WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Canada must get rid of trade barriers by increasing the duty free thresholds for Canadians making shopping trips to the United States and shipping inexpensive US goods into Canada, US Senator Charles Schumer said in a statement.
“US Senator Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that they are urging Canada to diminish trade barriers by increasing the duty free thresholds for Canadians making shopping trips across the US border and shipping low-value US goods into Canada,” the statement, issued on Tuesday, said.
Senator Gillibrand explained that the Canadian policy puts US companies in the state of New York at a disadvantage, because they cannot fairly compete with Canadian competitors across the border.
“Canada’s current policies put New York companies at a disadvantage to their competitors over the border and discourage Canadians from shopping in the United States,” Gillibrand said.
While US residents are permitted to bring back up to $800 worth of duty free goods, Canadians are allowed up to $200 [Canadian dollars] worth of US goods free of duty, the statement said. Canadians can bring back $800 worth of US goods duty free only if the trip lasts more than 48 hours.
Schumer and Gillibrand also sent a letter to the Canadian ambassador to the United States, to support the initiative.
