of a hassle to get collect from everyone for such small amounts. In my experience, alot of times as long as the item is under a 100.00, canada post won't collect the GST.
HTH
Neal

I've been looking at this place...
http://www.reefledlights.com/

But it's pretty sad that there's nowhere to get these supplies WITHIN Canada, isn't it? (hint to retailers, maybe?)

I'm sure there is, but at a substantial markup.

For big group buys to get great deals check out below. He's a sponsor on nano-reef.com

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showforum=126

it's www.ledgroupbuy.com

yes, he operates on here as well and I have ordered LEDs from him, but he still orders them from the US. I was just lamenting the fact that I can't buy the product from a Canadian retailer, at least to the best of my knowledge. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I strenuously object to buying them from a US retailer, it's just that it would be less complicated if the were available regionally or even locally.

100% agree. And it would also be nice for that retailer to not take advantage of Canadian customers and gauge the snot out of them. Too many Canadian retailers are doing this.

I thought id bring this back from the dead. Any experiences where to order with in Canada for either Luxeon LEDs or Crees? Or if any one bought fromvendors in the US that didn't get dinged for ubsurd shipping charges?

www.modularled.ca was a vendor here selling stuff...but he seems to be getting out of DIY stuff lately.