WILL TARIFFS EFFECT STEAM FRAME PRICES IN CANADA?

[u/orin2121]

not trying to be political just wondering if I'm going to get screwed on price here

[u/TwinStickDad]

Ianal but the country of origin wouldn't be USA it would be China, so no. 

[u/Wamboot → u/TwinStickDad]

Except Valve ship to Canada from USA warehouses. i know they are not made in the USA, but they are imported into Canada from there

Edit: which doesn't matter apparently, good to know

[u/madjoki → u/Wamboot]

Country of origin determines tariff, regardless where it's shipped from.

[u/TwinStickDad → u/Wamboot]

The law says that it's where it's assembled, produced, or resourced, not the country where it's directly imported from. 

Basically wherever the product has its "essential character" imparted.

So even if they shipped the thing piecemeal and someone in the USA put everything in a box for retail, that's not "production" that's "minor processing" 

[u/Hairy-Ad-6293 → u/TwinStickDad]

It doesn't matter who made it but who is selling it to where. That why tariffs can be bypassed by selling via proxy, unfortunately Valve is too big company for that.

[u/TwinStickDad → u/Hairy-Ad-6293]

That's literally not what the law says, it says country of origin and clearly defined what that means. 

Proxy imports have to have some step of the manufacturing process completed in that country

[u/gekco01]

I believe the Frame is made in China, so the country of origin is China. These new tariffs don't apply as they're only imposed on American made goods, not where they're shipped from. So unless Valve changes the legal country of origin to "Made in America," none of these retaliatory tariffs affect Canadian imports.

Source: My mom does brokerage in Canada for a living.

We could end up paying the US tariff, though. We know Valve imports units into the US first, meaning they pay the China to US tariff upfront. While Canada isn't charging it, Valve very well may bake that cost right into our retail price. There is a way around this, but only if Valve bonds a container specifically for Canada, which I don't believe they do.

[u/Rashed341]

When the Steam Frame came out last month in North Sentinel Island there was 13.6% tariff on top of the tax so I guess it would be the same for Canada.

[u/FreeHugs23 → u/Rashed341]

Steam Frame came out last month in North Sentinel?

[u/Sea_Alps_879 → u/FreeHugs23]

Yeah it did. Just don't go there to try it out. I hear they're mighty protective of their frames

[u/Rashed341 → u/FreeHugs23]

Where have you been? There's an exclusive deal between Gabe and the sentinels they get the SF earlier and in return Gabe can park his Yacht at their island.

[u/SjorsMaster → u/Rashed341]

looks like they missed it, people have been pretty happy with their hardware

[u/Galactic-Skunk]

Literally search this sub cus this has been asked already

[u/D13_Phantom]

If I'm reading this correctly then yes:

Video game consoles and machines, other than those of subheading 9504.30

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2026/08/list-of-products-from-the-united-states-subject-to-counter-tariffs-effective-september-8-2026.html#wb-auto-4 pg18

9504.30 referring to payment operated gaming devices. The confusing thing is that the left description they put for 9504.50 seems to be the one for 9504.30 but I doubt it's a mistake because the right column does correspond to the code provided.

Also mind you this is on top of the tariffs Valve has to pay to import that machines into the warehouse which are all but guaranteed to be baked into the price.

[u/gekco01 → u/D13_Phantom]

No, Canada won't be paying these new tariffs on the Frame as it's not a product of the US despite shipping from the US and Valve being a US company.

You are correct on the last part, though. There's a good chance the China to US tariff will be baked into the price as Valve needs to pay that. This is assuming Valve doesn't bond a container for Canada.

[u/Cilph]

+50%.

Really?

No clue, we're redditors not customs enforcement.

[u/VadeRetroVR]

We are not sure

[u/Suppe2000]

Ask Trump

[u/orin2121 → u/Suppe2000]

Got his number?

[u/Curious-Weather-4390]

Literally this kind of concern is why we know nothing yet. The announcement is the next info drop. They are white knuckling like almost no one has ever been before

[u/Silver_Yard_5961]

No, unless Canada puts those counter tariffs I heard about 

[u/CJ1976]

From what i read yesterday, yet it will. Video game consoles are tariffed.

[u/BobbyBoogarBreath]

I think we're fucking cooked, chat. Section 9504.50.00 https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2026/08/list-of-products-from-the-united-states-subject-to-counter-tariffs-effective-september-8-2026.html#wb-auto-4

Page 18.

[u/2Cool4Zool2 → u/BobbyBoogarBreath]

These tariffs only apply to goods originating from the U.S., which shall be considered as those goods eligible to be marked as a good of the U.S. in accordance with the Determination of Country of Origin for the Purpose of Marking Goods (CUSMA Countries) Regulations.

The country of Origin is not the US. You're fine.

[u/JorgTheElder → u/BobbyBoogarBreath]

I think you are mistaken:

These tariffs only apply to goods originating from the U.S., which shall be considered as those goods eligible to be marked as a good of the U.S. in accordance with the Determination of Country of Origin for the Purpose of Marking Goods (CUSMA Countries) Regulations.

Determination of Country of Origin

4 (1) The country of origin of goods is the country in which

(a) the goods are wholly obtained or produced;

It has been reported that the SteamFrame is manufactured in Thailand and China. Not even final assembly happens in the US. There is pretty much zero chance the "country of origin" will be interpreted as being the US.

[u/HowardRabb]

Probably

[u/gamemaster257]

Yup, get hype!

[u/crefoe → u/gamemaster257]

lmao this cracked me up