Does Ella Ship to Canada and Pass Canadian Housing Inspections?

Yes on both counts. Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs ship to Canadian addresses regularly, and a tub delivered in Canada carries the same listings as one delivered in Illinois. Every Ella tub is built to conform to UL Standard 1795 for hydromassage bathtubs and to CSA Standard C22.2 No. 218.2, the Canadian standard covering the same equipment, and the pumps, in-line heaters and other electrical components inside are ETL certified and marked. Whether a particular First Nations or provincial housing program accepts the tub is the program's own decision, so confirm its requirements with the program and ask the team at (800) 480-6850 for the conformance details your inspector asks for. Does Ella ship tubs and replacement parts to Canada, and who pays duties? covers the fee side in depth. This page puts the inspection question first.

What to Hand a Canadian Inspector

When an inspector asks, the team's standard wording is: "Conforms to UL STD 1795 Hydro Massage Tub and CSA STD C22.2 No. 218.2." That CSA line is the one to give a Canadian inspector, because it is the Canadian standard for hydromassage tub equipment. Ella faucets list CSA B125.1, and the HoistAssist adds CSA B45.5. The listing information an inspector wants to see is printed on the label inside the tub itself, so take a clear photo of the whole label, showing the listing information, the model and the serial number, before the tub is installed and the apron goes on. Ella tubs can also be looked up on the UL website. The marks, where the label sits and what each one covers are detailed in Safety Certifications on Ella Tubs and Faucets: UL, ETL, CSA and IAPMO Marks, Where the Label Is, and What They Mean for Canada.

The video on this page is the one to share with an electrician or inspector who asks about listings. It shows that every electrical component in an Ella tub is clearly marked and easy to reach, states that the pumps, heaters and other electrical components are ETL certified, and walks through the two wiring rules that matter on installation day.

Electrical and Plumbing on the Canadian Side

Ella tubs are built for North American 120 volt, 60 Hz service, and the wiring rules are the same as in the United States. Every jetted tub must have its own dedicated GFCI protected outlet or GFCI protected circuit breaker, the tub cannot share a circuit with any other appliance, and the breaker box must provide the amperage value appropriate to the number and type of components in your tub. Certification marks describe the equipment. They do not replace a licensed electrician or your local code, so the inspector's own requirements still apply.

Ella has no representatives or installers of its own in Canada and does not send technicians anywhere. Any licensed local plumber and electrician can install the tub using the owner's manual and free technical support by phone and email, and the team can help you get in touch with installers when you call with your city and province. Share the spec sheet and the manual with your installer before delivery so the rough-in is ready, and have your installer call (800) 480-6850 with any questions during the install.

How a Canadian Order and Shipment Work

1. Purchases in Canada are handled through Ella's partner, Walk-In Tubs Canada, which takes orders anywhere in the country, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, and can also arrange installation. Some models are also carried by Home Depot Canada, though not every configuration. If you are not sure who serves your province, call (800) 480-6850 with your postal code and the model you have in mind and the team points you to the right partner.
2. Whoever sells the tub confirms the model, door side, therapy package, faucet and accessories before the tub is built and tested in Chicago.
3. A cross-border shipment involves customs paperwork. If you already work with a customs broker, say so when you order, and the team confirms whether your broker is needed and how the shipment will be handled.
4. The invoice is in US dollars, and customs duties, brokerage and taxes are the buyer's responsibility. Depending on how the shipment is arranged they may be collected by the carrier or broker before delivery or itemized on the invoice from where you purchased, as Sales Tax, Customs Duties and Brokerage on a Walk-In Tub Order: What Decides Them and Where They Appear explains.

For the broker, the country of origin declared on the paperwork is China, with final assembly in the United States, because the acrylic shell is produced overseas and the therapy system, pump, heater, controls, faucet and drains are installed and tested in Chicago. List every item separately, since accessories such as shower screens are classified differently from the tub. Brokers have reported that Canadian customs classifies Ella's glass and aluminum shower screens with aluminum-framed shower doors, and that added surtax has at times been applied to aluminum items from China. Because tariff schedules change, confirm the current treatment with your broker shortly before the order ships. Where Are Ella Walk-In Tubs Made, and What Is the Country of Origin for Customs? has the paperwork list for your broker.

What Does Not Ship to Canada, and What Does

Ella shower bases are fragile and easily damaged during shipment, so they are not shipped to Canadian addresses. If your project calls for a shower base, source one locally or ask the team about a walk-in tub instead, and check before planning a bathroom around any product you are unsure about. Replacement parts do ship: parts go out under the Lifetime Limited Warranty to a tub installed in Canada just as they do to one installed in the United States, with a local licensed plumber or electrician doing the labor.

Housing Programs and First Nations Inspections

Ella cannot confirm that a specific housing program will approve a tub, because each program sets its own criteria. What Ella can supply is everything an inspector normally asks for, so gather it before the inspection rather than during it.

• The conformance statement naming UL STD 1795 and CSA STD C22.2 No. 218.2.
• The spec sheet for your model, which lists the electrical requirements and the dedicated GFCI protected circuit each component needs.
• A photo of the label inside the tub with the listing information, model and serial number.
• The electrical requirements video for the electrician, showing the ETL marks and the GFCI rules.

Call (800) 480-6850 with your city, province and the model you are considering, ask the program what it requires in writing, and hand both sides the same documents. If the program needs something beyond these, the team can tell you whether it exists for your model.

Watch: Ella's Bubbles: Proper Electrical Requirements For Installation with chapters and a full transcript.

Common Questions