2009 Federal Budget

(CSCB)

There was a Notice of Ways and Means Motion to Amend the Customs Tariff, and Excise Tax Act relating to the Goods and Services Tax and Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST). This Notice is available in ANNEX 5 of the budget plan (following the Income Tax Act notice of ways and means motion).

Other measures related to customs and international trade include:

Border Infrastructure Investment
The government is providing up to $14.5 million for two bridges at two of the busiest U.S–Canada border crossings: the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia and the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie.

It is also providing funding to modernize and expand border service facilities at Prescott, Ontario; and at Huntingdon, Kingsgate, and the Pacific Highway in British Columbia.

Tariff reductions for Machinery and Equipment
The budget proposes to permanently eliminate tariffs on a range of machinery and equipment. The reductions are effective for goods imported into Canada on or after January 28, 2009, and apply to 214 tariff items currently listed in the Schedule to the Customs Tariff.

Cargo Containers
Budget 2009 will also take steps to facilitate the movement of goods by improving the Customs Tariff rules respecting the treatment of temporarily imported cargo containers, and undertake consultations with respect to further liberalizing the use of these containers in Canada.

Further details of the 2009 Budget Plan are available here.