Canada has issued relief of Surtax (USA/Canada Trade War Tariff) for goods imported from the U.S. that are used in Canadian manufacturing, processing, food and beverage packaging, and for those used to support public health, health care, public safety, and national security objectives.
The relief, provided by Order-in-Council 2025-0466, provides immediate relief to a broad cross-section of Canadian businesses that must rely on US inputs to support their competitiveness, as well as to entities integral to Canadians’ health and safety, such as hospitals, long-term care facilities and fire departments. The remission is provided on a time-limited basis to provide businesses and entities with additional time to adjust their supply chains, and prioritize domestic sources of supply, if available, and is retroactive to March 4, 2025.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will be administering the claims for remission of tariffs pursuant to the Remission Order. The process for obtaining relief under the Remission Order can be found in the “How to apply” section of the Customs Notice. However, there is no pre-approval required, provided the goods you are importing meet the conditions outlined in the Order.
Regarding the pre-existing remissions framework, a company’s individual remission request will continue to be assessed on a priority basis whether you benefit from this Remission Order or not (i.e. to determine if longer term or more tailored relief is warranted for your company or the goods you import). It is, therefore, important that companies continue to correspond with Department of Finance officials to ensure remission requests are properly substantiated and can be assessed in a timely manner.
Remissions under the United States Remission Order (2025) and assessments as per the remission framework outlined by the Government can be considered separately.
Remission has been provided in the following instances until October 16, 2025:
- Remission — public health, public safety and national security
- Remission — health care
- Remission — manufacture, processing or packaging
- Remission — goods referred to in schedule (refer to limited HS tariff classification list)
Conditions
Remission is granted on the following conditions:
- the good is imported into Canada before October 16, 2025;
- no other claim for relief of the surtax has been granted under the Customs Tariff in respect of the good; and
- the importer makes a claim for remission to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness within two years
after the date of importation.
Clients of Universal Logistics are requested to reach out to your Client Relations Representative to advise if any of the above conditions pertain to your imports so we may take advantage of the relief at time of import.
For more information, contact Brian Rowe, Director – Customs Compliance & Regulatory Affairs.
