I have a question, does anybody know what the tobacco tax is now for ordering nasal snuff to Calgary, AB? My most recent order from Mrsnuff came to $100 dollars (before shipping) When Canada post received the order, I was charged $254 dollars for tax!?!?!?!? That would lead me to believe that tax is 2.5x now. A few years ago when I was a regular snuff user, if I got taxed (Which was rarely) It was only around 50% that I was charged in taxes’ and duty. I’m very confused with this. I wish I kept the wrapper but I didn’t think it was possible to dispute and I also didn’t want to go through the hassle of disputing this. Someone please help!
I think I got hosed… I’m really hoping someone can help me out with this.
I’m in Ontario and I have never had to pay duties on snuff and that sounds outrageous! You should have refused the package and got Mr. Snuff to resend it and hopefully it would have slipped by customs the second time around, they don’t have the man power to check every package that comes their way.
1 Like
Is this even an option?? All I know is the money I spent was ludicrous… I have tried searching tobacco tax laws in Alberta with no luck. It is on the Government website somewhere I’m sure but I could not find it, it only talks about how to dispute wrongful charges. I have two more orders coming form Mr Snuff so we’ll see what happens. But this next order (Value is $60) If I have to pay $120 for taxes I’m going to kick something…
Of course you have the right to refuse the package and they return it to the sender, customs can’t force you to pay for a package you don’t want. In fact Roderick from Toque has on several different threads told us Canadians if we get busted by customs to refuse the package and he would ship it back to us when it returns to him, I have no doubt Mr. Snuff would do the same just send him an email when you refuse the package so he knows to ship it back
1 Like
As a repeated victim of exorbitant customs assessments, I can offer you my sympathy and a few other tidbits. 1. You can refuse the package, as stated above. 2. You can ask for a re-assessment. There is a form that needs to be filled out. The package is sent back to a CBSA office. Most post offices don’t seem to have the forms. I managed to find it online - on a snus forum. Don’t have it now. 3. You can try smaller packages - they SOMETIMES ignore stuff below $50. Of course that increases shipping costs. The CBSA is a branch of Revenue Canada - they are really just tax collectors. So, their main mandate is actually revenue generation. They LOVE taxing tobacco. Some tricks that they use: - they will tax based on package weight rather than tobacco weight. - they somehow use the wrong excise codes, which always have a HIGHER rate than the actual tobacco excise. - they just make up numbers (yes, this happens often - ask some of the Canadian snus importers). I have managed to do one re-assessment. They came back about 20% lower, but still completely incorrect (it was still about double my own calculations). As for the tax rate, I haven’t recalculated it yet (it was raised in this years Fed budget). Previously, it worked out to around $140-170 / pound on tobacco (provincial and federal taxes, then there is also GST/HST/PST and assessment fees), depending on province. While the provincial rates are different, in the end the tax is surprisingly similar across the country. BC had a rate around $150/pound when I last calc’d it (not current). Alberta wasn’t much lower - as I recall about $145. That is supposedly just for tobacco itself - then there are the taxes on the “value” of the package. And as I suggested, they sometimes include the weight of the tin, packaging etc. You can find the provincial tax rate by searching the provincial gov. law site for the provincial tobacco control act - it will include the provincial tobacco tax rate and calculations. Then, you have to look at the Fed. gov CRA site to find the Federal tobacco tax rate and basis. For the OP as an Albertan, he might be surprised to learn that in addition to the high taxes, Alberta has made possession of >1000g of tobacco (even if all taxes are paid, and regardless of whether that is processed or raw tobacco) to be illegal, subject to 6 months in prison and a $10,000 fine. Even BC isn’t as draconian. My theory is this is there to make growing tobacco in Alberta illegal, but anyway…I know a bunch of Alberta pipe smokers who are unknowing criminals thanks to years of collection.
https://snuffhouse.vanillaforums.com/discussion/7333/canada-ontario https://snuffhouse.vanillaforums.com/discussion/5334/ordering-snuff-to-canada
You know I wanted to move to Canada. Now, not so much.
I would have to do completely illegal things like smuggle in tobacco.
Hmmm, try living in Australia. New tax rate of $508.01 per kilo on tobbacco. Thats $25.40 tax on a 50 gram pouch of pipe or rollie tobacco and then you have the cost of making it and retail. Oh and then add GST on top. I import everything but i noticed the other day that a tin of pipe tobac was retailing for $52 dollars. Bloody mad! Glad they dont yet tax snuff in the post (bet that changes soon). This is why i stocked up in recent years to get 30 years worth at present consumption. Bloody theiving Gov.
Oh, and i hear it’s even higher in New Zealand. Any kiwi’s on the board care to chime in?
I fear Australia but, would like to visit. I think 76 degrees Fahrenheit is too hot so I would think living in Australia would be out of the question or, require tons of bitching about the heat and, constant fear of spider eating me while I sleep.
In Poland there is no excise tax on nasal snuff. 
Yet.
I find that ordering around 150g works best for me and most orders slip by (Ontario). More that that increases the chances that your parcel will be inspected, less than that and the $9.95 fee for inspection makes it not worth it.
Wow, thank you so much for the fantastic information! I am surprised how active this forum is. I’m very glad to have found you guys!!
I just refused a parcel of snus from Mr. Snuff costed me $28. They charged $98 in tax. I have two orders of snuff coming I hope not the same result. I’m located in Alberta total shite.
Luckily here in the US, at least in my state, I pay no tax on snuff. It actually shows tax on the screen until I press “next” or whatever, then on the next page it disappears. Makes the use of snuff all the better. I feel so sorry for Australians and those in similar situations that have absolutely bonkers taxes on tobacco. Really sucks that nasal snuff gets lumped in with smoking and dipping, which is way more unsafe.
2 Likes