Can you Buy a new US saw and take it into Canada w/o grief?

[Kodiakmac]

A Buddy who lives south of here right on the border has asked me this question:  If a Canadian crosses into the US, purchases a new chainsaw at a US retailer, can he bring it back into Canada without any kind of grief, other than taxes and import duties?

He went on the Canadian Border Services website and said there is lots of paperwork and red tape for lawn-tractors, but he could find nothing about gas-powered stuff like chainsaws.  Has any Canuck here had recent experience?  

I told him he'd probably have warranty issues, and he would like to support his local businesses, but he says the price difference on the saw he's looking at is so huge that he can't ignore it.

[realzed]

Take an old saw case a scabbard empty across - buy a new saw and take it out at the dealers backlot and run it through a few logs or pallets that they have laying around to test run saws in for repair throw a bit of greasy shop rag gunk of the handle and shove it all into  the case beside an old fuel can brought with you and if questioned tell the border guys you were over for the afternoon to help a friend cut down some old branches on his backyard tree..
No exchange costs or taxes other than the purchase price into USD and laugh all of the way to the bank!
Considering it might now be warrantied verses the chances it would have problems the 33% cost difference in money exchange alone would be worth the risk - if it were me..
But I'm not telling you or especially your buddy anything new - if he lives close to the border anyway, as this is all nothing new to him I'm sure and anyone that close would have a regular stash of USD on hand anyway for a lot of normal living expense purchases naturally! 

[Kodiakmac]

Sounds like a good way for him to lose his new saw and his pickup truck.

[beenthere]

That "trick" cost my son and I a few hours of "wait" time at the Canadian border when we traveled from the state of Washington back to Wisconsin by going up into Canada on the trip. We were bringing my grandson's toy JD pedal tractor that we bought for him 20+ years prior (WA), to give to my great grandson who was 4 years old (WI). Apparently, it was suspected bought in USA to be left in Canada and was new. Finally managed to convince them it wasn't new. 

[Andries]

I've bought plenty of woodworking tools in the USA and brought them home to Canada. From trucks to leaf blowers, no problem.
Most pro level chainsaws are European made, and Canada has better-import export arrangements with those countries than the USA has. 
I have yet to see any so-called deals on Stihl, Husqvarna, or JRed saws in years of cruising tool stores and back-and-forth across the border. 
Besides right now the exchange rate on US to Canadian "metric" bucks is brutal. 
Advice to your buddy – buy the saw, declare it at the border, pay PST and GST, and you're done. The border guards won't care other than you need to pay sales tax. 
Plus, a bonus, no jail time for just a few bucks more.

[donbj]

I can't see a problem bringing a new saw back. Be honest at the border though. It's not worth trying to fool anyone plus it's just wrong. I live close to the border and buy lots of things in the USA. The exchange rate makes one really do the math though as to whether it's worth it at times. Add about 40% to the US price by the time it's across the border. That's not including any duty or taxes.

[Ianab]

Warranty might be an issue, but if close to the border it would be a matter of taking a now "used" saw back to the US, and coming home with a repaired, but still "used" saw. Keep all your receipts and paperwork in case questions are asked. Taking the saw to Canada doesn't invalidate the US warranty, just you probably have to send it back to a US dealer for service. 

[Kodiakmac]

He has done the math (conversion plus taxes/duties) and he isn't worried about any warranty issues.  He just doesn't want to get any grief at the border because of Canadian Environmental standards or because the saw doesn't have bilingual labels or some nonsense like that.

[Andries]

The most strict environmental regulations in North America seem to be in California.
Canada Border Services Agency has never been remotely interested in those details when I've crossed the border. Most of the time, they don't even look in the truck or trailer, they only want to see your paperwork and collect taxes.
Now, here's the exception. 
If I'm travelling with someone who's got a red flag against their passport, then they take great interest interest - as in long delays while they look in every nook and cranny. 

[Hilltop366]

His best bet it to contact customs directly and ask.

I would do it through email if possible and print off the conversation and take it with him.

[Kodiakmac]

That's pretty well what I just told him.  

BTW, he sent me this link for Canucks who wonder about what taxes and duties apply:  Estimate duty and taxes (cbsa-asfc.gc.ca)

Seems to be $0.00 duty for chainsaws regardless of country of origin.

[chet]

Using that calculator and purchasing a $2000 saw and bringing it into Ontario for instance would add $260.

[Al_Smith]

I don't know anything about that.However for about 4 months living in Port Huron Mi. and working in Sarnia Ont .I had to deal with the border patrol on both sides twice a day Some were not very friendly .

[Kodiakmac]

Using that calculator and purchasing a $2000 saw and bringing it into Ontario for instance would add $260.

Exactly.  Which is the tax you'd pay if you purchased it in Ontario too.

[SwampDonkey]

If you have your receipt all you'll pay is the taxes. And the exchange rate at the border is better than any bank will give you. You wont have that 10% exchange fee on top of the exchange rate that Banks started adding on since 2015. Didn't have to pay that with the previous government. We had par or better.

[ehp]

Done tons of saws , If your driving the saw back to Ontario you just got to declare in at the border , they will want to see what you paid for it and be honest on that cause if your price does not look correct you will get held and stuff like of ebay they will just check what you paid for that part or saw . As of right now I do not see any kind of a deal buying a cross the border and the bigger the saw the cheaper the saw is here in Canada