Traveling through Canada with an RV

[DetroitFF]

Hey y'all-
I'm having a hard time finding good info on this. We are considering going from home near Detroit MI to Maine, and it's quite a bit less travel time going through Canada.

What rules are there are far as food brought with us and such if we're traveling through, but not staying in Canada? I know I could lose time at the border crossings but I'm wondering what issues I could have taking camping food and supplies and such.

Thanks!

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I'm not sure there's any distinction between staying and passing through. I drove through canada a number of times, sometimes they wave you through sometimes they take you aside and root through the car. There are very specific lists of prohibited items. I never took my chances with that, not worth the hassle.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

If you don't have a pet, don't have any pet food or treats when you cross the border. Before we had a dog, I used to carry dog biscuits in my pocket to give to our friends dogs.

In 2000 while trying to enter Canada, we were at the border for over three hours because we couldn't convince the border guard that we didn't have a dog hidden in the RV after they saw a box of dog biscuits in the cupboard.

 

[Oldgator73]

If you don't have a pet, don't have any pet food or treats when you cross the border. Before we had a dog, I used to carry dog biscuits in my pocket to give to our friends dogs.

In 2000 while trying to enter Canada, we were at the border for over three hours because we couldn't convince the border guard that we didn't have a dog hidden in the RV after they saw a box of dog biscuits in the cupboard.

You could have grabbed a beer and a handful of dog biscuits and created your own happy hour. The border guys would’ve thought you had a weird taste in snacks but maybe you could’ve gotten out of there quicker.

 

[msw3113]

On our return from Canada US customs confiscated some produce because we couldn't prove that we brought it from the US.

 

[Sunnyfalls]

Never had any issues taking cats or dogs all over Canada and for months at a time. The only requirement was proof of rabies shots and health certificates from your vet. And most of the time they never even checked the paperwork or the cats/dogs... Has something changed recently?

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Never had any issues taking cats or dogs all over Canada and for months at a time. The only requirement was proof of rabies shots and health certificates from your vet. And most of the time they never even checked the paperwork or the cats/dogs... Has something changed recently?

We didn't have a problem because we had a pet, we had a problem because we DIDN'T have a pet and we had a box of dog biscuits.

After we got our dog, like you, we never had a problem.

 

[JudyJB]

I went through US Customs in late September in my motorhome. Do not carry any weapons or even any pepper spray. If you have bear spray, it has to have the word "bear" on it.

They did confiscate the remainder of a carton of eggs because I had bought them in Ontario where there had been some problems with bird flu. Had I bought them in any other province, it would have been fine. I think they also confiscated an orange and some lemons, but those also depended on where I had bought them. No wild meat, either. Check the online border patrol website for rules, because they do change with what is currently happening.

And never, ever, EVER try to hide anything or lie. It only took maybe 10 minutes for the very friendly border lady to check my refrigerator and ask where I had bought each item. Did not need receipts or proof, they just want to prevent plant diseases from spreading.

 

[Yoshi1]

Hi, Last year we went came back to the US from Canada via Maine, on the US side, took all our open fresh vegetables that could have been in contact with the soil. (i,e carrots, potatoes, etc). Bringing Food into the U.S.

 

[UTTransplant]

The rules on food change as threats change, so look at the US and Canadian websites just before your trip for current guidelines. As for pets, you should also look at official websites for info. Going into Canada is pretty simple, but getting back into the US might be more difficult. Right now the incredibly difficult regs the border people had are suspended for pets, but who knows what will happen in the future? Better look just before the trip. As for pet food, don’t take it out of the bag. The customs folks will need to see the brand and ingredients.

 

[rvlifer]

It has been a number of years since we crossed the border but heading into canada took only a couple of minutes. They didnt even look at anything in our vehicles. Asked a few questions and let us through. Getting back into the US was a different story.

 

[Firstime RVer]

When my brother in law sported a pony tail hair cut and beard, he was searched every time he crossed into canada.
After a hair cut and a shave, never got searched again...
I suspect there is a lesson in there somewhere.
Safe travels and all the best.

 

[Fluffywhitedogs]

Never had any issues taking cats or dogs all over Canada and for months at a time. The only requirement was proof of rabies shots and health certificates from your vet. And most of the time they never even checked the paperwork or the cats/dogs... Has something changed recently?

There are some new procedures that came into effect last August. There’s a cdc form that needs to be filled out and the dog must have a microchip. Best to double check if you’re re-entering the US after leaving.

 

[Lou Schneider]

When my brother in law sported a pony tail hair cut and beard, he was searched every time he crossed into canada.
After a hair cut and a shave, never got searched again...
I suspect there is a lesson in there somewhere.
Safe travels and all the best.

Back in the '60s my dad and I took the ferry from Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, BC. There was minimal hassle boarding or leaving the ferry except on the return trip. US Customs held up the ferry's departure for 45 minutes while they stripped searched one young couple and the psychedelic VW microbus they were driving before they could board.

 

[old RV guy]

Back in the '60s my dad and I took the ferry from Port Angeles, WA to Victoria, BC. There was minimal hassle boarding or leaving the ferry except on the return trip. US Customs held up the ferry's departure for 45 minutes while they stripped searched one young couple and the psychedelic VW microbus they were driving before they could board.

If I wanted to cross with a suitcase full of heroin I'd get in right behind the VW microbus, I paid to keep Customs busy, while me, the Mrs. and little Jimmy Jr. looking like Baptist's returning from a mission trip, get waved right through.

 

[Wasillaguy]

Canada will also take tasers. We went to the store same day they took the taser and bought wasp spray for self defense.

 

[JudyJB]

Way back in the 60s and 70s, my elderly mother-in-law and three of her lady friends from Ohio used to go into Windsor, Canada, for one weekend each year. My ex-husband and I also used to cross the bridge from Detroit into Canada fairly often and never got searched. However, those little old ladies just somehow looked like they had been shopping, which of course they had been doing, so every single time they returned to Detroit, they got searched!

Frankly, it became a family joke.

 

[Gizmo1137]

We have never had a problem traveling through Canada with our dog or as far as food goes, they never asked or inspected our RV. Having said that, there are stipulations on what foods you can and cannot bring. I would check the Canadian website to be up to date and be prepared to act accordingly