There is a way to be let off Canada’s counter-tariffs. It is narrow, it is slow, and almost nobody qualifies — but if you are one of the few who does, nothing else on this site will save you more money.
Open now. Canada’s counter-tariffs came into force on 8 September 2026, and the Department of Finance is accepting remission requests against them. There is no application deadline and no queue number — but there is also no guarantee, and the bar is deliberately high.
Remission is not a form you file with the border. It is a request to the Government of Canada to relieve you of a surtax you would otherwise legally owe. The Minister of Finance recommends it; the Governor in Council grants it by Order in Council. That is the same instrument used to make the tariff in the first place — which tells you how seriously it is treated.
Who can apply
Companies registered in Canada. That is the only hard gate, and it is worth saying plainly because a lot of people assume you must be a large importer of record. You do not. If you are a Canadian-registered business paying the surtax, directly or through your supplier, you can make the request.
The two grounds — and they are the whole test
Ground one
You cannot get it anywhere else.
The input cannot reasonably be sourced from a Canadian supplier or from any other non-US country. Not “cheaper in the US.” Not “our supplier is American.” Genuinely unavailable elsewhere.
Ground two
Exceptional and severe harm.
Rare, case-by-case circumstances where the surtax would cause severe adverse impacts. Finance is explicit that this is an exception, not a hardship discount.
The government’s own language is that relief must be justified by circumstances compelling enough to outweigh the reason the tariff exists. The tariff exists to create pressure. Your application has to show that in your specific case the pressure lands somewhere it was never meant to.
What you have to send
This is where most attempts fall over. It is a documentary exercise, not a letter.
Who you are
Your 15-digit business number, corporate structure, locations and employee count.
What the good is
A precise description and the 8-digit tariff classification. Get this wrong and the request is about a different product than the one you buy.
What you import
Volumes, values and customs documentation. Actual entries, not estimates.
Proof you tried
Evidence you cannot source it in Canada or outside the US — quotes you chased, suppliers who said no, contracts that lock you in.
What it does to you
Impact on employment, production and your Canadian competitors. Manufacturing cost breakdown if you make something.
Consent
You must agree that non-confidential parts can be shared with domestic producers — who may well argue against you.
That last one surprises people. If a Canadian company says it can supply what you say is unavailable, your ground-one case is finished.
Where it goes
Email your request to:
remissions-remises@fin.gc.ca
Subject line: U.S. Remission
The Department of Finance assesses it, consults other federal departments where relevant, and if it agrees, the Minister recommends it onward. There is no published service standard, so plan on months rather than weeks, and do not build the relief into your pricing until it is granted.
Remission is not the only door — and usually not the right one
Three different programs get confused constantly, because they all end with you paying less. They are not alternatives to each other; they answer different questions.
| Programme | What it does | Who it actually suits |
|---|---|---|
| Remission | Relieves you of the surtax by Order in Council, in exceptional cases. | A business whose critical input genuinely does not exist outside the United States. |
| Duties Relief Program | Lets you import without paying duty in the first place, provided the goods are eventually exported. | Importers who bring things in, do something to them, and send them back out. |
| Duty Drawback | Refunds duty you already paid, after the goods are exported. | The same businesses, after the fact — useful if you did not set up relief in advance. |
If your goods leave Canada again, drawback and duties relief are ordinary programs with ordinary processes, and they are a far better use of your time than a remission request. Remission is for the case where the goods stay here and there is no substitute anywhere on earth.
Be honest with yourself first
You probably do not qualify. That is not pessimism, it is the design. Most Canadian businesses paying more this month are paying more because their supplier is American and switching is expensive and slow — which is precisely the behaviour the tariff is meant to change.
But some of you do. Specialised equipment with one manufacturer. A regulated input approved only from a US source. A component with a two-year requalification cycle. If that is you, the effort is worth it, and the evidence file is the whole game.
Where we fit
We are a software studio, not a customs brokerage, and we will not file this for you. What we do is the part that comes first and that most businesses cannot do quickly: work out which of your inputs are actually captured, at what rate, under which classification — and whether a substitute exists outside the United States. That answer is what tells you whether a remission request is worth writing at all, and it is the same evidence you would need to write one.
Start with a tariff audit → · Or see the funding programs you may already qualify for →
And if remission turns out not to be your door — which for most businesses it is not — these are the two to try first: how to apply for the Regional Tariff Response Initiative · how to apply for BDC Pivot to Grow
Questions people actually ask
Is there a deadline to apply for remission?
No deadline has been published. The process is open-ended, which also means there is no queue position to protect — a well-evidenced request filed later beats a thin one filed today.
Do I get back the surtax I have already paid?
Remission can cover amounts already paid, but only if the Order in Council granting it says so. Do not assume retroactivity; keep every entry document so the claim can be made if it is available.
Can my customs broker file it for me?
A broker or trade lawyer can prepare and submit the request, and for anything complex that is money well spent. The evidence still has to come from your business.
Does a CUSMA claim help here?
No. CUSMA preference does not exempt goods captured by these measures, which is the single most misunderstood point of the whole episode.
Will applying flag my business for scrutiny?
It puts your import records in front of the Department of Finance, and non-confidential portions may be shared with Canadian producers. If your customs classifications are untidy, tidy them before you apply, not after.
What if my supplier pays the surtax, not me?
Then the importer of record is the one who can apply. Your leverage is commercial rather than administrative — but knowing the exact classification and rate is what makes that conversation with your supplier a negotiation instead of a shrug.
InfiniteUp is a four-person software studio in Nanaimo, BC. 40+ apps shipped, 60,000+ installs, 117 countries. See our work.
We do not administer the remission process and we take nothing from it. Details summarized from the Department of Finance Canada’s published process for requesting remission of tariffs on certain goods from the US. This is operational guidance from a software studio, not legal, customs, or tax advice — confirm classification and eligibility with a licensed customs broker or trade counsel. Last reviewed 10 September 2026.