Do You Need to Import a Portable Stage from the USA? How Ordering MyStage Works in Canada

No. If you order a MyStage portable stage for a Canadian address, you do not import anything. Canadian orders ship from our warehouse in Ajax, Ontario, so there are no customs or brokerage steps for you. Prices are in US dollars, freight is quoted per order before you pay, and we ship everywhere in Canada except Quebec.

Many people search for how to import a portable stage from the USA to Canada because the brand, the website and the prices all point south of the border. The rest of this guide explains what importing normally involves, why it does not apply to a MyStage order, and the short list of documents a Canadian buyer actually needs.

What does importing a stage from the USA normally involve?

When a Canadian buyer orders from a US seller that ships the goods across the border, the shipment has to clear Canadian customs before it is delivered, and the buyer is often the importer. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) sets out the full process in its Guide to importing commercial goods into Canada. That process covers checking that the goods can be imported, gathering product information, working out duties and taxes, registering the business, and getting the goods released and accounted for.

For a business or institution, that can mean registering with CBSA, classifying the stage equipment, and paying any duties and taxes that apply before or at release. Stage equipment duties in Canada depend on how the goods are classified and where they were made, which is why this guide does not quote any rate. If you are buying from a seller that ships across the border, ask CBSA or a licensed customs broker for the treatment of your specific goods.

Many importers hire a customs broker to prepare the release and accounting paperwork. According to CBSA's page on licensed customs brokers, using a broker is optional, and the importer stays responsible for accuracy and payment even when a broker does the filing. Each of these steps is work, and sometimes cost, that a cross-border commercial import into Canada adds to the purchase.

What is the importer of record?

The importer of record is the person or business responsible for a shipment as it enters a country. In general terms, that party answers to customs for the accuracy of the import paperwork and for paying any duties and taxes owed. The role can sit with the buyer or the seller, depending on how the sale and shipment are arranged.

On a MyStage order to a Canadian address, you are not the importer. Your stage leaves our warehouse in Ajax, Ontario and travels within Canada to you, so there is no border crossing on your shipment and no customs entry with your name on it.

How is ordering MyStage in Canada different?

MyStage stock for Canadian orders ships from inside Canada, so your order is a domestic delivery, not an import. You deal with MyStage and a freight quote, not with customs, a broker or a border release. Four facts shape every Canadian order:

• Ships from Ajax, Ontario. Canadian orders ship from our warehouse in Ajax, Ontario, so there are no customs or brokerage steps for the buyer.
• Prices are in US dollars. Your card issuer converts the charge to Canadian dollars at its own rate and may add a foreign transaction fee. Check with your issuer or finance office if that matters for your budget.
• Freight is quoted per order. Checkout does not calculate Canadian freight automatically. Send us the products and your postal code, and you get a shipping estimate before you order.
• No shipping to Quebec. We ship everywhere in Canada except Quebec. Confirm remote and northern addresses when you request your quote.

Prices on the MyStage Canada site are listed in USD. For example, a single 4 ft x 4 ft portable stage deck is US$659, and an 8 ft x 8 ft stage of four decks is US$2,480. The Stage Builder works out the decks for any footprint and shows the price, which gives you the product list to send for a freight quote.

What paperwork does a Canadian buyer actually need?

You need four things: the product list and postal code for your freight quote, a written quote, your purchase order details if your organization uses them, and the order confirmation and receipt we send by email. There is no customs paperwork, because nothing crosses the border on your shipment.

• Products and postal code. List the stage size or individual decks, legs and accessories, plus the delivery postal code. This is what we need to quote freight.
• A written quote. Ask for the products, the freight estimate and any applicable taxes in writing. Procurement staff at schools, churches and venues usually need this before anyone can approve the spend.
• Purchase order details. If your organization issues purchase orders, have the PO number, billing name and any reference your accounts team needs ready when you place the order.
• Order confirmation and receipt. You get these by email. Keep them with the written quote for your records and for any later question about the order.

What should you confirm before you place the order?

Confirm any applicable taxes on your quote, and confirm the delivery address details. Those two points cause most of the back and forth on a commercial order, so settle them in writing first.

For taxes, ask that the quote show what will be charged, if anything, so your finance team is not surprised. For delivery, give the full street address and postal code and say whether it is a school, church, office, venue or residence. Then ask the delivery questions that matter for your site, and get the answers on the quote:

• What delivery time should we plan around?
• Is a liftgate available, and do we need one at this address?
• Is inside delivery or a delivery appointment available?
• Who should receive the shipment, and what is their phone number?
• Is this a remote or northern address that needs extra confirmation?

Ask about returns before you order, too. If there is a chance you will change sizes or quantities, raise it while you have the quote in hand.

Step-by-step ordering checklist for Canadian buyers

Here is the full order process from planning to delivery, with who handles each step and what you need for it.

Step	Who does it	What you need
1. Choose the stage size and height	Buyer	The space, what will happen on the stage, and the Stage Builder
2. Choose accessories	Buyer	Your safety needs: railings, stairs or a step up, skirting, castors, gear bags
3. Request a freight quote	Buyer	The product list and delivery postal code, sent through the contact page, info@mystagecorp.com or 858-229-8388
4. Provide the shipping estimate and quote	MyStage	Your product list and postal code
5. Confirm taxes and delivery details	Buyer	The written quote, your full delivery address and your delivery questions
6. Approve the purchase	Buyer	The written quote and, if used, a purchase order number
7. Place the order and pay in USD	Buyer	Payment in USD (your card issuer converts the charge), plus PO details if used
8. Send the order confirmation and receipt	MyStage	Your email address
9. Ship from Ajax, Ontario	MyStage	A confirmed delivery address outside Quebec
10. Receive and check the shipment	Buyer	Someone on site to receive it, and the order confirmation to check against

Notice what is missing from the table: customs entry, a broker, a business registration with CBSA and duties paid at the border. None of those steps applies when your stage ships from inside Canada.

What arrives when the stage is delivered?

You receive folded 4 ft x 4 ft (1.22 m x 1.22 m) aluminum decks with a black diamond-plate surface, with legs included. Each deck folds in half to 2 ft x 4 ft (0.61 m x 1.22 m), weighs 42 lbs (19 kg) and has a shoulder strap, so one person carries it.

Each deck stands on five legs: four angled legs plus a center leg that reduces bounce. Standard legs adjust from 4 to 28 in (10 cm to 71 cm), and each deck is rated to hold up to 3,400 lbs (1,542 kg). One person sets up a deck in about a minute with no tools, and decks connect to each other with wingnuts.

When the shipment arrives, check it against your order confirmation before the stage is needed for an event. MyStage stages carry a 60-day manufacturer guarantee covering defects, so contact us promptly if something is not right.

Which accessories should be on the quote?

Put every accessory on the same quote as the decks, so one freight estimate covers the whole order. Adding items later means asking for a new freight quote.

• Railings in 4 ft (1.22 m) sections (US$99 each) for open edges.
• Stairs (US$299), three steps with grip tape and a railing, for stages up to 28 in (71 cm), or a step up (US$59) for lower stages.
• Skirting, 16 ft x 28 in (4.88 m x 71 cm) in black or white (US$58), with Velcro adhesive.
• Shorties (US$200) for 8 in and 10 in (20 cm, 25 cm) settings, or Biggies (US$250) for heights up to 36 in (91 cm).
• Castors, set of 5 with brakes (US$300), and a gear bag (US$88) that holds one folded deck.

If you want decks, railings and skirting together, a package can be simpler to quote. The 8 ft x 12 ft package with six decks, four railings and three skirts is US$4,299. For more on choosing sizes and buying steps, read how to buy a portable stage in Canada and what Canadian buyers should confirm before ordering an event stage.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay duties or brokerage fees on a MyStage order?

No customs or brokerage steps apply to you, because Canadian orders ship from our warehouse in Ajax, Ontario. Your order is a domestic delivery, not an import. Confirm any applicable taxes on your quote.

Am I the importer of record when I buy MyStage in Canada?

No. The buyer is not the importer on a Canadian MyStage order, because the shipment travels within Canada to you. You will not file a customs entry or hire a broker.

Why are prices in US dollars if the stage ships from Ontario?

MyStage lists Canadian prices in USD. Your card issuer converts the charge to Canadian dollars at its own rate and may add a foreign transaction fee, so check with your issuer or finance office before you pay.

How do I find out the shipping cost?

Contact MyStage with the products you want and your postal code, and you get a shipping estimate before you order. Checkout does not calculate Canadian freight automatically, so request the quote first.

Can MyStage deliver to Quebec?

No. MyStage ships everywhere in Canada except Quebec. If your address is remote or northern, confirm it when you request your quote.

Ask for order and shipping details.