Skip to main content

Notice to importers – General import permit No. 83 – Aluminum products – Serial No. 1170

https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/controls-controles/notices-avis/1170.aspx?lang=eng 

Date: September 14, 2026

Table of contents

1.0 Purpose, coverage and duration

1.1 The purpose of this Notice is to inform importers of the Aluminum Import Monitoring Program and set out the requirements and procedures pertaining to the importation of certain aluminum products, which may be imported into Canada under the authority of General Import Permit (GIP) No. 83. This Notice also summarizes amendments to the GIP, effective October 1, 2026, which require importers to report and maintain records with respect to the country (or countries) of smelt and cast for applicable aluminum products as a term and condition of using the GIP. Further details are provided in sections 4.4 and 4.5 of this Notice.

1.2 The Aluminum Import Monitoring Program enables Global Affairs Canada to monitor imports of certain aluminum products and facilitate the collection of import data. Importers may be required, upon request, to provide to Global Affairs Canada documents and records for the purpose of identifying any errors in import data and determining the source of any inconsistencies in a targeted manner.

1.3 The Aluminum Import Monitoring Program does not limit the quantity of aluminum products that may be imported into Canada.

1.4 This Notice applies to all aluminum products imported under the authority of GIP No. 83, which are described below.

1.5 Effective October 1, 2026, this Notice supersedes any previous Notices to Importers concerning aluminum products.

1.6 This Notice remains in effect unless superseded by a further Notice or is otherwise withdrawn.

2.0 Authority

2.1 The Aluminum Import Monitoring Program has been implemented under the authority of paragraph 5(1)(e) and section 6 of the Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA). Paragraph 5(1)(e) of the EIPA provides the authority for adding goods to the Import Control List (ICL) for the purposes of implementing an intergovernmental arrangement or commitment. Pursuant to section 6, the Governor in Council has the discretion to revoke, amend, vary or re-establish the ICL.

2.2 The GIP is issued and amended pursuant to subsection 8(1.1) and subsection 10(1) of the EIPA. Subsection 8(1.1) of the EIPA provides that the Minister of Foreign Affairs may, by Ministerial Order, issue generally to all residents of Canada a GIP to import any goods specified in the permit, subject to such terms and conditions as are described in the GIP. Further, subsection 10(1) of the EIPA provides the Minister of Foreign Affairs with the authority to amend any GIP issued under the EIPA, including the GIP No. 83.

3.0 Import requirements and procedures

3.1 Pursuant to the provisions of subsection 8(1.1) of the EIPA, GIP No. 83 has been established for item 83 (Aluminum products). The import documentation for each shipment of aluminum products must state that it is being imported under the authority of GIP No. 83.

3.2 This requirement generally applies to all aluminum products in item 83 of the ICL: alloyed and not alloyed unwrought aluminum products, and wrought aluminum products limited to bars, rods, profiles, wires, plates, sheets, strips, foils, tubes and pipes, tube and pipe fittings and other articles of castings and forgings.

The specific Harmonized System codes of the goods covered by this GIP may be found on the following page: C-6: Aluminum Products Subject to the Aluminum Import Monitoring Program.

3.3 Importers may only import under the authority of GIP No. 83 if they are a resident of Canada as defined in the EIPA. Importers who are not residents of Canada may retain the services of a customs broker who is a resident of Canada.

3.4 Customs brokers and importers utilizing this Permit must comply with the requirements of the GIP. They are requested to ensure that quantity (in kilograms), value (in Canadian dollars and excluding freight costs), product classification, country of origin, country of largest smelt, country of second-largest smelt, country of most recent cast, U.S. state of export (if applicable), supplier name and address and importer name are given correctly, and if necessary, amend the customs declaration. Customs brokers and importers utilizing this Permit are urged to cooperate fully with the Trade Remedies Division of Global Affairs Canada, as administrators of the Aluminum Import Monitoring Program. Such cooperation and the provision of complete and accurate information in their customs declaration forms will enhance the reliability of the data and reduce the burden of post-clearance auditing.

3.5 Failure to cite the required GIP or not complying with the terms and conditions of the Permit may lead to the levying of penalties by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) under the Administrative Monetary Penalty System, which authorizes the CBSA to assess monetary penalties for non-compliance with customs legislative, regulatory and program requirements. Importers may also face prosecution under the EIPA for contravening a provision of the Act or its regulations (section 19). Compliance is monitored by the CBSA and Global Affairs Canada.

4.0 Terms and conditions

4.1 If requested by Global Affairs Canada, a resident of Canada who imports goods under the authority of this Permit must within 10 days after receipt of a request, provide the documents and records referred to in section 4.3 in respect of any import made during the period specified in the request.

4.2 After receipt of such a request, the importer must at all reasonable times make the documents and records referred to in section 4.3 available for inspection by any authorized persons, provide all reasonable assistance to facilitate the inspection, and provide any documents and records necessary for making a determination on the country of origin, country of largest smelt, country of second-largest smelt, country of most recent cast, import value or quantity of the aluminum products, within the specified time period.

4.3 A resident of Canada who imports goods under this Permit must retain for a period of six years after the year in which the import is made, documents and records containing the following information:

  • the name and the address of the importer or consignee;
  • proof of Canadian residency;
  • the date of entry of the goods into Canada;
  • the quantity, expressed in kilograms, of the goods;
  • the country from which the goods are imported;
  • the country of origin of the goods;
  • the shipment document with freight and other transportation costs indicated separately;
  • the tariff classification of the goods indicated in the List of Tariff Provisions set out in the schedule to the Customs Tariff;
  • the import value in Canadian dollars;
  • a detailed description of the goods, including whether the goods contain primary or secondary aluminum;
  • in the case of goods that contain primary aluminum, the country of largest smelt and, if any, the country of second-largest smelt; and
  • the country of most recent cast.

4.4 At the time of importation, importers must specify the following in the form and manner determined by the CBSA (e.g. Single Window Integrated Import Declaration):

  1. in the case of goods that contain primary aluminum, the country of largest smelt and, if any, the country of second-largest smelt; and
  2. the country of most recent cast for all goods covered by the GIP.

This requirement does not apply if:

  1. the total value for duty of the imported goods covered by the GIP is $5,000 or less; or
  2. the importer is a Customs Self-Assessment (CSA) importer in respect of goods released under a CSA service option. Further guidance on the exemption for CSA participants may be found in Memorandum D19-10-2: Administration of the Export and Import Permits Act (Importations).

4.5 Primary aluminum is defined as aluminum produced from alumina (or aluminum oxide) by the electrolytic Hall-Héroult process. Country of smelt for primary aluminum is distinguished into two categories: the country of largest smelt and the country of second-largest smelt. The country of largest smelt applies to the country where the largest volume of primary aluminum was produced for manufacturing the product, whereas the country of second-largest smelt, if any, applies to the country where the second-largest volume of primary aluminum was produced for manufacturing the product. The country of most recent cast refers to the country where the aluminum product (with or without alloying elements) was last liquified by heat and cast into a solid state. The final solid state can take the form of either a semi-finished product or a finished product. Secondary aluminum is defined as aluminum metal that is produced from recycled aluminum scrap through a re-melting process.

5.0 Permit fees

5.1 No fees are payable.

6.0 Contact us

6.1 Enquiries may be addressed to:

Aluminum Import Monitoring Unit
Trade Remedies Division
Global Affairs Canada
125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa
Ontario K1A 0G2

E-mail: [email protected]

Topic(s)

Release
Release - General
Other Government Departments (OGDs) Requirements

Information source

Global Affairs Canada (GAC)
Disclaimer

The foregoing information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered, professional advice or a substitute for conducting your own thorough research and review. Before making any decisions or taking any action based on the information provided, you should conduct your own independent investigation and/or seek professional advice from a qualified expert in the relevant field. The CSCB disclaims all liability for actions taken or not taken based on the information provided.