Customs Brokerage & Clearance
Niagara Falls Head Office
Garden City Customs Services Inc. is a licensed Canadian customs broker headquartered in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Our Niagara Falls 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.
6045 Progress St
Niagara Falls, Ontario L2G 7X1
Phone: 888-481-2048
Serving Canadian importers since 1981.
Businesses moving goods through Niagara can speak directly with our customs brokerage team before their shipment reaches the border.
One Brokerage Team Across the Niagara Crossings
Niagara Falls sits directly on the Canada–U.S. border, with access to Southern Ontario, Western New York and major routes serving both countries.
Our Niagara Falls head office works alongside our Fort Erie office, which supports freight moving through the Peace Bridge, and our Queenston operation at the Lewiston–Queenston Bridge.
Businesses using multiple Niagara crossings can maintain one brokerage relationship while their freight moves through different ports depending on carrier routing and operational requirements.
Garden City's Niagara 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
Canadian customs brokers 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 Niagara Falls team even when its shipments enter through another Canadian port.
Learn more about our Canada-wide customs brokerage services.
Customs Clearance and Warehousing in One Place
Garden City provides commercial warehousing from its Niagara Falls, Ontario facility, alongside customs brokerage and freight.
Imported goods released by CBSA can move straight into a Niagara Falls warehouse until the business needs them.
From Niagara Falls, Garden City can support:
- Commercial warehousing
- Inventory storage
- Pick and pack fulfillment
- Returns processing and reverse logistics
- Freight forwarding and transportation coordination
For companies importing through Niagara and distributing across Ontario or Canada, integrating customs with these additional services can reduce unnecessary handoffs between providers.
For more detail, see Warehousing Services in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
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 border, 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 the border.
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.
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.
Why Businesses Use Garden City Customs in Niagara Falls
Garden City Customs Services Inc. has supported Canadian importers since 1981.
Our Niagara Falls head office is part of a broader Niagara customs operation that also includes Fort Erie 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
Canada-Wide Customs Clearance
Being based in Niagara Falls 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 Niagara one week and another Canadian port the next while remaining under the same brokerage relationship.
Need a Customs Broker in Niagara Falls?
If your business is preparing a commercial shipment through Niagara 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 Niagara Falls head office and supports importers across Canada.
Talk to a Niagara Falls Customs Broker
Niagara Falls head office • Commercial imports • Warehousing • Canada-wide brokerage
Niagara Falls Customs Broker FAQ
Where Is Garden City's Niagara Falls Office?
Garden City Customs Services Inc.'s head office is at 6045 Progress St, Niagara Falls, Ontario L2G 7X1. Garden City also operates in Fort Erie and Queenston and provides commercial customs clearance at ports across Canada.
Does My Customs Broker Have to Be Located at the Border Crossing My Freight Uses?
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 Niagara offices provide local support while our national licence allows us to support shipments entering elsewhere in Canada.
What Documents Do I Need for Customs Clearance?
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?
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. Final release depends on CBSA requirements and the associated cargo reaching the appropriate arrival stage.
Can Garden City Store My Goods After Customs Release?
Yes. Garden City provides commercial warehousing from its Niagara Falls facility, including inventory storage, pick and pack fulfillment and returns processing, alongside customs brokerage and freight coordination. See our warehousing services.
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.