# Canada (CA) **Capital:** Ottawa **Currency:** Canadian Dollar (CAD) (CAD) **Population:** 41,500,000 — Older stored figure; source year not documented. **Area:** 9,984,670 km² > Canada is a resource-rich trading nation with gateways to the Pacific (Vancouver, Prince Rupert), the Atlantic (Halifax) and via the St. Lawrence River (Montreal). Vancouver is the largest port (around 3.5 million TEU). Customs is processed electronically through the CBSA system CARM, mandatory since October 2024. Import GST is 5 percent. Canada is integrated through CUSMA, CETA and CPTPP; for Switzerland the Canada-EFTA agreement (since 2009) is relevant. Canada (CA) stretches from the Pacific to the Atlantic and is a resource-rich trading nation serving as a North American gateway: the Pacific ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert, Halifax on the Atlantic and Montreal on the St. Lawrence River connect world markets with the USMCA internal market. Canada forms the CUSMA free trade area with the US and Mexico; CETA with the EU, CPTPP in the Pacific region and the Canada-EFTA agreement with Switzerland also apply. CBSA customs clearance runs electronically through CARM, Canada's permanent system for customs accounting and duty payment since 1 January 2026. Import GST is 5 percent; several provinces instead levy HST of 13 to 15 percent. The main cargo airports are Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Vancouver (YVR) and Montreal-Trudeau (YUL); the largest port is Vancouver with around 3.5 million TEU. Key corridors are the Windsor–Quebec corridor (Highway 401), the Trans-Canada Highway and the transcontinental rail networks of CN and CPKC with the Asia gateway Prince Rupert–Chicago. Main exports are crude oil and natural gas, grain, timber and metals; the most important trading partners are the US, China and Japan. **Top Import Partners:** US, CN, MX, DE, JP **Top Export Partners:** US, CN, JP, MX, GB **Top Import Goods:** Vehicles, Machinery, Electronics, Mineral oils, Pharmaceuticals **Top Export Goods:** Mineral oils, Vehicles, Wood products, Grain, Metals **Key Airports:** - [Calgary International Airport (YYC)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/calgary-international-airport-yyc) - [Edmonton International Airport (YEG)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/edmonton-international-airport-yeg) - [Halifax / Stanfield International Airport (YHZ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/halifax-stanfield-international-airport-yhz) - [Montreal / Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/montreal-pierre-elliott-trudeau-international-airport-yul) - [Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/ottawa-macdonald-cartier-international-airport-yow) - [Quebec Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/quebec-jean-lesage-international-airport-yqb) - [St. John's International Airport (YYT)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/st-johns-international-airport-yyt) - [Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/toronto-lester-b-pearson-international-airport-yyz) - [Vancouver International Airport (YVR)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/vancouver-international-airport-yvr) - [Winnipeg / James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/winnipeg-james-armstrong-richardson-international-airport-ywg) **Key Seaports:** - [Canaport (St. John) (CA CPT)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/canaport-st-john-port-ca-cpt) - [Halifax (CA HAL)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/halifax-port-ca-hal) - [Montreal (CA MTR)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/montreal-port-ca-mtr) - [Vancouver (CA VAN)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/vancouver-port-ca-van) - [Argentia (CA NWP)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/argentia-port-ca-nwp) - [Hamilton (CA HAM)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/hamilton-port-ca-ham) - [New Westminster (CA NWE)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/new-westminster-port-ca-nwe) - [Pond Inlet (CA PDI)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/pond-inlet-port-ca-pdi) - [Port Hawkesbury (CA PHW)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/port-hawkesbury-port-ca-phw) - [Prince Rupert (CA PRR)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/prince-rupert-port-ca-prr) ## Customs & Import **Import VAT:** Import GST 5 percent (federal tax) on customs value plus duty **Customs complexity:** low to medium **Customs system:** Electronic processing via the CBSA system CARM (mandatory since October 2024). Importers need a CRA Business Number and a CARM Client Portal account; classification under the Canada Customs Tariff. **Customs authority:** [Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)](https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/) ## Logistics & Risk **Logistics role:** Raw materials and trading nation with Pacific and Atlantic gateways (Vancouver, Montreal); close USMCA integration with the USA **Economic area:** USMCA (CUSMA) **Logistics risk:** low **Dangerous goods relevance:** medium **Pharma/cold chain:** medium to high ## FAQ ### Which customs system does Canada use? The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) processes commercial imports through CARM, which has been mandatory since October 2024. Importers need a CRA business number and a CARM Client Portal account. ### What is the import tax (GST) in Canada? Imports are subject to a 5 percent GST on the customs value plus duty. Several provinces instead apply the harmonized HST of 13 to 15 percent. Registered businesses can recover the input tax. ### Does Switzerland benefit from an agreement with Canada? Yes. The Canada-EFTA free trade agreement has been in force since 2009 and covers Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It mainly concerns goods; origin is proven by an origin declaration. ### What are the most important ports in Canada? Vancouver is the largest and most diversified port (around 3.5 million TEU), followed by Montreal on the St. Lawrence River, Prince Rupert (shortest route to Asia) and Halifax as the main Atlantic gateway. ### Which free trade agreements does Canada have? The most important include CUSMA (with the US and Mexico, since 2020), CETA with the EU (since 2017), CPTPP in the Pacific region (since 2018) and the Canada-EFTA agreement with Switzerland. ### What seasonal risks exist in Canadian logistics? In winter, ice and the partial closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway (roughly January to March), as well as snowstorms and cold spells, can delay road, rail and air freight. Labour disputes at the ports may also occur. ## Sources & Last Verified - [https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/](https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/) - [https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/services/carm-gcra/menu-eng.html](https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/services/carm-gcra/menu-eng.html) - [https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/guide-3-eng.html](https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/import/guide-3-eng.html) - [https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/gst-hst-businesses.html](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/gst-hst-businesses.html) - [https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/index.aspx](https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/index.aspx) - [https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/efta-aele/fta-ale/index.aspx](https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/efta-aele/fta-ale/index.aspx) - [https://www.portvancouver.com/](https://www.portvancouver.com/) - [https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/subjects/population_and_demography](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/subjects/population_and_demography) *Last verified: 2026-07-19* --- *Freight Academy — Country Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ca](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ca)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/ca](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/ca)*