TheOccurrence
Logo and photos from the maker's own shop, shown so you can recognise their work. See more at their shop. Yours and want it changed? Tell us.
Merrickville, Ontario · Online shop · theoccurrence.ca
Small businessMain products hit
Michael J. Bainbridge and Brigitte Gall design, print, cut and box jigsaw puzzles in 192, 504 and 1008 pieces at their Merrickville, Ontario shop — Canadian minerals, Ojibwe horses, a bird for every province, 1930s Eaton's catalogue covers, hand-drawn town road-trip maps — printed with museum-grade pigment inks on satin paper and glued to 100% recycled graphic board.
Due to the high cost of shipping and customs uncertainty, we regret that we're currently unable to ship outside of Canada. Thank you for your understanding.Source: theoccurrence.ca, Sep 9, 2026
Jigsaw puzzles fall under HTS 9503.00.00 on the CBP Section 338 list — the line covers "puzzles of all kinds" — so a 50% duty has applied to every puzzle entering the United States since August 22, 2026. TheOccurrence is not sending any: a notice across its own storefront reads "Due to the high cost of shipping and customs uncertainty, we regret that we're currently unable to ship outside of Canada", and the shipping page still shows the $17 flat rate to the US it is no longer charging.
In their own words
Due to the high cost of shipping and customs uncertainty, we regret that we're currently unable to ship outside of Canada. Thank you for your understanding.
TheOccurrence · theoccurrence.ca
A "Please Note:" banner on the front page of the shop, above the featured puzzle categories.
** Unfortunately due to the high cost of shipping and customs uncertainty, we regret that we're currently unable to ship outside of Canada. Thank you for your understanding. **
TheOccurrence · theoccurrence.ca
The same notice on the shipping page, printed directly under a rate table that still lists "$17 to the U.S."
Quoted word for word from public posts and articles. Owners can claim the listing to add or remove a quote.
Made in Canada
The shop puts it bluntly: "TheOccurrence is a 100% owned, operated, and unreasonably proudly Canadian jigsaw puzzle manufacturing company located in rural Ontario", and "We design, print, cut, and box in our Merrickville, Ontario location (no manufacturing ‘partners’ outside of Canada here)."
On the tariff list
- HTS 9503.00.00 · Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys; dollsʼ carriages; dolls, other toys; reduced-scale (“scaleˮ) models and similar recreational models, working or not; puzzles of all kinds; parts and accessories thereof · 50% since Aug 22, 2026
The whole shop is jigsaw puzzles — "Merrickville Road Trip - 1008, 504 & 192 pieces" and dozens like it — which the maker says are printed and cut in house: "We design, print, cut, and box in our Merrickville, Ontario location". HTS 9503.00.00 on the CBP Section 338 list covers "puzzles of all kinds".
Rates are the additional US duty under Section 338. About the tariffs
Sources
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
TheOccurrence is a 100% owned, operated, and unreasonably proudly Canadian jigsaw puzzle manufacturing company located in rural Ontario.
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
We design, print, cut, and box in our Merrickville, Ontario location (no manufacturing ‘partners’ outside of Canada here).
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
Images are true photographic-quality prints using museum-grade pigment inks on Satin paper, and glued with archival adhesive onto 100% recycled graphic board.
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
Our work is informed and inspired by our passion for Canadian geology, geography, and our collective cultural history.
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
Co-founders Michael J. Bainbridge and Brigitte Gall said ‘holy mother of all things holy, but that’s cold!’, and then they started a puzzle company.
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
Punctilious jigsaw puzzles for art geeks and science nerds.
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
Made in Canada.
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
Due to the high cost of shipping and customs uncertainty, we regret that we're currently unable to ship outside of Canada. Thank you for your understanding.
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
Merrickville, ON
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
$17 to the U.S.
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
MADE IN MERRICKVILLE, ONTARIO!
- theoccurrence.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
Merrickville Road Trip - 1008, 504 & 192 pieces
- supportontariomade.ca · accessed 2026-09-09
All of our puzzles are deisgned, produced and manufactured at our shop in Merrickville, Ontario.
- content.govdelivery.com · accessed 2026-09-09
9503.00.00