Miniprints

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Toronto, Ontario · Shopify shop · miniprints.com

Small business Main products hit

Bernard Hellen — "dr. mini" — resin-prints miniature figures and scenery for model railroaders out of a unit on Sterling Road in Toronto: birds, farm and wild animals, aquatic life, people, vehicles, objects and oddities in HO, S, N and O scale, plus more than 300 MINIME figures he 3D-scans from real people, every piece printed to order and painted by hand if the buyer asks.

HTS 9503.00.00Dolls, toys and puzzles50% since Aug 22, 2026

I've probably had about 50 order cancellations this morning aloneSource: winnipegsun.com, Aug 24, 2026

3D-printed scale figures and model-railroad details are reduced-scale recreational models under HTS 9503.00.00 on the CBP Section 338 list, carrying a 50% additional US duty since August 22, 2026, and Americans are 85 per cent of Miniprints’ sales. Hellen spent the first week of the measure refunding cancelled orders — "I’ve probably had about 50 order cancellations this morning alone" — and told Canada’s National Observer that Ottawa’s relief package reaches neither him nor his eight part-time staff, because it starts at $1 million in sales and five full-time employees. He has kept shipping south, and a banner on every page of the shop tells American customers "We hate having to charge it, but we have no choice."

Visit the shop Claim this listing Request removalChecked 2026-09-09

In their own words

The Trump administration has imposed a 50% tariff on our Canadian-made products entering the U.S. We believe this is deeply unfair to our American customers who are burdened with this tax. We hate having to charge it, but we have no choice. Thank you for continuing to support miniprints.
Miniprints (Bernard Hellen) · miniprints.com
The standing banner across every page of the shop, addressed to the American hobbyists who make up most of Hellen's customers.
I've probably had about 50 order cancellations this morning alone
Bernard Hellen, owner of Miniprints, quoted by The Canadian Press · winnipegsun.com, Aug 24, 2026
Two days after the duty took effect, Hellen was fielding cancellations from American clients faster than he could count them.
A 50 per cent tax is more than the average American consumer can pay or is willing to pay,
Bernard Hellen, owner of Miniprints, quoted by The Canadian Press · winnipegsun.com, Aug 24, 2026
Hellen's read on why the orders stopped: at half again the price, a $20 figure stops being an impulse buy.
Small business is on the front lines here, and we are fighting the battle and we're happy to,
Bernard Hellen, owner of Miniprints, quoted by The Canadian Press · winnipegsun.com, Aug 24, 2026
Hellen, who wrote to Mark Carney and Doug Ford asking for reciprocal duties on hobby imports and COVID-style supports, on where small shops sit in the trade war.
But you can't send us into the trenches without the proper equipment.
Bernard Hellen, owner of Miniprints, quoted by The Canadian Press · winnipegsun.com, Aug 24, 2026
The other half of the same thought — he is willing to take the hit, but not without support that actually reaches a shop his size.
I understand these are wonderful programs for Bombardier, but they completely miss the mark for small business,
Bernard Hellen, owner of Miniprints, quoted by Cloe Logan, Canada's National Observer · nationalobserver.com, Aug 31, 2026
Hellen on why the federal support package announced after the tariffs does nothing for him: it starts at $1 million in sales and five full-time employees.
I can survive two days. Two months is going to be a challenge, and two years is not survivable. We're going to need something.
Bernard Hellen, owner of Miniprints, quoted by Cloe Logan, Canada's National Observer · nationalobserver.com, Aug 31, 2026
Hellen's own clock on how long a shop like his can carry a 50% duty on 85 per cent of its sales.

Quoted word for word from public posts and articles. Owners can claim the listing to add or remove a quote.

Made in Canada

Hellen prints the whole catalogue himself and says so twice over: "all our miniprints are MADE IN CANADA", and the banner now running on every page of the shop calls them "our Canadian-made products".

On the tariff list

HTS 9503.00.00 · Dolls, other toys, reduced-scale recreational models and puzzles of all kinds; parts and accessories thereof · 50% since Aug 22, 2026
The shop's own description of what it makes is "miniprints are highly detailed miniature figures and accessories designed for model railroaders and scale modelers. All items are produced using high-resolution 3D printing technology to capture extremely fine details." — reduced-scale recreational models and their accessories under HTS 9503.00.00 on the CBP Section 338 list. Canada's National Observer confirms the classification: "Hellen's operation is subject to the most recent round of US tariffs because his products fall under the toy category."

Rates are the additional US duty under Section 338. About the tariffs

Sources

miniprints.com · accessed 2026-09-09
Physical address: 163 Sterling Road, Unit 12C, Toronto ON M6R 2B2, Canada
miniprints.com · accessed 2026-09-09
The Trump administration has imposed a 50% tariff on our Canadian-made products entering the U.S.
miniprints.com · accessed 2026-09-09
We are hoping that because all our miniprints are MADE IN CANADA that we will qualify for 0% duties under the CUSMA agreement.
miniprints.com · accessed 2026-09-09
miniprints are highly detailed miniature figures and accessories designed for model railroaders and scale modelers. All items are produced using high-resolution 3D printing technology to capture extremely fine details.
miniprints.com · accessed 2026-09-09
All miniprints are printed on demand after your order is placed
miniprints.com · accessed 2026-09-09
miniprints has over 300 MINIME figures that dr. mini has 3D scanned
miniprints.com · accessed 2026-09-09
All taxes, tariffs and other duties are the responsibility of the purchaser.
winnipegsun.com · accessed 2026-09-09
said Hellen, owner of Toronto-based Miniprints, which makes railroading hobby miniatures of animals and figurines
winnipegsun.com · accessed 2026-09-09
For Hellen, Americans make up 85 per cent of his sales.
nationalobserver.com · accessed 2026-09-09
Hellen's operation is subject to the most recent round of US tariffs because his products fall under the toy category.
nationalobserver.com · accessed 2026-09-09
They also require businesses to have five full-time employees, and Hellen has eight part-time employees.
content.govdelivery.com · accessed 2026-09-09
9503.00.00

At a glance

Where: Toronto, ON
Shop: miniprints.com
Size: Small business, 2 to 9 people Canada's National Observer reports that the federal relief packages "only apply to operations with sales of $1 million and over, which Hellen does not have. They also require businesses to have five full-time employees, and Hellen has eight part-time employees" — an owner-run Toronto shop below both thresholds, with no parent company anywhere in its filings or its site.
Tariff hits: Main products hit Every item Miniprints sells is a 3D-printed scale figure, animal, vehicle or scenery detail on the hit line, so the 50% duty lands on the entire catalogue; Canada’s National Observer reports that Hellen’s operation is hit "because his products fall under the toy category".
Tags: 3d printed made to order lost us sales no federal relief still shipping to us owner operated
Listed: By us, from public sources
Checked: 2026-09-09

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