Canada Snus Import Calculator

[Snarfblat]

I whipped up a spreadsheet this morning to calculate the Taxes and Duty that are owed on packages of snus entering Canada.

To the best of my knowledge these calculations are correct. Bear in mind that I'm not an import/export lawyer, a math expert, or an Open-Office expert by any means. I've also included links to government forms for reference. Any input by those more familiar with the Canadian import laws would be very much appreciated. Please see the post in this thread about the Gov't and CBSA definition of a "package".

It runs on OpenOffice/LibreOffice Calc, I don't know if it runs on Excel or not.

(Free)
http://www.libreoffice.org/
http://www.openoffice.org/

I think it's pretty straightforward to use.
- You enter your GST/PST/HST rate and Provincial Tobacco tax according to the chart at the bottom
- You enter the number of cans in the package, the weight of each can, the value of the cans and the cost of shipping.
- That's it. The extra columns are there just to compare different orders.

http://www3.telus.net/snarfblat/snus/snus.calc.ods

Here's an example for Alberta:

[lxskllr]

You forgot the random number generator :^D

[Snarfblat]

If I was wrong at work as much as the CBSA is wrong about calculating taxes and duty, I'd be out of a job pretty f'n quick.

[lxskllr]

You should post the spreadsheets here as attachments, or host them somewhere online. I think it would be a useful resource. I could then add them to the USA tax thread sticky. I would give it it's own sticky, but we already have too many.

[Snarfblat]

The file is too big to post here, so here we go:

http://www3.telus.net/snarfblat/snus/snus.calc.ods

[lxskllr]

Thanks. I added it to the USA tax sticky :^)

[Snarfblat]

Thank you. Hopefully somebody with more talent than me can help make improvements. I hope that as Canadian importers get more informed, the less the CBSA is going to screw with us, and if they do we are going to call them on it.

[Snarfblat]

I changed the function to calculate Federal Excise Duty from "INT" to "ROUNDUP". There was a problem when the Total Weight was an exact multiple of 50.

[lxskllr]

Cool. Same url? I'm keeping a copy myself in case it disappears. It's not so useful to me, but it looks good for the Canucks.

[Snarfblat]

Yes I uploaded it to the same URL as before.

I was thinking of maybe adding another sheet kind of like a form letter that you could print off and send to the CBSA for the "readjustment" process. It would just outline what you owe, and what you were charged etc.

Also maybe a checkbox list of Provinces to choose from, so that it would automatically fill in the HST/PST and Tobacco tax. I guess that this might become an ongoing project.

[TommyGunBC]

Good work Snarfblat , I need to know what I should be paying as opposed to what I have been charged so I can send in the forms and hopefully get some $$ back and my badge number on the forms vary 17710,17688,17693

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

... It's not so useful to me, but it looks good for the Canucks.

LOL just like my sig

[Snarfblat]

I have my suspicions about badge number 17693 because the charges that he/she assessed were WAY too high, on two separate packages. I have checked my notes on a previous case, and the same employee comes up AGAIN. A $68 charge for which I was later refunded about $40.

I am curious if the same employee has overcharged you?

[Snarfblat]

Added some notes and Quick Reference

Customs Tariff Classification
2403.99.10.10 - Tobacco - Snuff
Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes (PDF, 105 KB)
(Page 4)
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/trade-com...blmod-eng.html


http://www3.telus.net/snarfblat/snus/snus.calc.ods

[Snarfblat]

I added the piechart out of curiosity. Interesting to see that the value of the snus itself is only about 26% of the total cost to me, and even that has already been marked up and probably taxes paid by the retailer. Unbelievable.