Travel Information

On this page, you will find important border-crossing advice for U.S. Citizens and International travellers. General guidance for fishing and hunting regulations, firearms information, insurance, currency, seat belts and more for travel planning.

Crossing The Canada – U.S. Border

All U.S. citizens aged 16 and older entering Canada by air (including in-transit passengers who are transferring planes in the U.S.), land or water must present one of the following documents:

• a passport or passport card
• An Enhanced Driver’s License
• Trusted Traveller Program Card (SENTRI, NEXUS or FAST Card).

Travellers aged 15 and under require a birth certificate for land or sea travel and a passport for air travel. For current requirements, go to: www.canada.ca

If both parents are travelling with children under the age of 16, you only require birth certificates for the children. If only one parent is travelling with the children, you still require the birth certificates. However, it’s always good to have a letter of permission to travel in Canada from the other parent. The letter should include the name and contact information and be signed by the other parent. The Canadian Border Services officer may ask for this letter when crossing over into Canada.

Visitors from all other countries require a valid passport and, in some cases, a visitor’s visa. Starting March 15, 2016, visa-exempt foreign nationals who fly to or transit through Canada will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid visa.

For More Information

Border Rules & Admissibility

Important Notice For U.S. Residents (DUI & Legal entry rules)

If you or anyone in your party has a felony or misdemeanour conviction, you may not be allowed into Canada. This includes offences like DUI. Your admissibility to Canada depends on the nature of the offence, how many offences you have, and how long ago it occurred. If this applies to you or someone travelling with you, you must contact Immigration Canada well in advance of your arrival. You will likely have to complete some paperwork, and Immigration Canada authorities will then advise you of the likelihood of being allowed into Canada. The final determination of your admissibility into Canada is only made when you cross the border.

Contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada at www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/tourist.asp or the Canadian Consulate in New York, NY, regarding any forms you may be required to fill out. You may also wish to call an Immigration Officer at the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Port of Entry to discuss your situation at 1-800-461-9999 or (204) 983-3500 (calls outside of Canada). Frequently asked questions for Americans travelling outside of the U.S. are available on these two websites: www.cbsa.gc.ca or www.travel.state.gov

What Can & Cannot Come Into Canada (Alcohol, Tobacco, & Cannabis limits)

Residents of the United States who visit Canada are allowed to bring in a “reasonable” amount of personal goods duty-free. The amount you bring should align with your length of stay. Limits for some of the regulated items:

• Alcohol: If you are 19 years of age or older and crossing the border into Ontario, you can bring, free of duty and taxes, either 1.5 litres (50 oz.) of wine, 1.14 litres (40 oz.) of liquor, or 24 X 355 millilitres (12 oz.) of beer or ale. If you bring in more than the amount listed here, you will be required to pay the duty at the Border on excess amounts. Make sure you fully declare all alcohol in your possession.
• Tobacco: If you are 19 years of age or older and crossing the border into Ontario, you are allowed to bring, free of duty, up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200 grams (7 oz.) of manufactured tobacco and 200 tobacco sticks. You may bring additional quantities, but you will be required to pay duties & taxes on the excess amounts.
• Cannabis: Although cannabis (marijuana) is legal and regulated in Canada, it remains illegal to take cannabis across Canada’s national borders, whether you are entering or leaving Canada. For more information, consult cannabis legalization at www.canada.ca
• Food Products: What is and what is not allowed changes frequently; visit www.inspection.gc.ca for current information before your departure.

Travelling With Pets (Vaccinations & CDC return forms)

• Dogs & Cats from the U.S.: Your pet must have a valid rabies vaccination certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian (valid for up to 36 months).
• Health & Safety: Dogs must appear healthy and travel under humane conditions. Puppies under 8 months old may face extra border rules.
• Other Countries: If you are visiting from outside the U.S., check specific entry rules at the CFIA Travel Guide or call 1-800-442-2342.
• Important Note for U.S. Travellers Returning Home: If you are travelling with a dog, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires specific entry rules to get back into the United States:
  • Age & Microchip: Your dog must be at least 6 months old and have an ISO-compliant microchip.
  • CDC Form: You must complete the online form before arriving at the border and bring the printed or digital receipt. You can fill out the form for free on the CDC Dog Import Website.
  • Cats: There are no special CDC return forms required for pet cats.

Residents Returning To The U.S. (Duty-free limits)

If you are a U.S. resident returning home from Canada, you can bring back up to $800 worth of goods duty-free if you meet these rules:

• Time Limit: You must have been outside the United States for at least 48 hours.
• Frequency: You can only claim this full $800 exemption once every 30 days.
• Tobacco Limits: Your allowance can include up to 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars (for travellers aged 21 or older).
• Alcohol Limits: You are allowed to bring back 1 litre of alcoholic beverages (such as wine, beer, or liquor) duty-free. You must be at least 21 years old and follow your home state’s alcohol laws.

Family Joint Declarations

• Combining Exemptions: If you are travelling with family members who live in the same household, you can pool your dollar limits. For example, a family of four can make a joint declaration to bring back a combined total of $3,200 worth of goods duty-free.
• Alcohol & Tobacco: While you can pool the overall dollar value of your shopping, you cannot pool alcohol and tobacco allowances for underage people.

If your trip is shorter than 48 hours, a smaller $200 exemption applies instead, and alcohol/tobacco limits cannot be combined. For more details, visit the official CBP Customs Duty Information Page.

Laws & Transit Regulations

Vehicles & Insurance

Any necessary permits are issued at the port of entry. If you’ve rented a vehicle or trailer, make sure you bring along a copy of the rental contract, which stipulates that you have permission to use it in Canada. U.S. motorists planning to travel in Canada are advised to obtain a Canadian Non-Resident Interprovincial Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card available only in the U.S. Contact your local insurance agency. For more info, contact Canadian Border Services at (204) 983-3500, or (506) 636-5064, or visit www.cbsa.gc.ca

Seat Belts

Ontario Law requires that adults and children over 40 lbs / 18 kg in weight wear seat belts. Infants from birth to 20 lbs / 9 kg in weight must travel in a rear-facing child restraint system. Toddlers weighing 20 to 40 lbs / 9 to 18 kg must travel in a front-facing child restraint seat.

Boaters – How To Report Your Entry

Pleasure crafts may enter Canada by trailer or under their own power. All boats powered by motors 10 HP or over must be licensed. Boat licences from outside Ontario are accepted. Operator Competency Requirements for Pleasure Craft – Regulation requires that all operators of motorized pleasure crafts have proof of competency and proof of age on board at all times. An operator card or equivalent, issued to a non-resident by their state or country, will be considered as proof of competency. For information, visit www.safeboater.com

Planning to “land” your vessel on Canadian soil, or did you leave Canadian waters and land on U.S. soil? All private boaters who intend to land on Canadian soil, or who have departed Canadian waters and landed on U.S. soil, are required to report to a CBSA-designated marine reporting site. Upon arrival at this designated site, call the Telephone Reporting Centre at 1-888-226-7277 from the phone provided to obtain clearance. Not planning to “land” your vessel, or did you leave Canadian waters but did not land on U.S. soil? You still need to report to the CBSA. Certain private boaters may contact the CBSA by calling the TRC at 1-888-226-7277. For more info, visit www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-eng.html

Liquor Outlets And The Law

You must be 19 or over to buy or consume liquor, wine and beer in Ontario. It is an offence to consume alcohol anywhere other than in a licenced establishment, your residence or within a reasonable distance of your residence. Ontario laws prohibit having open bottles of liquor in a location accessible to the driver of a vehicle. Please don’t drink and drive! Liquor, including wine and beer, is available through stores run by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) or in smaller centers, by their authorized representative. Beer may be purchased through “The Beer Store” or directly from brewery outlets. Beer, wine and cider are now available at select grocery stores in the province of Ontario. Drinking hours in licenced establishments are from 11 am until 2 am. In Ontario, it is an offence to consume alcohol anywhere other than in a residence or on licensed premises. Please note that driving motorized vehicles, including cars, trucks, ATVs, snowmobiles, and boats, while impaired is illegal. You can immediately lose your licence for 90 days for refusing to take a breathalyzer reading greater than 80 mg (0.08%) of alcohol per 100 mL of blood. Charges may be laid under the Criminal Code of Canada.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)

For police services anywhere in Ontario, call the 24-hour toll-free line 1-888-310-1122 or 1-888-310-1133 (TTY).

Outdoors & Recreation Guidelines

Fishing Regulations

Licences: All non-residents of Canada require an Outdoors Card or a Temporary Outdoors Card accompanied by a valid fishing licence tag for non-Canadian residents. Non-residents under the age of 18 may fish without a licence if accompanied by a licensed family member. Any fish caught are part of the limit of the person with the licence. Canadian residents require a resident fishing license and a current resident Outdoors Card.

Bait: You cannot bring live minnows, smelts, leeches, nightcrawlers or any other bait fish into Ontario from the U.S. starting January 1, 2022. To protect our waters from harmful invasive species and fish diseases, 4 BMZs have limited the movement, possession and use of baitfish and leeches. This means you may not transport baitfish and leeches from one BMZ to another. Please purchase your live bait in the BMZ you plan to fish in. Click here to download the Bait Management Zones Map

Limits and Regulations: With countless lakes and streams, anglers must be aware of the general regulations and any exceptions to the general regulations (e.g. specific slots or catch and possession limits) that may apply to the lake you will be fishing.

Ontario’s Fishing Regulations can be downloaded at www.ontario.ca/page/fishing

Hunting Regulations

Non-residents must have one of the following to obtain a hunting license:

1) An Ontario non-resident hunting licence issued to you after January 1, 1968.

2) A hunting licence issued to you after January 1, 1968, by a competent authority in a jurisdiction where you were a resident of that jurisdiction.

3) An Ontario hunting licence verification certificate showing your licence to hunt in Ontario or that you passed the hunting licence examination.

Visit www.ontario.ca/page/hunting or call the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources at 1-800-667-1940 for further information.

Firearms Information

Residents of the U.S. over the age of 18 may bring a hunting rifle or shotgun into Ontario for hunting purposes. You are also allowed to bring up to 200 rounds of ammunition duty-free, or up to 1,500 rounds for use at a recognized competition. Firearms are subject to a registration fee. It is suggested that you contact the Canada Firearms Centre for information before you attempt to import a firearm.

Residents of the U.S. are encouraged to pre-register their firearms before arriving. Handguns, fully automatic weapons, modified weapons, stun guns, mace and other weapons are not allowed in Canada. Proper storage of the firearm is important, so make sure you are aware of the regulations. Of special note, firearms of any kind are forbidden in many of Canada’s National and Provincial Parks and adjacent areas.

For more information on importing your firearm into Canada, visit www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Logistics & Practical Information

Hospitals & Health Insurance

Most communities have hospitals and/or resident doctors. Wise travellers will check with their medical service plans to ensure they will be covered while in Canada, as health insurance plans may not extend coverage outside their country of residence. If you are taking prescription drugs, make sure that they are in the original packaging, bring an adequate supply, and bring a copy of the prescription in case you need a refill during your stay in Ontario. If this is not possible, carry a copy of the prescription or a letter from your doctor. For more information and insurance details, contact your travel agent, insurance broker, or your employer’s insurance provider.

Credit Cards, Financial Services And U.S. Funds

Chartered banks are located in virtually all cities and towns. These full-service institutions are the best locations for exchanging currency. There is also a government-sanctioned Canada / U.S. currency exchange service at the Ontario Travel Information Centre in Sault Ste. Marie and at the Duty-Free Store & Kiosk. Credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and AMEX are generally honoured in all communities. Be sure to check with individual businesses before or when booking accommodations to ensure they accept your card.

Sales Tax

In Ontario, a Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) of 13% applies to most purchases. For more information, contact: 1-800-565-9353 (inside Canada); (902) 432-5604 (outside Canada); or www.cra-arc.gc.ca

Currency

If you want to know what your money is worth in Canada, visit www.bankofcanada.ca/rates/exchange/daily-converter/ to quickly convert your currency to Canadian dollars.

Statutory Holidays

In Ontario, it’s important to plan for the following holidays and booking ahead for accommodations is recommended:

• New Year’s Day – January 1
• Family Day – Third Monday in February
• Good Friday – Friday before Easter Sunday
• Easter Sunday – Retail stores are not open
• Easter Monday – Governmental Only
• Victoria Day – Monday before May 25
• Canada Day – July 1
• Civic Holiday – First Monday in August (not statutory)
• Labour Day – First Monday in September
• Thanksgiving Day – Second Monday in October
• Christmas Day – December 25
• Boxing Day – December 26

Weather Information

Average Monthly Temperatures

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information but cannot be held responsible for the information provided herein. The information contained on this page is offered to you as a matter of interest and is believed to be correct and accurate. The producers of this website accept no liability for errors or omissions.