Bringing food into Canada--hope this is the right forum

J

JuliaR

New member
So, we are heading up next week for a cruise on the West coast of British Columbia. I am charged with stocking the galley, but I don't want to waste $$ or time on things we can't bring in.

I did check the official Canadian customs site, but it wasn't as detailed as I had hoped.

So...what can't be brought in? We usually bring meats, sausage, bacon, fruits & veg.

thanks for any help!

Julia R. spouse to TimFlan of Two Lucky Fish +1 C-22
 
Hi,
I don't think you can bring any of what you mentioned into Canada. Think canned stuff, cereals are ok but fresh foods seem to be a problem.
D.D.
 
Fruits and veggies which can be grown in Canada are especially scrutinized. E.g., oranges are OK but apples, pears, and the like are off the list. Avocadoes OK, but spuds, , all root vegetables, etc., are not. I see this differs from the official rules. Mine is based on what I have been asked on crossing. Safer to follow the rules in the link.

Coming back, same rules.

We usually hit a larger grocery store, once across, but we trailer, so easier for us.
 
Patty here. Check Google, they are very clear. Basically, NO fruits with pits. You can bring pretty much any cheese and meat you will consume while you are there. Sometimes, the US agents will confiscate what you bring back (our friend, David, when bringing back meat he had brought from the US, was told, when confiscated, "Your meat doesn't have a passport." (Pr....k) You cannot bring back citrus. The ONLY thing we have ever had taken was citrus. And don't lie about the booze. You may get away with it, but if you don't, it's costly.
 
We have never been searched by or even seen a Canadian border agent but the U.S. ones have taken our potatoes and garlic ( both bought in the US) .

Patty covered the rest. and remember that if you are going to hit a port there are plenty of places to shop.
 
ckcpony":1ou7g364 said:
Just wondering, what is the procedure when crossing into Canada with more booze than is allowed duty free.
Click to expand...

I agree with colobear! We always are careful about being at or under the limit for liquor, beer and wine. In our experience Customs is generous about half consumed bottles. We have been inspected a couple of times out of several dozen crossings thru the years; both by RV and boat.

We are aware of folks who were given the option of paying duty (expensive) or discarding the liquor by Canadian Customs. (but I am not sure that the latter option is always available and there could be a fine if you did not declare the amount you had). But there is more--you are then put on a list to be further scrutinized in the future, if you are over--even if you pay the duty. Not worth the risk!

If you have any criminal record in the US, this can be enough to keep you from crossing--and this includes a DUI.

Drink driving or impaired driving convictions (even if they are recorded as a traffic offence) where the blood alcohol reading is 0.081% or above – or a breath reading of 0401mgms/L or above, will make you inadmissible to Canada. Other common convictions that may make a person inadmissible to Canada are: reckless or dangerous driving, common assault, street racing, hinder or resist a police officer in the execution of duty, possession, supply, trafficking of drugs (including cannabis) and shoplifting (theft), fraud or criminal damage, to name a few
Click to expand...

Those of us who have concealed carry permits are often scrutinized for weapons at the border--the Canadians seem to have a record of at least some states CCW permitees.
 
Those of us who have concealed carry permits are often scrutinized for weapons at the border--the Canadians seem to have a record of at least some states CCW permitees.[/quote]


I agree that the Canadians must have records of who have CCW permits. My wife has a carry permit and we have been questioned pretty extensively about how many firearms we own and what caliber they are, ect. They must also have a record of the registered guns that we own. I don't blame them for being cautious. After the questions, they have given us some stern warnings about how serious they are about bringing firearms across the border.
Clint
 
In the past when crossing over into Canada with a shotgun & no CCW permit we have been questioned & warned extensively on fire arm use on some crossings & not at all on others. This year with JoLee & I both now having CCW permits & leaving our shotgun behind, we weren't questioned at all, so I'm not sure one way or the other whether or not they have records of the permits.

Jay
 
Thanks for the replies! I had Googled but didn't find a list which answered all my questions...and I knew some folks had recently been to the Pender Harbour gathering:-).

Sounds like to keep it simple, we'll bring canned and packaged goods only and get the fresh & refridgerated items at the market in Pender Harbour--we'll still have our tow vehicle at that point and can do a big shop if needed.

the alcohol limits are good to know too! We often keep a bottle or two on the boat...wouldn't want to go over and have to discard!
 
Julia,

You really can bring meats and vegetables into Canada and it is a LOT less expensive! The only fruits that are prohibited (and the guy who cleared us for Canada Customs confirmed) are stone fruits. Pender Harbour is a cool place but kind of at the end of the road, so you might not be able to find what you are looking for, and it is going to be pretty pricey!

Your choice though!

Pat & Patty!

 
A better alternative to Pender for shopping is Port Browning. There is a shopping center about 1/2 mile (up the hill) which has just about everything you could need. Its a short and interesting trip via the channel between N and S Pender :-)
or you could take a taxi.

M
 
When 3 of us recently headed North for a fishing trip, we reported that we had a total of a case-and-a-half of beer. The nice young lady working the customs booth just smiled and told us we didn't bring enough, eh? :)
 
On our last trip to Canada last summer we had extra alcohol. Three boxes of wine about 3 liters or so each and a couple bottles of Marker's Mark bourbon I was going to give to our hosts/customer. We rehearsed for the question about our alcohol and our reply was to be just for our personal consumption. We have a locking weather proof truck bed cap. I had all of the alcohol just in front of the tailgate so they could easy see if they decided to check us. I wanted to show them I was not hiding anything if they did. They never even asked. My friend came through a couple of days later with a 27' Ranger Tug and he flubbed a question about where he was from as they recently had become residents of Florida but had residences CT and Rhode Island and their boat is registered in Rhode Island so he could avoid paying sales tax. After stuttering through his answer about where he was from they pulled him into an inspection lane and searched the Be Jesus out of his whole boat and tow rig. He admitted to having extra alcohol and they offered to let him let then confiscate it (donate) it or pay the duty. He elected to pay the duty which if I remember was sort of steep. My advise is not to have anything to hide and don't try to trick anyone and you will be fine.
D.D.
 
My brother has been going back and forth to AK, thru Canada, over the past few
years starting out with a shotgun and a handgun. Sometimes by ferry, sometimes
driving.

He declares the shotgun and is allowed to keep it locked but must mail the
handgun from a US FFL dealer to a US FFL dealer not having access to it in Canada
at all.

Aye.
 
The problem is NOT Canadian Customs. They were polite and effecient. The PROBLEM is the Psuedo Military attidude of the US customs and boarder parol. My grandchildren said that they were the rudest people hey had ever seen! I agree. Give a Government employee a badge, and look out!

Coming back into Port Angeles, we were one of 4 RV's on the Coho. All of the RV's were stopped, and inspected. We were the last RV, and were told to go the wrong way down a oneway street and park. After about 45 minutes two armed (9mm & 2 extra magazines) customs agents demanded to see our passports (already been checked twice today, and we had the tag on the windshield indicating that they had been scanned). The same question how long in B C--what food we had aboard. (we have food for 3 months--most of it frozen). Then I was ordered outside to open all of the doors under the rV--some of which obstructed traffic. Wanted to know what was in the "TV satellite" box--a satellite TV receiver--take it out of the box. Every tool chest had to be opened.

Inside, wanted the slides out (4 of them) which obstructed the street. I mentioned the safety hazard--the officer said if you don't do it I'll make you back up 100 yards and do it in the customs area.... This fellow opened every drawer and cabinet--ruffled thru my wife's underwear! Opened cabinets, things spilled out, and I was told to get on the floor to put items back in the cabinets.

He put his filthy boots on our bed--I told him not to do that. He said it was his right to put his feet anywhere he wanted!

The guy put his grimy hands on every item in the refrigerator--temperature went from 38 to 45 during the time he had all of the doors open. Pulled all items out of the freezer.

Never said boo, or thank you--except "if I had found anything I would have fined you!" So this is the face of America. Don't be afraid of Canadian customs--be afraid of the US and their attitude. They took over an hour and a half total time our of our day. Scared the grandkids. Of course the bad guys and druggies cross with impunity! This action by the US boarder patrol makes me ashamed to be an American.

The gal (also armed) just observed--and did not cause any damage.

The irony is that if I wanted to smuggle anything aboard, they didn't look in any of the obvious places. Never asked us if we had bought any items in BC. It may have been a training exercise--but if so, this is not the type of person you want to train others!
 
What a violating experience. Ugh! I understand that thorough inspections are an occasional part of border crossings, and sometimes "we" are chosen. However it is possible to do them politely and respectfully. Those are the times that you feel, "Well, too bad they chose us today, but they were just doing their job, and they were professionals who treated us well." Obviously that is NOT the way you were treated today. I hate to see an abuse of power like that. I'm sorry you had to experience it.

They also missed a chance to educate your grandkids and gain "proud allies" in them (which could so easily have been done). Now instead they will probably remember only the fear and unpleasantness, and see them as, well... "them." Not us.
 
The only reasonable way to handle unreasonable people is to be polite, keep your
cool, follow instructions (to a point; define yours), and realize the behavior you are
witnessing is theirs, not yours. You can't control them and it's not your job, why
try?

Actually, on a deeper level, if their aggression, intimidation and rude behavior
really bothers you to the point you become very upset, the true reason it upsets
you is you are being exposed to things you don't like about yourself.

Chew on this: "You spot it; you got it".**

Aye.

**Grandma used to say, "You don't see the world as it is; you see it as you are".
 
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