Shopping Discussion

Mail Processing at Canada Customs SLOW?

  • Last Updated:
  • Dec 4th, 2023 2:57 pm
Jr. Member
Jun 6, 2016
134 posts
89 upvotes
I ordered two packages from Amazon last week on the 29th and both were notified as ”shipped" on the same day, which was really fast, as both were on the free shipping option.

One item went through the processing center at Mississauga on the 30th, arrived in Montreal on the 2nd and was ready to be picked up on the 3rd. The other is DOA at the ”Item processed, Richmond, BC” stage early AM on the 30th and nothing else since.

Now, I know since this is the busiest time of the year, so delays are bound to happen. However, I once was stuck for weeks in the ”processed @ Richmond, BC” limbo in the past, but it was for an item coming from China. My current item was shipped from Amazon in Canada, so no international customs to go through this time.

I’m just curious to see if any other RFDers have this trouble of non-updates at this particular location?
Deal Addict
Apr 7, 2011
1216 posts
1004 upvotes
Toronto
Ordered an item from Great Britain on Dec 2nd, it arrived in Canada in Customs on Dec 6. It's been stuck in customs ever since..... :( Been a week now...
It's not that long compared to stuff from China, but I assumed it was just china stuff that was delayed. Guess it's the busy season.
Newbie
User avatar
Jun 14, 2010
86 posts
120 upvotes
Calgary
ErBoProxy wrote: However, I once was stuck for weeks in the ”processed @ Richmond, BC” limbo in the past, but it was for an item coming from China.
Can you elaborate on this, I currently have a package with "Item Processed Richmond BC"11AM @ Dec 17 and 2AM @ Dec 18. Assuming it's the christmas rush slowing things down.

Regarding customs delays in Richmond, a handful of us who bought phones from China have had it stuck in customs since Dec 1 (Majority went right through customs). Release only happened after about 2 weeks (Dec 16 for me), a few of us are still waiting.
Member
Jul 2, 2018
240 posts
123 upvotes
Anyone had issues from U.S. to Canada packages this holiday season? A recent order of mine has been stuck for three days on "Pre-shipment - Shipping Label Created, USPS Awaiting Item" status. I order from this place all the time and usually the next two or three scans come within hours of that first one.
Newbie
Dec 18, 2019
1 posts
St. John's
Has anyone encountered such a problem. I had a parcel sent to me from Nanjing in China on December 6th through EMS. I had the person pay express fees and the tracking was of the format EBXXXXXXXCN and was told the parcel would arrive in 7 days. Its been 2 weeks now and tracking shows the parcel hasn't reached Canada post yet. Is this normal ?
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Sr. Member
User avatar
Apr 13, 2010
655 posts
417 upvotes
Napanee, ON
NanaE82455 wrote: Is this normal ?
Unfortunately, yes. With that tracking number, you should see updates once it is processed by customs. But between the time it leaves China and when Customs processes it, it's a black hole with an unknown duration.
Gabe of Gabe's Hacks
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User avatar
Feb 15, 2005
6789 posts
2499 upvotes
YEG
I had a registered mail package sit at the Shanghai airport for 34 days... and untracked packages that got here in less time than this package idled. Weird.

Also looks like only 1/14 Sunyou packages. They're still disappearing.
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Deal Addict
Jan 18, 2013
3026 posts
1668 upvotes
B.C.
My family in Ontario has sent me 3 packages and I've sent them one. The ones from December 3rd and 9th haven't arrived but the one from the 13th has.
Deal Expert
Jan 17, 2009
24148 posts
43040 upvotes
ONTARIO
NanaE82455 wrote: Has anyone encountered such a problem. I had a parcel sent to me from Nanjing in China on December 6th through EMS. I had the person pay express fees and the tracking was of the format EBXXXXXXXCN and was told the parcel would arrive in 7 days. Its been 2 weeks now and tracking shows the parcel hasn't reached Canada post yet. Is this normal ?

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They probably have more orders than they can handle. It really sucks though.

I am waiting on some ePacket orders from China and the Canada Post tracking shows the same thing as yours "waiting for item". It's been a couple weeks now since the China tracking shows they left Shanghai airport, yet no updates on Canada Post whatsoever since. Doesn't look like I will be getting these items before Christmas, sadly.

Also it's not just international orders that are slow either, it seems. I have an order from a company in Quebec ship last week and aside from the initial "in transit" update in Montreal, it has never updated again and estimated delivery was days ago (i'm in Ontario, so it's not like it should take forever).
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Mar 28, 2005
8941 posts
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Cornwall, Ontario
Canada Post tracking shows the parcel cleared customs on Dec 14 and now it seems stuck in Stoney Creek, Ontario for the last three days.

Stoney Creek seems to be a part of Hamilton, I'm in Cornwall Ontario.
Does anyone have an idea what is going on?
Is this normal?
I have not received a parcel from Europe for a long time.
It took less time to get across the ocean that what it takes now via Canada Post.
Deal Addict
Jul 13, 2007
1258 posts
797 upvotes
Toronto
krs wrote: Canada Post tracking shows the parcel cleared customs on Dec 14 and now it seems stuck in Stoney Creek, Ontario for the last three days.

Stoney Creek seems to be a part of Hamilton, I'm in Cornwall Ontario.
Does anyone have an idea what is going on?
Is this normal?
I have not received a parcel from Europe for a long time.
It took less time to get across the ocean that what it takes now via Canada Post.
Stoney Creek is a big processing hub, so nothing unusual there. Canada Post likely directly trucks some int'l parcels away from Mississauga at this time of year to spread the load.

Canada Post has delivery guarantees for some domestic parcels (Xpresspost, Expedited, Priority Mail), so those will always get priority, and are probably saturating the system, leaving no-time for packages that Canada Post won't lose money on if they're late.

Oceans are less of a blockage than people think. Once your package gets on a plane, it'll travel several thousand kms in hours. It's the sortation facilities that'll be a blockage. During non-peak times of year, it's not unusual for packages from Paris France to get to me in Toronto faster than Vancouver, because La Poste will put it on a plane to Toronto and it'll be in CP's hands in Toronto while the ex-Vancouver package is still in the square provinces.
Deal Addict
Jul 13, 2007
1258 posts
797 upvotes
Toronto
Andrew4Life wrote: Ordered an item from Great Britain on Dec 2nd, it arrived in Canada in Customs on Dec 6. It's been stuck in customs ever since..... :( Been a week now...
It's not that long compared to stuff from China, but I assumed it was just china stuff that was delayed. Guess it's the busy season.
Sounds about right. I think CBSA prioritizes non-Asian airmail on the regular. It's bad enough that some "better" asian senders will route packages to Canada through Europe (e.g. Orange Connex), and they arrive much faster.

It doesn't help that China Post sends most stuff to Vancouver, while richer post systems will pre-sort and send Toronto stuff to Toronto or Montreal stuff to Montreal instead of jamming everything at the closest airport and then leave it to Canada Post to truck it across the country.
Sr. Member
Sep 6, 2016
756 posts
297 upvotes
I do not understand that we are outraged by the work of Canada Post.

This is Sucks.
Even delivering a letter in Toronto sometimes already takes more than two weeks.
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Newbie
Jan 2, 2020
1 posts
Can anybody tell me what these are and why would I get these came in the mail today from UCL Co
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Deal Addict
Nov 12, 2011
1364 posts
752 upvotes
Ontario
Got a package from Hong Kong today. Shipped with EMS, it left Hong Kong on December 30th, 2019 and arrived in Canada on January 2nd 2020, delivered today on the 3rd.
Tracking is available on Canada Post website and app.
Deal Expert
Feb 7, 2017
27753 posts
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Eastern Ontario
MasterPro wrote: I do not understand that we are outraged by the work of Canada Post.

This is Sucks.
Even delivering a letter in Toronto sometimes already takes more than two weeks.
Wrong thread

The issues in this thread having NOTHING TO DO actually with Canada Post

The bottle neck to MAIL coming into Canada internationally is CBSA = Canada Customs

As every piece of mail ... but especially pkgs has to be accounted for / inspected

Ya wanna b!tch about Canada Post and domestic mail service ... start a new thread
Deal Expert
Jan 17, 2009
24148 posts
43040 upvotes
ONTARIO
I just got an epacket parcel from China delivered today (Sunday). A stainless steel thermos mug that I ordered December 5th. Surprised they are still delivering packages on the weekend. Figured they would have stopped that after Christmas was over.
It had been with customs since the 27th.

Still missing a few more items from early December, but glad to see stuff is finally arriving.
Member
Jul 2, 2018
240 posts
123 upvotes
I'm hearing some pretty grim reports from people whose packages (even just from the U.S.) have been sitting in Vancouver since January 2nd. I wonder just how backed up they still must be!
Jr. Member
Jan 3, 2015
173 posts
141 upvotes
Delta, BC
Recent shipping times from China. Epacket taking 3-4 weeks.

Shipped Arrived Days Method
09-Dec 07-Jan 27 epacket
09-Dec 31-Dec 22 epacket
10-Dec 22-Dec 12 CP air
10-Dec ------- 30+ Malaysia Post
17-Dec ------- 23+ CP registered
23-Dec ------- 17+ epacket (just got scanned today Richmond BC)
24-Dec ------- 16+ ??
31-Dec ------- 9+ CP registered
02-Jan ------- 7+ epacket
03-Jan ------- 6+ epacket

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