Step 1: Confirm certification up front
Before anything else, confirm the equipment can be certified to the marks Canada accepts (CSA, cUL, cETL, ULC, plus AHRI for HVAC performance and CRN or CGA where applicable). Have your engineer of record confirm the required certifications for each item. This is first for a reason: uncertified equipment cannot be energized or approved, so sorting it after the fact is the most expensive mistake you can make.
Step 2: Classify and price the landed cost
Classify each item under the correct HS code, then build the landed cost: unit price plus freight, insurance, duty (Most-Favoured-Nation for goods from China), 5% GST, brokerage, and delivery. Check whether the 25% surtax on certain Chinese-origin steel and aluminum goods applies, since a lot of equipment has steel content, and make sure you have the documentation to support it. A customs broker is worth engaging here.
Step 3: Manufacture and quality control
Select a qualified manufacturer, agree the specification, and build in quality control, ideally a factory inspection before the equipment ships. Catching an issue at the factory is far cheaper than discovering it after an ocean crossing. This is also where you lock the certification and gather the submittal and shop-drawing package.
Step 4: Freight, customs, and delivery
Book ocean freight, clear customs through your broker (paying duty, GST, and any surtax), and arrange last-mile delivery to your site. Tracking each stage keeps your schedule predictable. This is the longest phase, generally the bulk of the 12-to-24-week timeline.
Doing it yourself vs using a sourcing agent
You can manage all of this in-house, but each step, certification, classification, QC, customs, and logistics, is a place where a mistake is costly. A sourcing agent like Kelck runs the whole chain and carries the coordination, so your team stays focused on the build. Certification is verified, your engineer signs off, and the landed cost is locked before you commit.
Sourcing equipment for a Canadian project?
Kelck sources it overseas with certification verified and your engineer of record signing off. Get a free, no-obligation landed-cost estimate on your equipment list.
Get a Free EstimateFrequently asked questions
- Do I need a customs broker to import to Canada?
- For commercial construction equipment, a customs broker is strongly advisable. They confirm the HS classification, calculate duty, GST, and any surtax, and clear the goods through the Canada Border Services Agency. Kelck coordinates this as part of managing the import.
- Can I import equipment that is not certified for Canada?
- You can bring it in, but it cannot be energized or approved until it carries an accepted certification or passes a field evaluation (special inspection) to CSA SPE-1000. Sourcing pre-certified equipment avoids that cost and delay, which is why certification is step one.
- How long does the whole import process take?
- Typically 12 to 24 weeks factory-to-site, depending on whether items are standard or engineered-to-order, plus manufacturing and ocean transit. Express Guarantee is available where schedule is critical.