How does Canadian border charge tax?

Question

I am living in canada. i bought a laptop in the US (online) and am having my friend bring it. is there anyway to avoid tarrifs/taxes etc?

Answer 1

No, there is no legal way to avoid the duty on the laptop.  Your friend has to declare it as a gift to you, or as something purchased for you, and there will be duties on it.  

Your friend can choose to not declare it when crossing the border, but then you are incriminating your friend and asking him to do something illegal.

Here is a link to the Canadian Border Services Agency, which explains all the rules about importing things into Canada.

Answer 2

Avoid?  Not legally, and avoidance ends up costing the importer, who would be your friend since it is in his possession, thousands of dollars in fines.  Tariffs are dependent on where the laptop is manufactured.  GST is always payable.  You would have been better off having it shipped to you USPS, and post office would have collected the appropriate fees, everything would have been on the level, and your friend wouldn't have been in the position of having your laptop count against his personal import quota.