Customs Brokerage & Clearance
Fort Erie Office
Garden City Customs Services Inc. is a licensed Canadian customs broker with an office in Fort Erie, Ontario, supporting commercial importers moving goods between the United States and Canada through the Peace Bridge and ports of entry across the country.
Our Fort Erie customs brokerage team helps businesses manage commercial customs clearance, PARS processing, CARM requirements, Release Prior to Payment, tariff classification, duties and taxes, CBSA release, and import compliance.
70 Princess St
Fort Erie, Ontario L2A 1V9
Phone: 888-481-2048
Serving Canadian importers since 1981.
Businesses moving goods through Fort Erie can speak directly with our customs brokerage team before their shipment reaches the border.
Customs Brokerage Near the Peace Bridge
Fort Erie sits directly across the Niagara River from Buffalo, New York and is home to the Canadian side of the Peace Bridge.
The Peace Bridge is a major Canada–United States international crossing and an important commercial route for truck freight moving between New York State, Ontario, and the broader Canadian market.
For commercial importers, having an experienced customs brokerage operation in Fort Erie provides local support within one of Canada's most important cross-border trade corridors.
Garden City's Fort Erie operation supports businesses moving:
- Commercial truck freight
- Recurring U.S.–Canada shipments
- Manufacturing inputs
- Machinery and equipment
- Retail and wholesale merchandise
- Automotive products
- Commercial vehicles
- Low Value Shipments
- Time-sensitive freight
- Specialized commercial imports
Our physical Fort Erie presence is particularly useful for businesses using the Peace Bridge, but Garden City is not limited to Fort Erie clearance.
Canadian customs brokers now operate under a national licensing model, allowing a licensed customs broker to transact customs business at commercial customs offices across Canada.
That means a business can work with our Fort Erie customs brokerage team even when its shipments enter through another Canadian port.
Learn more about our Canada-wide customs brokerage services.
Commercial Customs Clearance in Fort Erie
Commercial customs clearance involves more than sending an invoice to a broker when the truck reaches the border.
A properly prepared shipment can involve importer setup, carrier information, commercial documentation, tariff classification, customs valuation, country of origin, duties and taxes, regulatory requirements, and electronic release information.
Garden City supports businesses through each stage of that process.
PARS and Highway Freight Clearance
The Pre-Arrival Review System, commonly known as PARS, is widely used for commercial highway shipments entering Canada.
Shipment information can be submitted to CBSA before the truck reaches the Peace Bridge, allowing the customs transaction to be reviewed in advance.
For a typical highway shipment, the customs broker may require information such as:
- Commercial invoice
- Importer information
- Seller or exporter information
- Product descriptions
- Quantity
- Country of origin
- Shipment value
- Currency
- Carrier information
- Cargo Control Number
- Applicable permits or certificates
Submitting complete documentation before arrival gives the customs broker more opportunity to identify problems before the truck reaches Fort Erie.
Our guide to How CBSA Release Processing Works in Canada explains how pre-arrival processing, arrival status, release decisions, referrals, and examinations fit together.
CARM and Importer Setup
Commercial importers also need the appropriate account structure within the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management system, commonly known as CARM.
Businesses working with Garden City may need to establish or confirm:
- Business Number
- RM import-export program account
- CARM Client Portal access
- Broker delegation
- Release Prior to Payment status
- Financial security where required
- Account and payment arrangements
Registering a business and appointing a customs broker are separate steps.
If your company has not yet completed its importer setup, start with our guide to How to Register for CARM in Canada.
Businesses using release-before-payment privileges should also understand Release Prior to Payment in Canada.
Tariff Classification, Origin and Duties
Before a commercial customs declaration can be completed accurately, imported goods must be properly identified.
The applicable customs treatment can depend on:
- Product description
- HS tariff classification
- Country of origin
- Customs value
- Tariff treatment
- Trade agreement eligibility
- Surtaxes
- Anti-dumping or countervailing measures
- Other government requirements
The Canadian tariff classification can directly affect duty rates and import requirements.
Recurring importers should therefore avoid relying automatically on a supplier's foreign HS code.
Our guide to HS Codes & Tariff Classification in Canada explains how Canadian tariff classifications work.
Businesses estimating landed cost can also review Import Duties, Taxes & GST in Canada.
Peace Bridge Customs Delays and Shipment Problems
Even routine commercial freight can be delayed when information is missing or inconsistent.
Common issues can include:
- Incomplete commercial invoices
- Vague product descriptions
- Incorrect tariff classifications
- Missing permits
- Importer-account problems
- CARM or RPP issues
- Incorrect cargo information
- Valuation questions
- Country-of-origin concerns
- Regulatory requirements
- CBSA examination referrals
Accurate preparation cannot guarantee that a shipment will never be examined or referred by CBSA.
It can, however, reduce avoidable delays caused by incomplete or inaccurate information.
Read Common Reasons Shipments Are Held at Canadian Customs for a more detailed explanation.
Commercial Vehicle Imports Through Fort Erie
Fort Erie is also a logical entry point for vehicles moving from the United States into Ontario.
Garden City provides customs brokerage support for commercial vehicle imports and select vehicle-import transactions requiring professional customs assistance.
Vehicle imports may involve:
- Vehicle admissibility
- U.S. export documentation
- Title documentation
- CBSA declaration
- Value for duty
- Duties and taxes
- RIV requirements where applicable
- Transport Canada requirements
- Provincial registration steps
Businesses, dealerships, fleets, and other commercial vehicle importers can review our Canadian Vehicle Import Services.
For the broader process, see How to Import a Car from the U.S. to Canada.
Why Businesses Use Garden City Customs in Fort Erie
Garden City Customs Services Inc. has supported Canadian importers since 1981.
Our presence in Fort Erie is part of a broader Niagara customs operation that also includes Niagara Falls and Queenston.
That combination gives Garden City direct experience with the major Canada–United States commercial corridors running through the Niagara Region while maintaining the ability to clear commercial goods at customs offices across Canada.
Direct Access to an Experienced Customs Team
Commercial importing becomes more difficult when every question is routed through a different department or support queue.
Garden City focuses on direct communication.
Our customs team works with importers to understand recurring products, suppliers, shipment patterns, and customs requirements so future transactions can be handled more consistently.
Commercial Importer Focus
Garden City's primary focus is Canadian businesses and commercial importers.
We work with companies such as:
- Manufacturers
- Distributors
- Wholesalers
- Retailers
- Dealerships
- Transportation companies
- Equipment importers
- E-commerce businesses
- First-time commercial importers
- Businesses with recurring U.S.–Canada shipments
Whether your company imports occasionally or moves freight every week, the customs process should be built around accurate information and consistent procedures.
Local Peace Bridge Presence
Our Fort Erie office provides a physical Garden City presence near the Peace Bridge and the Fort Erie–Buffalo commercial corridor.
For importers regularly moving highway freight through Western New York and Southern Ontario, this creates a direct connection between the brokerage relationship and one of the border crossings their freight actually uses.
Customs Brokerage Beyond the Border
Customs clearance is often only one part of the supply chain.
Garden City can also support businesses requiring:
- Customs consulting and compliance
- Freight forwarding and transportation coordination
- Low Value Shipment clearance
- Commercial warehousing
- Inventory storage
- Pick and pack fulfillment
- Returns processing and reverse logistics
For companies importing through Niagara and distributing across Ontario or Canada, integrating customs with these additional services can reduce unnecessary handoffs between providers.
Canada-Wide Customs Clearance
Being based in Fort Erie does not limit where we can clear shipments.
Under Canada's national customs broker licensing framework, Garden City can support commercial customs transactions through CBSA commercial offices across Canada.
Your shipments may enter through Fort Erie one week and another Canadian port the next while remaining under the same brokerage relationship.
Need a Customs Broker in Fort Erie?
If your business is preparing a commercial shipment through the Peace Bridge or another Canadian port of entry, send us the shipment information before the freight reaches the border.
Garden City Customs Services Inc. provides commercial customs clearance from our Fort Erie operation and supports importers across Canada.
Talk to a Fort Erie Customs Broker
Peace Bridge customs clearance • Commercial imports • Canada-wide brokerage
Fort Erie Customs Broker FAQ
Is There a Garden City Customs Broker Office in Fort Erie?
Yes. Garden City Customs Services Inc. maintains a Fort Erie office at 70 Princess St, Fort Erie, Ontario, near the Canada–United States border and Peace Bridge corridor. Garden City also operates in Niagara Falls and Queenston and provides commercial customs clearance at ports across Canada.
Can a Fort Erie Customs Broker Clear Shipments at the Peace Bridge?
Yes. A licensed customs broker can prepare and submit the customs information required for eligible commercial shipments moving through the Peace Bridge. For highway freight, information is often submitted before arrival through electronic release processes such as PARS.
Does My Customs Broker Have to Be Located at the Peace Bridge?
No. Canadian customs brokers operate under national licensing. A licensed broker can transact customs business at CBSA commercial offices across Canada, so an importer is not required to use a broker physically located at the port where the shipment enters. Garden City's Fort Erie presence provides local Peace Bridge support while our national licence allows us to support shipments entering elsewhere in Canada.
What Documents Do I Need for Customs Clearance at Fort Erie?
Requirements depend on the goods, but a commercial shipment commonly requires a commercial invoice containing accurate information about the importer, seller, products, value, currency, quantities, and country of origin. Carrier and cargo information is also required, and certain products may require permits, certificates, licences, or other regulatory documentation.
What Is PARS at the Peace Bridge?
PARS stands for Pre-Arrival Review System. It allows commercial customs release information to be submitted to CBSA before eligible goods arrive at the border. PARS is commonly used for highway freight crossing between the United States and Canada. Pre-arrival submission can allow customs information to be reviewed before the truck reaches Fort Erie, although final release depends on CBSA requirements and the associated cargo reaching the appropriate arrival stage.
Can Garden City Help a First-Time Commercial Importer?
Yes. Garden City works with businesses importing commercially for the first time. We can assist with CARM registration, broker delegation, RPP requirements, customs documentation, tariff classification, duties and taxes, and preparation for the first shipment. Our guide Do You Need a Business Number to Import Into Canada? is a useful starting point.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Requirements depend on your specific goods and circumstances, so please confirm details with a licensed customs broker before you ship.