CLRED FOR AN ARR STAR AN ACR CREW BEGINS DSCNT WHEN THEIR FMS INDICATED THEY WERE AT TOP OF DSCNT POINT. ATC WAS QUICK TO NOTE THE ALT EXCURSION.

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LEVEL 10000 FT AT 250 KTS. UPON REACHING LINNG INTXN CLRED FOR THE YOUTH 1 LINNG ARR RWY 24R: FMS INDICATED DSCNT POINT FOR VIXAN (FINAL FIX) WE BEGAN DSCNT. AT 8600 FT APCH CTL ASKED FOR OUR ALT. REPLYING 8600 FT WE WERE TOLD TO CLB TO 9000 FT. CALLED UPON LNDG; SPEAKING WITH SUPVR WHO SAID WE WERE NOT CLRED FOR DSCNT ON THE STAR. ALL ALTS ARE ASSIGNED BY ATC; NOTED ON CANADIAN PLATES BUT NOT COMMERCIAL PLATES. NO TCASII ACTIVATION ALTHOUGH TFC MENTIONED. SHIFT MGR; MR X; WANTED TO DISCUSS ARR EXPECTATIONS BTWN CANADIAN AND UNITED STATES PROCS. DYLIN 1 ARR INTO EWR WAS USED AS AN EXAMPLE. HE STATED NO INFRACTION WAS TO BE FILED. MISUNDERSTANDING OF CANADIAN STAR ARR PROCS. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE INITIATED THE DSCNT WITHOUT ATC CLRNC EVEN THOUGH WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ARR LATERAL GUIDANCE ONLY NOT VERT. A NOTATION ON THE COMMERCIAL STAR PLATES OR COMMERCIAL CHART HIGHLIGHTING THAT ALL ALTS ON CANADIAN STARS WILL BE ASSIGNED BY ATC AND THAT CLRED FOR THE ARR DOES NOT INCLUDE ALT CHANGES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 539228: CAPT (PF) STARTED DSCNT TO 3100 FT AT VIXEN. WE FELT THAT ONCE CLRED FOR THE ARR; WE NEEDED TO COMPLY WITH COURSE AND ALT RESTRS; AND SO WE STARTED OUR DSCNT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STAR; DOES IT?