Crossing Canadian Boarder First Time in MH

[Karl Welhart]

Will be crossing the Canadian boarder this year for the first time and confused about issues facing us regarding the following:

1. What foods are not allowed (people and pet)?
2. What paperwork do we need for pet (dog)?
3. Do we need special insurance paperwork for the MH and toad?
4. How much alcohol can we take?

These issues we understand:

1. Need passports
2. No guns or related items
3. Patience and only answer questions with direct/simple responses

Anything special that we should be aware about coming back in to the US?

Thanks,

[Steve Huber]

Karl,
These are pretty good summaries:  http://www.aaa.com/aaa/Traveler/US_to_Canada.html
or  http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/information-for-consumers/travellers/eng/1389630031549/1389630282362

The rigor with which you may be inspected probably varies with the border station and inspector. We crossed in the coach at Sweet Grass, MT north of Great Falls and the "inspection" amounted to a couple of questions throught the window of the RV. Same on leaving.
Have Fun!
Steve

[BJ Sprague]

Hello Karl -

Here are the latest 2016 informational pages from the Canadian government:

http://inspection.gc.ca/food/information-for-consumers/travellers/what-can-i-bring-into-canada-/eng/1389648337546/1389648516990

http://inspection.gc.ca/animals/terrestrial-animals/imports/travellers/restriction-on-imports/eng/1421341696172/1421341727507

The rules change from time to time and it prudent to use the most recent information.  The AAA guidance is good for general info and is accurate regarding pets, but I would use the info that is provided directly from the Canadian government.

We crossed the border into Canada in late April.  They were being strict about eggs and poultry (see above link) and didn't want any eggs or poultry.  We were asked questions about firearms, fruits and vegetables, meats and poultry, live plants and pets.  They did not inspect the motorhome.  I am very careful about produce after one border crossing where I was asked to place an unopened bag of cucumbers (Canadian origin, purchased in the U.S.) in a designated garbage can approximately 100 yards from the motorhome.  I was under camera surveillance and held up a long line of cars waiting to cross the border.  We now cross the border and look for the first large Canadian supermarket!  Please note that we have never had a physical RV inspection going into Canada.

Crossing back into the U.S. can be less pleasant than crossing into Canada.  RV inspections are more frequent, so allow time for the border crossing.  In April the inspectors were asking about rice, currently a disallowed food item.  Rice!
Another point re crossing back into the U.S. - we were required to have our dog food in original bag with proof of purchase to prove both ingredients and source.  This was part of our physical RV inspection.

It all sounds difficult and cumbersome, but is just what it takes to be a cross-border traveler.  I print out the most current border crossing info and keep it in the motorhome.

[Gerald Farris]

Karl,
Just like the others said, read the current list of restricted items a couple of weeks before you cross the border because they change fairly often.

Under no circumstances should you carry anything that is considered a weapon into Canada, and this includes mace or pepper spray. Even though mace and pepper spray are considered self-defense items in this country, they are considered weapons when you take them into Canada.

I have probably crossed the US Canadian border in excess of 20 times since I have been RVing over the last 16 years, and I have been searched twice. once going into Canada, and once coming back to the US. A search is not a bad thing, but it will slow you down a little, so if your number comes up for a random search, just relax for thirty minutes or so while the customs guys do what they get paid for. 

Gerald       

[Doug Allman]

Gerald, How do they treat Bear Spray?

We went into and returned from Canada last year with it in Coach. We were only asked a few questions going in and returning to US even though we had our 5 year old grandson with us (per Canada's website we had all signed notarized papers for him including passport). We were headed for the Calgary Stampede and I was amazed at how few questions they asked compared to all the other times we crossed into Canada. In over 50 years we have only had a customs officer come into our RV once and almost every time we have entered Canada we have had children with us.

We always carry Bear Spray now when in western states since we were less than 1/8 of a mile away on the morning of the the fatality of a man when we were at the Upper Falls of the Yellowstone several years ago.

[Gerald Farris]

Doug,
I do not know how the Canadian Customs officers perceive any products that are labeled Bear Spray since it is available for sale in Canada. However, I do know that they restrict products like mace or pepper spray that are labeled as a self-defense weapon, and you can be fined for carrying them into Canada. 

Gerald

[Steve Huber]

Doug,
Bear spray is permitted if the container label specifies it is for animal use only. Select the CBSA link on the following and see the Exception under item C on page 11 of the resultant pdf file. https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/878/~/want-to-bring-bear-spray-into-the-u.s.
Steve

[Karl Welhart]

Thanks everyone for the great advice.  I was given a website address in another forum that has been very helpful.  www.ezbordercrossing.com  Also, their food restrictions vary from day to day and from port to port.

[Larry Williams]

Thanks everyone for the great advice.  I was given a website address in another forum that has been very helpful.  www.ezboardercrossing.com  Also, their food restrictions vary from day to day and from port to port.

You misspelled the word border in the link. You can edit that post to fix it. Looks like a great site.

[Bill Sprague]

Karl,

I've crossed that border in various places all my life.  I've done it in various boats, airplanes, cars and RVs.  No motorcycles, bicycles or walking yet!  I've delivered Cessnas to Canadian dealers, dealing with taxes.  I've flown "experimental homebuilts" into Canada.  BJ and I spent our first married night in Canada.  She was nearly a child then!  I've not kept track, but I might have had near a hundred crossings.  I’ve always been passed with the worst case taking about two hours coming home when the inspector left the airport to go home for dinner as I was landing!   

The only thing that really counts is weapons, dog shot/health records and passports.  There are passport substitutes, but not as many as there used to be. 

Generally speaking, you have an estimated 85% chance of going north so smoothly, that you've love the Canadians.  They seem to welcome us as tourists.  There is about a 15% chance you will be randomly selected for a little extra attention.  They don't seem to get concerned over honest mistakes.   They don't want overt smuggling or criminals.   For example, I once went through with a few partially consumed bottles of booze.  Nobody bothered to add it up to see if I was exceeding the quantity limit.   If there is a restriction on lettuce, bananas, limes or something, you will be politely asked to give it up.  They generally seem to apologize if they have to ask you to give something up.

Generally speaking, you have an estimated 15% chance of coming home smoothly.  You can expect long lines and surly inspectors dressed in Kevlar that are well armed and with an attitude that work slowly.  There will not be enough inspectors for the workload.  Many seem mad at you for having a vacation while they have to work.  They have not learned from the friendly Canadians!    It will seem like their goal is to get you to write your congress people to get more guards, less work, higher pay and longer coffee breaks.  Have something to do while you wait in line.  I speak from experience when I suggest you do not let frustration be irritating.  The moment you enter a line at a US border crossing you give up all control.  There is not room to turn around and come back the next day.   Pity the people in line that don't have their toilets with them.

That said, once they (slowly) determine that you are not a criminal, you will be allowed to return home.  Even people who have not read the regulations seem to get home the same day they try!  I can't imagine how we treat people without US passports that should be treated as guests.   

One last suggestion..... Ship me all your extra fine Scotch and Bourbon.   I will try to store it for your return and deliver it to you in Oregon when I see you.  Drink Canadian while you are there.
 

[Karl Welhart]

Larry, thanks for catching my misspelled website address.  Bill, great advice from you as usual.  Not nearly as long as I expected however.  You must have been in a hurry.  Kidding aside, I always appreciate your stories.... BJ's was much better.  BTW, how old was BJ when you guys got married?

[Bill Sprague]

......  Bill, great advice from you as usual.  Not nearly as long as I expected however.  You must have been in a hurry.  Kidding aside, I always appreciate your stories.... BJ's was much better.  BTW, how old was BJ when you guys got married?

It was a slow morning where I was procrastinating some awkward HOA business.  Typing was more fun.  I didn't ask BJ how old she was.  I still don't.  It was about a year before I could legally get her into a bar!  Maybe I should have asked how old she was. 

True story.....For 18 months of flight training we were surrounded by young'uns like us.  We blended in.  After a month or so at my first duty station we had unit social at the officers' club.  I introduced BJ to one of the men with a badge on his shoulder suggesting he out ranked me a couple notches.  He looked at me and said, "Bill, you robbed the cradle!".  BJ blushed.

[Joel Ashley]

Our last crossings in Montana to Sask. and back from B.C. to Montana, we were virtually the only ones there, so no lines either time.  And only brief standard questions both times. 

The only hassles were once in the Pace Arrow in mid-1980's at the Okanogan they made us toss some fruits and veggies;  and the real pain was at Eastsound marina when we took our cruiser from Friday Harbor to show accompanying friends Victoria.  It was late in the day and the customs inspector had to leave dinner to come to the marina, and he was pretty ticked.  He spent two hours rummaging through the boat, determined to find something to redeem his personal sacrifice, while we 4 stood on the dock.  He questioned mercilessly my wife's stock of prescriptions, each of which she stoically defended. 

I found it an advantage to being half Canadian, as I could speak his language .  He didn't think that was funny.  We weren't the late-evening marine drug-runners he wished we were.  I did have to give him some credit though... he discovered several hiding places on board I didn't know we had, which we subsequently found were really handy for extra storage!

Joel

[Joel Weiss]

Generally speaking, you have an estimated 15% chance of coming home smoothly.  You can expect long lines and surly inspectors dressed in Kevlar that are well armed and with an attitude that work slowly.  There will not be enough inspectors for the workload.  Many seem mad at you for having a vacation while they have to work. 

We've spent the previous four summers in Canada and pretty much agree with what's been written in this thread.  But to be fair we did get a compliment from one US border guard two years ago because we had all our paperwork neatly organized even including the documentation for the Montana LLC that owns our MH.  His comment to us was "not everyone is this well prepared, thank you."

Last year,  in Houlton ME I did manage to scrape my right mirror on the side of the building on the right side of the narrow lane we had to drive through. No serious damage was done to the mirror or the building, but the US border agents became so concerned about the "incident" that they stopped mid-way through the process of asking us questions.  I wouldn't advocate this as a way of distracting the guards, but it did work! 

[Bob Stone]

As a Canadian snowbird returning to Canada after enjoying 5 months in the sunny Yuma area I was financially stung by entering Canada at a British Columbia crossing. I found from previous years that liquor is so inexpensive in Arizona that a signicant financial saving can be had even by paying duty on that amount of liquor exceeding the allowance. As I live in Calgary I usually cross at a Alberta crossing.  However unlike Alberta, B.C. has a provincial tax and a liquor tax which more than wipes out any savings. So, if you are transporting much more than one liter of liquor per adult and your route gives you the option to enter Canada at a Alberta port you will likely save some dollars.


Most of the other concerns when dealing with customs and border security both coming and going have already been addressed. Be organized, brief answers, be honest, have paperwork in order and be patient - they are only doing their jobs and they are only human. (Except for the dogs)


As an aside, Gerald, I hope you enjoyed your trip through the Canadian Maritime provinces and WiFi access was not too much of an issue. 


Oh, sorry eh. Welcome to Canada