Shipping
Shipping
We ship from our Richmond, BC warehouse to anywhere in Canada and the continental US. Free shipping over $150 CAD within Canada. Tracking lands in your inbox the moment your order is labeled.
Plain-English version below. The full legal terms are in our Shipping Policy.
Where We Ship
- Canada: all provinces and territories
- United States: continental US (cost calculated at checkout)
- Outside Canada and US: not currently available
We ship to residential or business street addresses only — couriers can't deliver to P.O. boxes. No exceptions.
When It Ships
| When you order | When it ships |
|---|---|
| Mon–Fri before 2:00 PM Pacific Time | Same day |
| Mon–Fri after 2:00 PM Pacific Time | Next business day |
| Friday after 2:00 PM, weekends, statutory holidays | Next business day (typically Monday) |
About weekend orders
We process and label your order as soon as it comes in. The reason it doesn't physically move on the weekend is the courier, not us — UPS, FedEx, Purolator, and Canada Post only collect from our warehouse on business days. Even if a courier swung by on Saturday, the parcel would just sit at their depot until Monday morning.
Honest version: holding dispatch until Monday gives you accurate tracking from the first scan, instead of three days of "label created" silence.
Couriers
UPS is our default. Depending on your region, package size, and weight, we may use FedEx, Purolator, or Canada Post instead. Whichever courier ends up with your parcel will be in your tracking email.
How Long It Takes
Estimated transit time within Canada from dispatch:
| Region | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island | 1–3 business days |
| Western Canada (BC, AB, SK, MB) | 2–5 business days |
| Eastern Canada (ON, QC, Atlantic) | 4–7 business days |
| Northern and remote postal codes | 5–10 business days |
US delivery is calculated at checkout based on destination.
These are courier estimates, not guarantees. Severe weather, peak season volume, customs review (US), or remote routes can extend transit. We don't pad them down for marketing — what you see is what the courier actually quoted us.
What It Costs
Within Canada
- Orders $150 CAD and up: free standard shipping
- Orders under $150 CAD: a small flat fee shown at checkout
To the United States
Calculated at checkout based on destination and package weight. The buyer is responsible for US import duties, brokerage fees, and any border taxes — we don't collect those upfront, so factor them in when you compare prices.
Tracking
You'll get a tracking link by email as soon as your order is labeled.
Note: tracking can take 4–24 hours to start showing movement, depending on the courier. That's the gap between when we hand the package over and when the courier scans it into their system. If it's been more than 24 hours and your tracking still shows nothing, email us — sometimes courier scans are missed and we can poke them.
Local Pickup — Greater Vancouver
If you live in the Greater Vancouver area, pick up your order in person at our Richmond warehouse, by appointment, at no shipping cost.
- Place your order online
- Email hello@dolphinkayak.ca with your order number
- We'll confirm the warehouse address and a time window
For paddleboard pickups: bring a vehicle that fits the box (about 90 × 50 × 30 cm, 12–15 kg). Most cars handle it; very small compact cars may struggle.
For kayak pickups: roof rack or trailer required, plus your own tie-down straps. Kayaks aren't boxed for transport — they're loaded onto your vehicle on the spot, which means you need to be ready to secure them properly before driving home.
Kayak and Oversized Shipments
Kayaks need a custom shipping quote. Email hello@dolphinkayak.ca with your postal code before ordering, and we'll find an affordable option for your destination.
Standard kayak transit is 5–10 business days. Kayaks ship inside heavy cardboard with bubble wrap.
Inspect on arrival. If you see damage to the box or the kayak before you've fully unboxed, photograph everything before unpacking further and email us before doing anything else. This makes the courier claim much smoother.
Damaged on Arrival?
If your package shows up damaged, contact us within 7 days of delivery. We'll work with the courier to investigate and replace, repair, or refund. Full process: see our Returns page — Path 2 (7-day damage window).
Address Changes and Cancellations
If you need to change the shipping address or cancel your order, email hello@dolphinkayak.ca as soon as you can. Quick rules of thumb:
- Before dispatch: we can usually catch the change. Free.
- After dispatch (tracking active): address changes go through the courier directly. Sometimes free, sometimes a small fee from the carrier. We'll help you coordinate.
- In transit, near delivery: usually too late to redirect. The package may need to come back to us before going out again, which means time and shipping cost.
The fix: double-check your address at checkout. Saves headaches all around.
The Legal Version
Full legal terms — risk-of-loss, courier liability, force majeure, and the rest — live in our Shipping Policy. If anything on this page conflicts with that policy, the policy governs.
Questions? Email hello@dolphinkayak.ca, call (604) 772-0332, or use the chat icon at the bottom of the page.