How to Ship To Canada From The US: The Best Business Shipping Options

Neighbors can be great.

They’ve always got that extra cup of sugar you need to finish a recipe or the extra set of hands you need to get a weekend project done. They may even rely on you to help get their kids to school. It’s a kind of symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationship. You each have things the other needs and you’re right next door to each other so it’s super convenient, too.

And if you think about it, that’s like the relationship Canada and the US share. We have a mutual border, and each country has its own customer bases and resources to be shared. And with over $336 million in trade between Canada and its neighbor to the south, understanding how your business can not only reach more customers in North America but get goods in their hands is key to your success.

In this post, we’ll get into the information you need to ship to Canada, as well as give you some tips along the way that can help you avoid delays and extra charges at the border.

Shipping Freight From US to Canada Facts

Before we go any further, it’s essential to understand the significance of shipping freight from US to Canada and vice versa in terms of the economy.

Most commonly, cargo is shipped by truck in North America. This makes trucking an essential part of facilitating trade between Canada and the US. In fact, two-thirds of trade between the two countries is moved by truck. Additionally, over 80 percent of all US exports to Canada are moved by truck.

That’s a truckload of trade if you ask us!

Not only is the sheer volume of freight moved by truck important to both Canadian and US economies, but the amount of jobs derived from the industry supports the growth and development of both countries.

In Canada, there are over 300 000 truck drivers getting freight to customers across the country and continent, and the industry employs over 450 000 as a whole. This results in almost $24 billion in personal income across the country.

Meanwhile, in the US, there are 7.65 million people employed by the industry as a whole, with 3.36 million of those being truck drivers.

All in all, trucking is a vital part of the overall economy and shipping freight between the US and Canada.

How to Ship From US to Canada

If you’ve ever shipped freight before, you know there are plenty of rules, documentation, and requirements to be aware of and each country has a unique agency helping control what comes in and out of the country.

And in order to avoid the fees and holdups associated with incorrectly prepared shipments, you want to make sure that you know how to ship from the US to Canada and from Canada to the US.

Ship From US to Canada

If you’re shipping from US to Canada, you need to know what to expect before your freight even heads out the door.

If you’re shipping into Canada, you will definitely get familiar with the CBSA, or Canadian Border Services Agency. The CBSA ensures that both importers and exporters comply with rules, regulations, and procedures.

Before you ship to Canada, you’re going to want to familiarize yourself with the authorities about importing and exporting.

The first step to getting familiar with the process is understanding the six-step process for importing into Canada, as outlined in the table below.

Table Source

Any good carrier should help you not only understand the import process to Canada, but help you execute the steps, too. They should be able to answer any questions you may have about what you need to do along the way and update you throughout the process.

Here are a few things to know when you ship from US to Canada:

• You may need a Canadian Business Number and register to collect taxes directly if you ship over $30,000 CAD of goods into Canada over a rolling four-quarter period.
• Carrier companies transporting goods to Canada must transmit electronic data relating to cargo and transportation to the CBSA before arrival.
• Check that your carrier is authorized to deliver into or out of Canada.
• At least one hour before a shipment arrives at the border, the CBSA must receive and validate cargo and conveyance information.
• Holidays in Canada differ from those in the United States, so consider what could impact delivery times before planning a shipment.
• Ensure you have the correct documentation, including Canada Customs Invoices (CCIs), for commercial shipments valued over $2,500 Canadian dollars.
• Canadian postal codes use a six-digit alphanumeric pattern (i.e. A1B 2C3).

Keeping up to date with changes to importing and exporting rules and requirements is one way to avoid hold-ups at the border. Ensuring you’re also connected with a transportation provider like Moto can help you avoid hangups and problems when your shipment is crossing the border is on

Ship From Canada to US

There’s plenty to consider when you ship from Canada to US. There are unique rules, requirements, and their own border control authorities to be aware of.

In the US, that authority is the CBP, or United States Customs and Border Protection. US CBP was formed in 2003 to combine the functions of the former Customs Service, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Border Patrol, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

When you ship from Canada to US, or ship from US to Canada, you’ll likely come across the CUSMA or the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. This free trade agreement replaced NAFTA, or the North American Free Trade Agreement, as of 2020. There were a few major changes in the agreement, but mostly just minor increases or decreases. One example includes improving customs and trade facilitation, including raising the minimum value threshold for taxes and duties on lower value express shipments in Canada and Mexico. This means that certain shipments can enter with fewer formalities.

The certification of origin under the CUSMA has no prescribed format, and only requires a set of minimum data elements that indicates that the good is an originating good.

These elements include:

• Identification and address of the certifier
• Exporter
• Producer
• Importer
• Description of the good
• Rule of origin

If you’re unsure what the differences between NAFTA and USMCA are, you can check out the documentation for yourself, or ask your transportation provider to clarify important information.

Popular Ways to Ship From US to Canada

When you’re shipping from the US to Canada, you can get your freight there more than one way. Considering the two countries share the world's longest international land border, at 8,890 km, freight often travels by truck. However, air and sea transportation is undoubtedly possible and utilized by some shippers.

The two most common truck transportation options for shipping from the US to Canada are:

1. LTL, or less than truckload shipping
2. FTL, or full truckload shipping

Both options serve different purposes and customers, but you may encounter both as you ship to Canada or to the US.

LTL

LTL shipping means that you need transportation for more than a parcel-sized load, but not quite a full truckload. It's for smaller shipments that don't require a full dry van or flatbed and typically weigh between 150 and 20000 pounds.

LTL freight is usually consolidated into one flatbed truck or dry van with other freight. Think of it as taking public transit. You may not need to take up the whole bus yourself, so instead, you share the space in order to save money. Then, you ride the bus and get off at your stop. The same goes for LTL freight.

Full Truckload

FTL or truckload refers to a shipment shipped exclusively by one shipper to one destination, usually via dry vans or reefers. This is the opposite of LTL (like we just mentioned), which has multiple shipments from multiple shippers going to various addresses.

Generally, FTL shipments are a better option if you're shipping ten or more pallets or more than 15,000 pounds. But, there are a lot of shipments that you could do either way. In that case, whether you choose FTL or LTL depends on your preferences for speed, security, performance, and cost.

Popular Cross Border Routes

Canada and the US are geographically close neighbours and close trading partners, too. In fact, the US is Canada’s biggest trading partner and Canada is the US’s second-largest trading partner.

And considering much of that trade is executed by dry van and flatbed trucking, you have to think about how those trucks travel to and from the US and Canada. Core routes a transportation company like Moto operates on are often referred to as “lanes”.

A shipping lane could be anything from a short trip between California and British Columbia, or it may be a longer route, such as between Texas and Alberta.

Either way, you can often check out the truck departure schedule your transportation provider has available to determine:

• When you need to have your items ready to ship
• When the truck departs the origin point
• When it can arrive to your customer’s location or destination

Due to things like differing holidays in each country, you will not only want to consider the days of the week your cargo is expected to leave and arrive on but make sure there are no statutory holidays in that window to avoid annoying hold-ups and delays.

Any good transportation provider will likely mention this to you when booking your shipment, but not all shipping companies are equal. At Moto, we have a 98% on-time performance history to back up our claims. Plus, you can check on things as you ship from US to Canada through our tracking portal, or by requesting an update from us manually. Either way, you’ll know where your shipment is, and ensure you have on-time delivery and happy customers when you ship with Moto.

From California to British Columbia

California and British Columbia are two popular shipping points between Canada and the US. Several key departure points, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, route back to BC’s lower mainland area, which generally includes Greater Vancouver.

Most routes between California and British Columbia take about two to three days, depending on which points you are traveling between and if you need expedited shipping or not.

The table below outlines shipment pickup and destination locations and typical departure and delivery days Moto offers.

Source

From Texas to British Columbia

Between Canada and the US, Texas and British Columbia are popular shipping points. These shipments depart from several key points, including Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Laredo, and enter Canada through Greater Vancouver.

Depending on which points you are travelling between, and whether you need expedited shipping or not, most routes between Texas and British Columbia take about three to four days.

Moto offers shipment pickup and destination locations as well as typical delivery and departure dates in the table below.

Source

From Texas to Alberta

Canada and the United States ship a lot of goods through Texas and Alberta. Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Laredo are three of the most popular departure points. The province's largest city is Calgary, making it a popular destination for many US shipments.

Generally, it takes between two and three days to travel from Texas to Alberta, depending on which points you are travelling between and whether you need expedited shipping.

Below is a breakdown of Moto's pickup and delivery locations, as well as its typical departure and delivery days.

Source

From California to Alberta

California and Alberta are two popular US-Canadian shipping points. On this route, there are two key departure points: Los Angeles and San Diego. Many shipments are bound for Calgary on this route.

California to Alberta shipping typically takes two to three days, depending on where you are traveling from and whether you need expedited shipping.

This table details pickup and delivery locations as well as the typical departure and delivery days Moto offers.

Source

QA About Shipping from US to Canada

Smart people ask questions, and when you need answers to your shipping questions, Moto has the information you need.

We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about how to ship to Canada — just get in contact with us, and check out the most commonly asked questions about shipping from US to Canada below.

Is There a US to Canada Shipping Calculator?

You can definitely calculate shipping from US to Canada using our handy online quote request.

We ask you to provide us with:

1. Equipment requested (dry van, flatbed)
2. Size (less than truckload or full truckload)
3. Origin
4. Destination
5. Order contents information (commodity type, pallet or piece count, dimensions)
6. Accessorial choices and additional services requested

If you are shipping LTL, or less than truckload, you will need to calculate your freight density in addition so you can get a better idea of your shipment’s true size before requesting a quote. Not sure how the heck freight class works? We’re happy to help you get your measurements right. Just give us a call with your NMFC number, and we will assist you.

What Is the Cheapest Way to Ship From US to Canada?

The cheapest way to ship from US to Canada depends on what you are shipping, and how fast you need it to get there.

Sometimes, an item can be incredibly expensive to ship due to its density and freight class. Other times, you need to get your item there fast and need expedited shipping. This can also be costly.

Here are a few rules of thumb to keep in mind when you ship to Canada:

• Delays at the border can be avoided by ensuring your shipment is prepared correctly, and your provider submits the appropriate paperwork on time. This can end up costing you simply due to unexpected fees and delays.
• Using LTL can save you money as you share a full truckload with other shippers. It does, however, take a bit longer to get cargo to its destination.
• Air travel is typically the most expensive form of transportation for your cargo. Avoid sending things by air unless absolutely necessary if you need to save money on your shipments.
• Sea travel can save you money as well, but it takes a significant amount of time to get freight to its final destination and can be more cumbersome than necessary when you are shipping within North America.

What Documents Are Required to Ship to Canada?

When you ship to Canada there are several important rules to be aware of, including which documentation is required for entry into the country.

The following four documents must be included with every shipment to Canada:

1. Canada Customs Invoice, or a Commercial Invoice
2. Bill of Lading
3. Manifest or Cargo Control Document
4. Shipper’s Export Declaration

How Long Does It Take to Ship From US to Canada?

How long it takes to ship from US to Canada depends on where your freight is originating and where it is headed.

For example, if you are shipping from California to Alberta, it can take as little as two days to arrive. However, if you were shipping from Texas to Alberta, it could take three to four days by truck due to the increased physical distance.

You can always consult our transportation schedule to see approximately how long it would take your shipment to arrive at its destination.

Get Started With the Best US to Canada Shipping Company

Now you know exactly what to do when it’s time for your business to ship from US to Canada.

You know it takes a solid understanding of the rules and regulations regarding shipping. You also know it can be a complex, complicated process to get shipments over the border. That’s why you need a shipping partner you can trust on your side.

At Moto, we pride ourselves on holding core values that guide our daily operations:

• You won't find us telling lies, making empty promises, or hiding behind empty words
• Our team is constantly learning and our business is based on innovation, as well as being emotionally intelligent when we're dealing with partners and customers
• Our team takes responsibility and follows through.

So when you choose to work with us, you get a partner in transportation that you can trust to get your stuff where it needs to go, on time and damage-free.

Get your ship together, and give us a call before you decide to ship from US to Canada.