Canadian LEGO fans looking to order individual pieces online are facing major shortages after the company pulled thousands of elements from its Pick a Brick (PaB) service this week.
As reported by LEGO news site New Elementary, the issue stems from changes to U.S. trade rules under the Trump administration. The United States recently suspended the De Minimis exemption, which had allowed packages worth under $800 US to enter the country without customs duties or taxes. With carriers now required to collect tariffs before delivery, postal companies in Denmark and elsewhere have suspended shipments to the U.S. because of the short timeline before the new rules took effect on August 29, 2025.
Although Canada has not introduced similar tariffs, the same restrictions are hitting Canadian customers. According to New Elementary, LEGO’s system appears to treat North America as a single unit, making it difficult for the company to separate U.S. and Canadian orders. As a result, “thousands of elements have been removed” from sale in both countries.
At the time of New Elementary’s report, fewer than 2,000 “Standard” elements remained available in North America. These are parts stored in LEGO’s European warehouse, while “Bestseller” elements continue to be shipped domestically within the U.S. and Canada.
LEGO has not issued a full press release, but a message posted at the top of LEGO.ca confirms the suspension: “Standard service paused. In the US & Canada, Standard pieces are temporarily unavailable. You can still shop our Bestseller range which includes thousands of the most popular bricks and pieces ready to order.”
According to CTV News, Canada Post says it is preparing for the end of the U.S. De Minimis duty exemption on August 29 (today). In a statement, the carrier said it will be working with third-party provider Zonos to “collect duties and remit them directly to U.S. Customs and Border Protection” to keep shipments moving.
“Canada Post has worked to secure the necessary solutions to maintain business continuity for our customers,” the statement read. The postal service added that most goods will face the 35 per cent tariff introduced earlier this year by President Donald Trump, though “documents and gifts under $100 US” sent by individuals will remain duty-free. “We will continue to share more details to help ensure our customers and Canadians are prepared for the new U.S. requirements,” Canada Post said.
We’ve reached out to LEGO Canada for comment and will update this story accordingly.
Customers in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand are not affected by the tariff dispute. There, only about 350 pieces have been temporarily removed due to regular stock shortages.
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