MONTREAL, Canada (BRAIN)–Canadian bicycle importers opposing re-imposition of anti-dumping duties on Chinese and Taiwanese bikes imported into Canada is holding an informational meeting at Expocycle Sunday night to educate retailers on the proposal’s status and implications.
“We're hoping to get retailers aware that extra taxes on bicycles are not good for the Canadian bicycle industry,” said Jake Heilbron, co-founder of Kona and president of the Canadian Association of Specialty Bicycle Importers (CASBI), the group organizing the informational meeting.
“The fact that mass market importers are supporting the renewal should get their attention,” he added.
Although Raleigh Canada is the sole Canadian manufacturer supporting the renewal and extension of the current anti-dumping duties, A. Mordo and Son, one of Canada’s biggest mass-market suppliers, is also supporting renewal.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. in the upstairs seminar room at Expocycle Montreal.
The attorney arguing the case for CASBI, Jim McIlroy, and Usman Valiante, advocacy director for the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada, will explain the organizations’ positions.
CASBI has opposed the duties since Canada opposed the current system in 1992. The government has reviewed and re-imposed the duties at five-year intervals since, although modifying them, and they will expire at the end of December unless renewed. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal is now investigating whether to let them die or to extend them another five years.
The duties vary according to each model’s value and apply to bikes FOB-priced at $225 Canadian ($214 U.S.) and frames priced at $50 Canadian ($47.55). The Canadian government had meant to exclude bikes retailing above $400 Canadian but swept in models retailing well over that, including independent-channel BMX, hybrids, comfort bikes and entry-level road and mountain bikes.
