Drayage cost in Canada is not one number — it’s a stack of components that only adds up to your real expense when you account for every charge between the terminal gate and your warehouse door. Most importers see the base rate and miss the fees underneath it. This guide breaks down exactly what Canadian drayage costs in 2026, what drives the price up or down, and where budgets quietly go wrong.
What Is a Drayage Fee and What Does It Cover?
A drayage fee is what you pay a carrier to move your container from a port or rail terminal to its next destination — typically your warehouse, a transload facility, or an inland rail ramp. It covers a short-distance truck move, usually between 5 and 100 kilometres.
However, “drayage fee” on an invoice rarely covers everything. The base rate is just the truck move itself. On top of it come chassis fees, fuel surcharges, terminal handling charges, and — if timing slips — demurrage and detention penalties that can dwarf the original rate.
Understanding each component is the only way to compare quotes accurately and control what you actually pay.
Drayage Rates in Canada: 2026 Reference Prices by Market
Drayage rates vary by city, terminal, container size, and distance from the terminal to your delivery point. The figures below reflect typical market rates for standard dry container moves in early 2026.
Toronto / GTA
The GTA is Canada’s highest-volume drayage market. Most containers arrive at CN MacMillan Yard in Brampton or CP Vaughan Intermodal Terminal after rail movement from Vancouver or Montreal.
- 20ft container: $300–$450 per move
- 40ft container: $400–$600 per move
- Distance from CN Brampton to a typical GTA warehouse: 15–40 km
- Free time at CN/CP terminals: typically 2–3 business days before storage fees begin
Vancouver
Vancouver handles the highest container volume of any Canadian port. Drayage operates across Deltaport, Vanterm, Centerm, and Fraser Surrey Docks — each with its own appointment system and turn-time patterns.
- 20ft container: $350–$550 per move
- 40ft container: $450–$700 per move
- Seasonal congestion (January–February and July–September) regularly pushes rates and wait times higher
- High cube containers on chassis typically clear at 15′6″–16′0″ combined height — confirm routing for bridge clearances in Metro Vancouver
Montreal
Montreal serves as Canada’s primary Atlantic gateway. Drayage covers the port terminals on the east side of the island plus CN and CP rail ramps serving the South Shore and broader Quebec market.
- 20ft container: $300–$500 per move
- 40ft container: $400–$600 per move
- Winter road conditions (November–March) add variability to turn times and appointment windows
Halifax
Halifax handles transatlantic and some transpacific traffic, primarily serving Atlantic Canada with connections to CN rail for onward inland movement.
- 20ft container: $275–$450 per move
- 40ft container: $375–$550 per move
- Halterm and Fairview Cove terminals operate on separate appointment systems
Calgary
Calgary is an inland intermodal hub — containers arrive by CN or CP rail from Vancouver and are drayed to distribution centres and industrial facilities across Alberta.
- 20ft container: $275–$400 per move
- 40ft container: $375–$500 per move
- Rates tend to be lower than coastal markets because terminal congestion is less severe
These are base drayage rates only. Your actual invoice will include additional charges detailed in the next section.
What’s Included in a Drayage Fee — and What Isn’t
This is where most import budgets go wrong. A base drayage quote covers the truck, the driver, and the move itself. Everything else is additional.
Charges typically included in base drayage
- Pickup from the port or rail terminal
- Transportation to the delivery address
- Standard drop-and-hook or live unload (depending on your facility)
- Basic proof of delivery
Charges typically billed separately
Fuel surcharge — Added as a percentage on top of the base rate, adjusted monthly based on diesel prices. In 2026, fuel surcharges on Canadian drayage moves typically run 15–25% of the base rate.
Chassis fee — If your drayage carrier doesn’t own its chassis fleet and pulls from a pool, you pay a daily chassis rental. Pool chassis fees typically run $25–$50 per day. Carriers with private chassis fleets — like Metropolitan Logistics — eliminate this variable entirely.
Destination terminal handling charge (DTHC) — Charged by the ocean carrier or terminal for processing the container on the Canadian side. Typically US$300–$600 per container, separate from the drayage carrier’s invoice.
Pre-pull or early retrieval fee — When a carrier pulls your container from the terminal before the scheduled appointment to avoid demurrage, a pre-pull fee covers the extra coordination. This ranges from $75–$150 in most Canadian markets and is almost always cheaper than demurrage.
After-hours and weekend service — Pickups outside standard terminal hours carry a premium of $100–$250 per move depending on the market.
Overweight fee — Containers exceeding provincial weight limits require permit applications, specialized chassis configurations, and route planning. Costs vary by province and container weight but typically add $150–$500+ to the base move.
Waiting time / driver detention — When your facility isn’t ready to unload on arrival, carriers charge for driver waiting time, usually billed in 30-minute increments after a free period of 1–2 hours. Rates run $50–$100 per hour.
Drayage Charges That Aren’t From Your Carrier
Beyond the drayage carrier’s invoice, two other parties charge fees that most importers lump under “drayage costs” but actually come from different sources.
Demurrage — charged by the port or terminal
Demurrage applies when your container sits in the terminal beyond the free time window. In Canada, free time is typically 3–5 business days at port terminals and 2–3 business days at CN/CP rail terminals.
After that window closes, the clock runs fast:
| Free Time Exceeded | Typical Daily Rate |
|---|---|
| Days 1–3 after free time | $75–$150 per container per day |
| Days 4–7 | $150–$300 per container per day |
| Day 8 and beyond | $300–$500+ per container per day |
A single container sitting at a terminal for 10 days past free time can generate $2,000–$4,000 in demurrage alone — on top of every other charge. This is the most common source of budget overruns in Canadian container logistics.
The most reliable way to avoid demurrage is pre-clearance: working with your freight forwarder to clear customs before the vessel arrives, so your container is ready to move the moment free time begins.
Detention — charged by the ocean carrier
Detention applies when the ocean carrier’s container or chassis stays at your facility longer than the free time allows after delivery. Free time for container return typically runs 3–5 days after the container arrives at your warehouse.
After that window, detention fees run $50–$150 per day per container depending on the carrier. Coordinating your warehouse team’s unloading schedule with your drayage provider before delivery eliminates most detention exposure.
Per diem — also charged by the ocean carrier
Per diem fees apply when the empty container isn’t returned to the carrier’s depot on time after being emptied. These fees compound with detention in many situations, and importers sometimes find both charges on the same container.
What Drives Drayage Costs Up or Down
Two importers moving the same container size on the same route can pay very different amounts. Here’s what actually determines where your cost lands within the market range.
Terminal congestion and appointment availability
Congested terminals drive costs in two ways: carriers charge more when turn times are long (because the truck and driver are tied up longer), and appointment scarcity makes pre-pulls more likely. Vancouver and Toronto are the most congestion-prone Canadian markets, particularly in peak season from May through October and again in January–February.
Distance from terminal to delivery point
Drayage is priced as a short-haul move, but distance still matters. A delivery 10 km from CN Brampton costs less than a delivery 80 km away. Most carriers price in zones rather than by the kilometre for drayage, but the zone boundaries matter — a delivery just outside a carrier’s primary service zone can jump rates significantly.
Container type and weight
Standard dry 20ft and 40ft containers price at the baseline rates above. However, several container types carry premiums:
- Reefer containers — require power connections at the terminal and specialized handling. Add $100–$300 per move over dry container rates.
- Overweight containers — anything approaching or exceeding provincial gross vehicle weight limits triggers permit costs and specialized chassis. Costs vary but add meaningfully to every move.
- Flat rack and open-top containers — non-standard equipment carries a premium on both chassis and driver handling time.
Chassis availability
When chassis pools run short — which happens regularly in Vancouver and Toronto during peak seasons — carriers face delays acquiring equipment. These delays extend terminal turn times and in some cases push containers past the free time window. Carriers with private chassis fleets avoid this entirely, which is one of the most underrated factors in consistent drayage pricing.
Season and market conditions
Rates typically rise in peak periods — when import volumes spike and when winter weather slows terminals, the same lane can price differently month to month. For importers with flexible shipping schedules, planning container arrivals in shoulder seasons (February–April and October–November) can reduce drayage rates by 10–20% compared to peak periods.
How to Reduce Your Drayage Costs: Practical Steps
Most drayage cost overruns are preventable. These steps consistently deliver the biggest savings.
Pre-clear customs before the vessel arrives
Customs delays are the leading cause of containers sitting in terminals past free time, triggering demurrage. Working with your freight forwarder to submit documentation in advance — so CBSA releases the container the moment it’s discharged — eliminates this risk almost entirely.
Choose a carrier with a private chassis fleet
Pool chassis shortages are unpredictable. A drayage provider who owns its fleet doesn’t depend on third-party availability, which means more consistent pickup timing and no daily chassis rental charges passed to you. Metropolitan Logistics operates its own chassis fleet across all major Canadian markets.
Coordinate unloading before the container arrives
Detention fees build when warehouses aren’t ready to receive. Confirming your unloading team’s schedule before the container is delivered gives you control over the detention clock — and means the empty goes back on time.
Use a provider with integrated warehousing near the terminal
When your drayage provider operates warehousing and transload facilities minutes from the terminal, containers move quickly and don’t sit waiting for warehouse space to open up. Metropolitan Logistics operates facilities in Brampton, Mississauga, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary — all located within minutes of the CN and CP terminals those markets serve.
Book contract rates instead of spot
For importers moving containers regularly, negotiated contract rates with a single drayage provider consistently beat spot market pricing. Contract rates also give you priority on chassis allocation and appointment scheduling during peak periods when spot customers often face delays.
Drayage Costs vs. Total Landed Cost: Getting the Full Picture
Drayage is one component of your total landed cost. Isolating it from the rest of the supply chain gives an incomplete picture and often leads to bad sourcing decisions.
Here’s how drayage fits into a complete door-to-door cost structure for a typical Canadian import:
| Cost Component | Typical Range (40ft container, China → GTA) |
|---|---|
| Ocean freight (port to port) | US$2,000–$4,300 |
| Destination terminal handling (DTHC) | US$300–$600 |
| Customs brokerage | CAD$150–$350 |
| CBSA duties and GST/HST | Varies by HS code and value |
| Drayage (CN Brampton → GTA warehouse) | CAD$400–$600 |
| Chassis fee (if applicable) | CAD$0–$150 |
| Fuel surcharge | 15–25% of drayage base rate |
| Demurrage (if triggered) | CAD$150–$500/day after free time |
The drayage line item itself is rarely the largest cost. However, it’s the one that determines whether demurrage triggers — making it disproportionately important to get right.
For importers who want to understand this full cost structure before committing to a supplier or shipping lane, working with a freight forwarding partner who quotes door-to-door — not just port-to-port — is the most reliable approach.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drayage Costs
How much does drayage cost per container in Canada? Base drayage rates in Canada’s major markets run CAD$300–$600 for a standard 40ft container move from a port or rail terminal to a nearby warehouse. Add fuel surcharges (15–25% of base), chassis fees ($0–$150 if applicable), and terminal handling charges ($300–$600 USD) to get your complete drayage cost.
What is a drayage fee on an invoice? A drayage fee covers the short-distance truck move of your container from a port or intermodal rail terminal to its next destination — typically your warehouse or a transload facility. It does not typically include chassis rental, fuel surcharges, terminal handling charges, or demurrage and detention penalties.
What are drayage charges vs. demurrage charges? Drayage charges come from your trucking carrier for the physical move of the container. Demurrage charges come from the port or terminal when your container sits beyond the free time window — typically 3–5 days. They are separate invoices from different parties and both affect your total cost if pickup is delayed.
Why are drayage rates so different between Vancouver and Toronto? Both markets have high container volumes, but Vancouver’s port terminals have more complex appointment systems, more seasonal congestion, and longer average turn times than inland CN/CP terminals in the GTA. These factors push Vancouver base rates slightly higher. Additionally, Vancouver chassis pool availability is more volatile during peak seasons.
How can I avoid demurrage charges in Canada? Pre-clear your customs documentation before the vessel arrives. Work with a drayage carrier who monitors terminal releases and pre-pulls containers before free time expires. Confirm your receiving facility’s schedule before the container arrives. These three steps eliminate demurrage in the vast majority of cases.
What is a chassis fee in drayage? A chassis fee covers the daily rental cost of the trailer frame that carries the container during the drayage move. Carriers who don’t own their own chassis pull from shared pools and pass the daily rental cost to the customer — typically $25–$50 per day. Carriers with private chassis fleets don’t charge this fee.
The Bottom Line
Drayage cost in Canada comes down to base rate, surcharges, and penalties — and the penalties are where most budgets break. A $400 drayage move becomes a $2,400 problem if the container sits at the terminal for a week past free time. Getting the base rate right matters, but controlling the factors that trigger extra charges matters more.
Metropolitan Logistics provides container drayage across all major Canadian ports and rail terminals — Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax, and Calgary — with a private chassis fleet, integrated warehousing near every major terminal, and proactive release monitoring that keeps containers moving before free time expires.
Request a quote or call +1 (365) 829 5000 — give us your terminal, container size, and delivery address, and we’ll come back with a transparent, itemized number.
Related reading:
- How Drayage Works in Canada: From Port to Warehouse, Step by Step
- How to Import Goods into Canada – Step-by-Step Logistics Guide
- Toronto Drayage Services
- Vancouver Drayage Services
- Warehousing & Transload Services
