--------- begin quote ---
- goto depot, request paperwork to clear customs yourself (you're
right since you have not declared them to be your broker)
- goto CSBA, pay PST/GST
- go back to Fedex with completed CSBA paperwork and claim package.

--- end quote ------

Regarding clearing customs yourself:
That works if you live in a city which is the port of entry city for
that carrier.  I live in Calgary, the port of entry for UPS for me is
Winnipeg I think.
I cannot clear customs myself for UPS shipments because the Calgary
depot is not a customs bonded warehouse.
At least that is what I'm told, I could be wrong.

UPS standard/economy does not include brokerage fees.  UPS express
and the other faster service levels do include brokerage.  So it's
often the same price in the end to have something sent express
because brokerage charges are included.

For inbound truck freight I always them clear myself.  Did that last
week, a second powder coating setup shipped from Fort Worth Texas.
Only paid tax, took about a half an hour.

Here's something else.  UPS freight going from Canada to the US can
be up to $200 in value and not attract duty, taxes or brokerage.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm stuck with using UPS for shipping, I don't know any other way to
ship my vanagon racks.  Fedex, DHL, Purolator, do not have a ground/
economy service level for Canada to the US. UPS is the cheapest.
I've been having an ongoing problem with UPS double billing me on
about half of my shipments.  It's a problem with their billing
software, they are aware of it but can't do anything about it.  I
have to spend 15 minutes a week on the phone to straighten it out.
Oh, and UPS connect (their online shipping software) does not work
with Vista or Macs.   On the plus side, in ten years they have never
lost anything.

Gary Lee
www.vwrack.com