Canadians- Bringing toolboxes over the border??

[green manalishi]

In hunting for a new toolbox for my garage (something in the 61-72" range) I have noticed that stores like home depot here dont have stock, but the home depot's that are stateside have plenty, as well as boxes we dont even have offered here..and for cheaper, even with the dollar conversion! I am about 1.5 hours from the border and am now thinking the drive might be worth it with my truck since the border is opened up, but I am wondering if our border will tax me to death. Was thinking I could maybe say I bought it second hand new in box, but not sure it will fly.

Just wondering if anyone else has contemplated and done this. Specifically Husky brand boxes, there are quite a few models available stateside that we arent even offered here, and of course good ole u.s. general stuff.

 

[Ton ton]

Where in Canada are you located?

 

[Ton ton]

The reason I ask is because if you are close to Millbank Country Hardware, you have far superior toolboxes available versus the sketchy boxes you mentioned are available at Lousy Harbor freight.

 

[green manalishi]

The reason I ask is because if you are close to Millbank Country Hardware, you have far superior toolboxes available versus the sketchy boxes you mentioned are available at Lousy Harbor freight.

Near Toronto. Never heard of Millbank before.

 

[Professional Tool User]

Usually Canadian customs just makes you pay sales tax on top of whatever the total amount is on your receipt if they pull you over for secondary inspection unless we're talking about liquor and tobacco. It also depends on how the busy border crossing is and how good you are at bluffing your way through. If they have the extra time to search and tax you, they will. Nine times out of ten my dad gets away with under declaring the value of the goods he is bringing home.

 

[AldeanFan]

If you lie to customs and get caught you can be in a bunch of trouble and they’ll put you in the computer so you are guaranteed to get inspected every time you cross the border in the future.

Just declare it and pay the tax and any duty.

 

[ForrestT]

Take some tools with you in cardboard boxes. Go get your new box. Ditch the tool box card board and boxes after you load some tools in it and tell them you were helping a friend on a project and brought your tools!

 

[K13]

Take some tools with you in cardboard boxes. Go get your new box. Ditch the tool box card board and boxes after you load some tools in it and tell them you were helping a friend on a project and brought

Good luck crossing a border with a bunch of tools. They will 100% assume you are going to work illegally and when you have no proof that you are not you will not be crossing the border again for a long time.

 

[The Cobbler]

my experience with the border, be honest. sure, you can BS many times, and the one time you get caught, you're branded . not worth it for a few bucks in tax.

 

[lilredex]

After 48Hr you are allowed $800 duty free.........why chance it. Sleep in your truck if you don't use a hotel.

What you can bring to Canada - Travel.gc.ca

Government of Canada's official one-stop-shop for comprehensive international travel information.

travel.gc.ca

 

[RTM]

Or be a tourist. Friend picked up a high end sink in the Toronto area, and spent two nights with a friend talking tools and crafts, killed two stones with one bird.

 

[Ton ton]

Millbank hardware has something like 6 delivery vans . I'm pretty sure you live within the delivery radius. You get free delivery if you buy more than $50 worth of stuff. Plus you're supporting fellow Canadians. It's like 30,000 SQ. Ft. Store.

 

[AldeanFan]

We often make weekend trips just to get the personal exemption and bring things across the border legally.

When I was restoring my ‘54 wagon my wife and I would spend a weekend in New York State and then we’re entitled to $800 each. Often the savings in shipping to Canada and lower prices from US sellers covered the cost of our two day holiday.

 

[lardy1]

Rousseau makes some mighty fine tool boxes in Canada. They ain't Harbor Freight priced though. Maybe with the customs difference it would get closer.

 

[M635_Guy]

The reason I ask is because if you are close to Millbank Country Hardware, you have far superior toolboxes available versus the sketchy boxes you mentioned are available at Lousy Home Depot.

ftfy

 

[Ton ton]

ftfy

Thank you.

 

[RPH]

Good luck crossing a border with a bunch of tools. They will 100% assume you are going to work illegally and when you have no proof that you are not you will not be crossing the border again for a long time.

Not true. Being in Detroit and having a multitude of machines across Canada I did this with and with out working paperwork. I would be questioned, I did visit immigration often but I was always let in. I might sit for a hours while they figure it out. My job was completed just by being patient with them. They have a job to do. Let them do it.
I done it all ways possible, with paperwork, without, driving, flying, sitting at customs warehouse waiting on broker.
They still ask if you have been refused entry, only once on paperwork issue. Why you come over so often, why you have working papers but not now. Tools are for car repair. They don’t argue it and it’s allowed.

 

[rancherbill]

I have had similar thoughts.

My fantasy was to go to Montana for a break. I'd take a few hand tools with me. I'd go to harbor Freight and buy a trailer, toolbox and other ****. I'd put it together in the parking lot and drive home. I'd sell the trailer when I got home.

Toolboxes and trailer are cheap at HF and with coupons and ****, I was sure the toolbox would be really cheap after profiting from the trailer sale.

 

[GaryM909]

My wife and I used to head down to the states for weekend shopping sprees back when the dollar was par. Now if you factor the exchange rate, price of fuel, fuel and hotels it's absolutely not worth it.

 

[Garcky]

Near Toronto. Never heard of Millbank before.

Looks like it's only about 140 km from Toronto. Drive a couple of hours and save all the hassle, eh?

millbank country hardware to toronto - Google Search

 

[K13]

Not true. Being in Detroit and having a multitude of machines across Canada I did this with and with out working paperwork. I would be questioned, I did visit immigration often but I was always let in. I might sit for a hours while they figure it out. My job was completed just by being patient with them. They have a job to do. Let them do it.
I done it all ways possible, with paperwork, without, driving, flying, sitting at customs warehouse waiting on broker.
They still ask if you have been refused entry, only once on paperwork issue. Why you come over so often, why you have working papers but not now. Tools are for car repair. They don’t argue it and it’s allowed.

I didnt say you cant cross the border to work I said if you dont have a verifyable job they are not letting you through.. You had an actual job you could prove you were going to and they were still hauling you into immigration. They are not letting some dude across the border saying he is going to "fix a buddy's stuff" with boxes full of tools. The reason you sat for hours was so they could verify your story. When you are lying there is nothing to verify.

 

[u2slow]

Watch for any state sales tax. Normally you can't claim it back. But if you have it delivered to the border (perhaps free due to purchase price) you may be exempted, and only have to pay Canadian taxes.

Also check if the 48hr visit personal exemption amount would be pro-rated against a single item that exceeded the exempt amount. I know it didn't used to be.

 

[RPH]

I didnt say you cant cross the border to work I said if you dont have a verifyable job they are not letting you through.. You had an actual job you could prove you were going to and they were still hauling you into immigration. They are not letting some dude across the border saying he is going to "fix a buddy's stuff" with boxes full of tools. The reason you sat for hours was so they could verify your story. When you are lying there is nothing to verify.

And yet my tools travel with me on vacation. No questions but once again having prior work papers means a trip to immigration. After questions I’m on my way. Also I didn’t always have paperwork. It is depended on the agent at the border. Both ways by the way..

 

[AldeanFan]

Customs has quite a lot of discretion when it comes to what and who they will allow across the border.

A lawyer I know who works in Niagara falls Canada told US customs he was meeting a Canadian client to spend the day playing golf and having lunch in New York State. The customs officer would not allow him to enter the US because he said that qualified as “working” and he didn’t have a work permit.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

If you’re going to take tools or car parts across the border, have your ipad with you, with several pictures of your project cars(s) to show a relationship.