1. What Is a Remote Rural Area Surcharge?
Carriers such as FedEx designate certain areas across Canada as remote rural areas. These locations are far from major shipping hubs and often have limited transportation infrastructure, resulting in higher delivery and pickup costs. To cover this additional expense, carriers apply a Remote Rural Area Surcharge (also known as an Out-of-Delivery-Area Surcharge).
This surcharge is charged directly by the carrier and is not an additional fee imposed by our store.
2. Which Addresses Are Considered Remote Rural Areas?
Whether a location is classified as remote rural depends on the specific postal code, not the province as a whole. The following characteristics typically indicate a remote rural address:
The second character of the postal code is “0” – for example, T0C 2J0 or V0J 1N0. Such postal codes are almost always classified as rural or remote.
The address includes “Rural Route (RR)” – for example, RR 1, RR 2, etc.
The address is located in the three northern territories or in remote parts of a province – Yukon (YT), Northwest Territories (NT), Nunavut (NU), as well as rural villages, mountainous areas, islands, and other locations far from major cities.
Please note: Major city centers such as Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Calgary are generally not subject to this surcharge. However, rural towns or remote areas within the same province may still be subject to it.
3. How Much Is the Remote Rural Area Surcharge?
The surcharge amount is not fixed and depends on several factors:
Service type – rates differ between FedEx Express and FedEx Ground
Destination postal code – different remote classifications have different fee structures
Package weight – heavier packages may incur higher surcharges
Based on FedEx’s latest rate schedule (effective 2025), the remote rural area surcharge for FedEx Ground ranges from approximately $6.85 to $145 CAD per package, depending on the postal code and weight. Packages exceeding 46 kg may be subject to an additional surcharge of approximately $40.50 CAD.
The surcharge may apply to both pickup and delivery – if either the origin address or the destination address is in a remote rural area, the surcharge may be incurred on both ends.
4. How Can I Check Whether My Address Is in a Remote Rural Area?
To help you understand your shipping costs before placing an order, we recommend using one of the following methods to verify whether your address is classified as remote rural:
Method Instructions
Online Rate Tool Visit the FedEx website and use the “Get Rates & Transit Times” tool. Enter your postal code to see whether the remote rural surcharge applies.
Postal Code Self-Check Check whether the second character of your postal code is “0”. If it is, the address is highly likely to be considered remote rural.
Contact Customer Service If you would like us to verify for you, please contact our customer service team and we will be happy to assist.
5. What Should I Do If My Address Is in a Remote Rural Area?
If you confirm that the delivery address is located in a remote rural area, here are a few suggestions:
Confirm the surcharge before placing your order – Once your order is placed, we will provide a final shipping cost based on the actual postal code.
Consider an alternative delivery address – If possible, you may choose to have the package delivered to a city address (such as a friend’s or family member’s address, or a business address) to avoid the surcharge.
Be aware of the cost in advance – This surcharge is levied by the carrier and cannot be waived by our store. However, we will ensure that you receive an accurate shipping quote before payment.
If you have any questions about remote rural area surcharges, or if you would like a shipping estimate before placing your order, please feel free to contact our customer service team. We are happy to help.
6. Why Can’t I Select FedEx as My Shipping Option?
For certain remote territories (such as Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut) or provinces that contain remote rural areas (such as British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, etc.), you may not be able to directly select FedEx as your shipping method in the system.
If you encounter this situation, please contact our customer service team and provide your specific postal code. We will check whether your address is classified as a remote rural area, inform you of the applicable remote rural area surcharge, and assist you in modifying your order.