What you can bring into Canada
For Canadian Citizens returning to Canada:
At Consumers, we understand that our proximity to Canada allows a lot of great deals to be had, especially on beer! This however, poses some questions regarding limits and regulations on returning to Canada with beer you have purchased from us. Below are a few guidelines on returning to Canada:
*Note that there are no personal exemptions for stays of less than 24 hours.
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products may be included in your 48-hour or seven-day exemption, provided you are of legal age, but certain restrictions apply.
Only one of the following amounts of alcoholic beverages may be imported free of duty and taxes (when stays are more than 48 hours):
1.14 L (40 oz.) of liquor;
or 1.5 L (52.7 oz.) of wine;
or 24 X 355 ml (8.5 L) containers of beer.
You must be of legal age in the province of importation.
For U.S. Citizens entering Canada:
Visitors arriving in Ontario may import, duty and tax free, for personal use, the following items:
1.14 L (40 oz.) of liquor;
or 1.5 L (52.7 oz.) of wine;
or 24 X 355 ml (24 – 12oz. bottles) containers of beer.
You must be of legal age in the province of importation.
Visitors can import more alcoholic beverages (up to 45 litres or 11.9 U.S. gallons), if they are willing to pay the Ontario fees and taxes in addition to the duties that apply.
Frequently asked questions:
Can I bring any beer back into Canada without paying duty?
Yes! As long as your stay outside of Canada is 48 hours or more, each of age individual is given a personal exemption of 1 case (24 – 12oz. bottles) that they are allowed to return with, duty free.
Does the personal exemption apply to stays of 48 hours or 2 days?
Your 48 hour time period starts from the moment you enter the U.S.
For example: If you leave at 6PM on a Friday night and return at 2PM on a Sunday afternoon, though you were gone for 2 nights, this would not qualify for the 48 hour personal exemption. You need to be gone from the country for a full 48 hours to qualify.
What if my stay outside of the country is less than 48 hours?
Stays of less than 48 hours do not qualify for a personal exemption, and therefore you can expect to pay duty on all beer you are bringing back into Canada.
How much duty can I reasonably expect to pay on a $30 case (24 – 12oz. bottles) of beer?
Based on the current day’s exchange rate, you can expect to pay roughly $10-15 per $30 case of beer.
Does Consumer’s carry beer I cannot find at my local Beer Store or LCBO?
Yes! We carry hundreds of brands of beer from across the globe including an extensive selection of US craft beer, imports and domestics alike. Check out our current ad for a small sampling of our every day prices.