By admin The Canada Border Services Agency updated tariff codes for several categories of imported commercial foodservice equipment in early 2026. If you’re planning a kitchen build or large equipment refresh, the changes affect what you’ll pay and when you should buy.
## What changed
Tariff rates increased for:
– Refrigeration equipment imported from select countries (rates: 5% → 8%)
– Cooking equipment in specific HTS codes (rates: 2.5% → 6%)
– Stainless steel furniture (rates: 0% → 3%)
Tariff rates decreased or remained unchanged for:
– Equipment manufactured in the US under USMCA (no change)
– Smallware and utensils (no change)
– Bakery equipment under HTS 8438 (no change)
## What this means for buyers
**If you’re planning a build in the next 90 days:**
– Equipment already in dealer inventory was imported at the old rates and is generally NOT marked up. Buy from existing stock where possible.
– New imports landing after April 2026 will reflect the new rates.
– Lead times on imported equipment have also stretched 2–4 weeks beyond pre-tariff norms.
**If you’re planning a build 6+ months out:**
– Consider US-manufactured alternatives (True, Vulcan, Hobart, Garland) where applicable — USMCA preferences keep these rates flat.
– Factor a 5–8% buffer into your equipment budget for affected categories.
## Our position
We’ve absorbed the increase where we can on items in our existing stock through end of Q2. New shipments will reflect the updated rates — we’ll show the difference transparently on the product page.
If you have questions about a specific item, [contact us](/contact/) or call 1-800-555-0142.