Fees
Cultures are shipped in liquid medium or when possible, on agar. The usual volume supplied for liquid cultures is 15 mL. Larger cultures of up to several litres are available on special order. If you require large numbers of cultures a quantity discount may be applied. A full list of fees is available.
Delivery times
Please allow 10 working days after placing your order for shipment of 15 mL volumes of cultures. Please allow more time for larger volumes or cultures that are slow-growing. For information regarding delivery time for your order please contact us.
Weather conditions
In order that you receive healthy, viable cultures we try to avoid shipping when weather conditions are extremely cold or hot. Our guidelines are to postpone shipments when the maximum daytime temperatures are over 28 C and overnight temperatures are lower than minus 15 C in the Waterloo, Ontario area or in the destination area. We will make every effort to ensure that the cultures are well packed to avoid freezing or overheating. If your need is urgent and the weather is unfavourable, we will try to accommodate your preferred schedule but this is at your own risk.
Shipping information - domestic orders
Shipping and handling charges are added and these vary according to the size and weight of the package, plus choice of courier (see list of fees). Domestic shipments are sent via overnight courier (i.e., typically Purolator or FedEx, sometimes UPS) on Mondays and Tuesdays, rarely Wednesdays. Alternatively, if you would prefer your shipment(s) to be sent collect, please provide us with your carrier's account number. A $5 handling fee will apply to domestic collect shipments.
Shipping information - international orders
Shipping and handling charges are added and these vary according to the destination, size, and weight of the package. Please note that all International orders are sent via FedEx International Priority on Mondays or Tuesdays. Although more expensive, FedEx has proven to be the most reliable courier for obtaining Customs clearance for living organisms, and the University of Waterloo does obtain a substantial discount from FedEx. Please see the list of fees for the range of shipping costs based on geographic region. Alternatively, if you would prefer your shipment(s) to be sent collect, please provide us with your carrier's account number. A $20 handling fee will apply to international collect shipments.
IMPORTANT: The customer is responsible for ensuring that any importation paperwork required by their country is completed and provided to the CPCC prior to shipment. At the current time, orders from customers who reside in countries that require an official Phytosanitary Certificate cannot be fulfilled as the CPCC lacks the administrative capacity to deal with these regulations. It is the customer's responsibility to determine if such a document is required prior to placing their order.
Placing your order
For shipping purposes, we will need the full shipping address including street name and number (courier shipments cannot be sent to a P.O. Box), along with the contact name, phone number, and e-mail address. In order to provide the best service, we also require the name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the end-user so the person can be contacted regarding any details or questions about the order.
For billing purposes, we will also need the full postal address for the centralized office/department (e.g., Accounts Payable or other appropriate administrative/financial personnel) to which the invoice should be directed. If distribution of the invoice via e-mail rather than by Canada Post would be preferred, then a centralized e-mail address is also necessary. A generic e-mail address (e.g., acctspay@business.com) is preferred. If the e-mail address needs to be for a specific person rather than a generic address, then that person will need to confirm via e-mail that they are an appropriate member of the administrative/financial staff and that they will be responsible for receiving all invoices from the University of Waterloo. That person would then either be responsible for payment or for distribution of the invoice to the appropriate end-users (as indicated on the invoice) for approval and/or payment. The invoice cannot be issued directly to the end-users.
If required by your institution, please obtain a purchase order number from your accounting department.
Please review the terms and conditions before ordering. If you are ordering any toxic strains you will need to complete and submit the toxic strain release form available under terms and conditions.
It is very helpful if you let us know the purpose for which the cultures will be used so that we can advise on the best strain for the project. It also provides us with information that would be useful to potential funding agencies, regarding the types of research being conducted with CPCC cultures.
IMPORTANT: The CPCC is unable to perform any service (directly or indirectly) with customers in a country that is under economic sanction by either Canada or the US.
Options for placing your order
- E-mail: Please include all information regarding shipping and billing, similar to that requested in our online form. Scan and email Purchase Order forms to hdroshon@uwaterloo.ca.
- Online: Go to place your order page and follow the instructions therein. If you are ordering anything other than small cultures, sterile full-strength medium, and/or concentrate, you will need to place your order using a different method (e-mail is preferred). Please note that the online order form does not accept payment.
- Phone: Please call 519-888-4567 ext 36114 with details. It is advisable to follow up with a confirmation by e-mail in order to prevent errors.
- Fax: Please fax Purchase Order forms to 519-746-0614 and ensure it is marked to the attention of Heather Roshon (CPCC). As it is a departmental fax machine, it is advisable to follow up by e-mail to ensure that we receive the fax in a timely fashion.
Please do not put credit card information on your order.
Payment options
Once the customer has received their shipment and confirmed that it arrived in good condition, the invoicing details will be provided to the Finance Department at the University of Waterloo. They will generate the invoice during their next weekly invoicing run and either mail it via the postal service to the designated centralized billing address or e-mail it to the designated centralized e-mail address. Please review the placing your order section above for more information regarding the centralized billing address. The invoice cannot be issued directly to the end-users.
Upon receipt of the invoice, please send payment (with reference to the invoice number) directly to the Finance Department at the University of Waterloo by one of the following methods:
- Credit Card: Mastercard, VISA, VISA Debit, or American Express (the University of Waterloo online secure payment system must be used). Credit card payment is not accepted by telephone.
- Cheque or money order in Canadian dollars (mailed to the address located on the invoice).
- EFT/Wire transfer: To obtain the University's banking information please email your authorization request to arinquiry@uwaterloo.ca. Please allow 24-48 hour for Finance Staff to review and complete the authorization form. Once completed, all payment notifications should be emailed to uwbanking@uwaterloo.ca referencing the payment amount, customer and invoice numbers.
Please note that all funds are payable in Canadian Dollars (CAD).
Please contact UW Accounts Receivable if you have any questions directly related to the payment of your invoice.
If you have any other questions regarding your order please feel free to contact us.