What it costs to import a transformer to Canada

Landed cost, not the factory price

A transformer's factory price is only part of the story. What you actually pay is the landed cost: the unit price plus international freight and insurance, import duty, GST, customs brokerage, and delivery to site. Transformers are heavy, so freight is a meaningful line, and comparing a factory quote to a domestic delivered price without landing it first is comparing two different numbers.

Duty and GST on transformers

Transformers fall under Chapter 85 of Canada's customs tariff. Because China has no free trade agreement with Canada, imports are charged at the Most-Favoured-Nation rate, which for much of Chapter 85 is low, commonly in the 0 to a few percent range depending on the exact classification. On top of any duty, 5% GST applies to the landed value, and for a registered business that GST is generally recoverable as an input tax credit.

The exact duty depends on the specific 10-digit HS code for the transformer type, so a customs broker confirming the classification is worth it.

The steel and aluminum surtax (watch this one)

This is where transformer landed costs can surprise you. In addition to normal duty, Canada applies a 25% surtax on certain goods containing Chinese-origin steel and aluminum, extended to certain steel derivative goods as of December 26, 2025. Transformers contain steel cores and enclosures, and often aluminum windings, so depending on classification and content they can fall within scope.

The deciding factor is documentation. Correctly establishing the steel and aluminum content and origin (with evidence such as mill test certificates, not just a commercial invoice) determines whether the surtax applies. Getting this wrong is where a landed-cost estimate blows up after the unit has shipped.

Why certainty is the point

Overseas sourcing only makes sense if you can trust the final number. Kelck classifies each unit, flags anything that could attract the surtax, and coordinates the documentation up front, so the landed cost you are quoted is the landed cost you pay. Our estimate and quote break it down line by line so you can compare it honestly to your domestic option.