Crossing Canadian/US border

PamonGabriola · 07-12-2014, 05:18 PM

Hello Experienced RVs
We will be leaving our home in BC and setting off on a six week trip through the national parks of the western USA in September. When we go RVing I like to load up the fridge and freezer, particularly with meals and baked goods I have cooked in advance. This works fine within Canada - but what about crossing into the States. Will border control make me dispose of all food on board so I have to restock from scratch once in the US?
Less significant, but potentially frustrating, will anything we have left on the way home have to be disposed of before re-entering Canada?
Feedback from people who have made the crossing, especially those who approached the border with a full fridge and larder, would be most welcome.
If there is anything else we should be alert to crossing from BC to Montana we would be grateful for the heads up.
Thanks
Pam

wana65stang · 07-12-2014, 05:32 PM

Pam, Have only crossed a few times into US and it changes almost daliy on what you can not bring in. Fresh meat and veg are almost all ways a NO-NO.I was told there is a number to call to the border ( can't remember what it is sorry) to see what is allowed. To be safe I would keep the fresh stuff to a min.Also just to let you know the guard will come on board your RV to look around!

DDC · 07-12-2014, 05:50 PM

We cross quite a lot and have been emptied out two times, first time was food from Canada, the US has so many restrictions, second time was dried dog food that was made in Canada so we gave up but the really wired thing is we live close to the border so we will go over and buy what we want and take it back to Canada put it in the trailer and that satisfies the US customs, even buy the same brand of dog food but made in the US.Bet you thought you had free trade.

MarcusN · 07-12-2014, 06:35 PM

We have crossed the border into Canada and back with campers for over 20 years and have never been searched. If they ask about food we say we have basics for a few days but in reality we have had a freezer full of food and all the pantries stocked going into Canada as we find food more expensive there. Now coming back have had no issues but generally have very little fresh food as we are going straight to our house. Now we always take as much booze as we and our Canadian camping friends will consume as it is so much cheaper in US.

OldCoot · 07-12-2014, 07:11 PM

The one time we went to the Bay of Fundy, the Canadian border guard just looked at my passport & drivers license and waved us on. Never even mentioned the camper, my wife's passport or my SIL's passport. On the way back into the US, the US border guard just waved us thru, never even stopped us. That was in Jun 2007.

wnelsonfl · 07-12-2014, 08:11 PM

I have been over the border 10 times in the last 20 days. Only asked once if we had any oranges or booze. No inspection.

Hutch333id · 07-13-2014, 12:11 AM

We crossed from BC to WA a couple of weeks ago and were boarded by US Customs agents. Thankfully we had declared that we possessed tomatoes, (grown in BC) which they seized along with three Bell peppers. If these had been chopped up ready for a salad we would have been fine. Alas, they weren't. Coming back over to Canada, no problem. They just wanted to know if we had any ATF.

Crossing from BC to MT, I presume you're going across at the point just north of Eureka. Gas and diesel are much cheaper in the US side. If you're heading to Kalispell gas is best from Costco. Much of the food is also significantly cheaper but then the poor exchange rate kicks in and the savings aren't as good as they were a couple of years ago.

Richard & Diane
2014 Cedar Creek 38FL
With a F350 dually
2014 26 nights and 3120km

gbpacker · 08-09-2014, 02:41 PM

Crossing between Canada and the US can be quite a challenge. We checked both US and Canadian customs website for information, particularly food stuffs. Both sites were vague on food stuffs.

Information I was given was that cooked or prepared foods, and produce with markings indicating origin of growth are OK. We always answer the questions clearly and never been boarded or searched. Hope this helps.

Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

whj77372 · 08-11-2014, 10:58 AM

You have some good info on what will give you a problem. It can vary a lot and they may not even bother you but it is better to be prepared. One thing, if you do have to buy your food in the US, it will be cheaper an Canada! Good Luck and have a great trip.

B D HOWie · 08-11-2014, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whj77372

You have some good info on what will give you a problem. It can vary a lot and they may not even bother you but it is better to be prepared. One thing, if you do have to buy your food in the US, it will be cheaper an Canada! Good Luck and have a great trip.

Are you saying, it will be cheaper "in" Canada, or it will be cheaper "than" Canada?
Thank you for clarifying.

Paul
Big Dog House On Wheels
2013 Coachmen Freelander 28QB
on 2012 Chevrolet 4500
Using FR app

Kaadk · 08-11-2014, 12:37 PM

For the most part, stuff is cheaper in the US than here in Canada. Tax rate differences alone can make up the difference. 13% here in Ontario, and I believe it's something like 6% in Michigan.

We generally cross with condiments and dry goods, but then fill up on groceries stateside. I've tried looking up what I can and can't bring, but there's so many different agencies involved (CBP, FDA, CDC, etc...) that I can never find them all. The best bet for a starting place is here:

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...dV94eW9zS2w%3D

But since the food is cheaper anyways, I just buy it over there. We're also prohibited to bring in any firewood around here, but I think that's mostly due to an emerald ash borer quarantine, so it might not apply around BC.

Coming back, at least as a resident, there's not usually too many restrictions. Just stay under the Alcohol and Tobacco limits, as per here:

Travellers - Residents Returning to Canada

And since you'll be gone for over 48 hours, you're allowed up to $800 per person for duty free, so don't worry about declaring all goods purchased. I know back in the day my parents used to try to calculate how much of our groceries that we bought we still had left, and then would declare only what we were bringing back, but back then the limits were a lot lower. Nowadays, with the family of 4, I find there's no way I can have over $3200 of goods, so I just declare the original price, and that we're bring back "Whatever groceries we have left out of that amount."

SaskCampers · 08-11-2014, 12:43 PM

We cross fairly often and have only been asked once about opening the trailer and all they did was look in both doors, they never actually went in the trailer. Be honest as they are trained to watch facial expressions and act on that. We never carry fresh produce or meat going across either way just to keep things easy to claim. Only thing they ever seem worried about when we return is if we have American fireworks. They always ask the standard block of questions though.

B47 · 08-11-2014, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaadk

For the most part, stuff is cheaper in the US than here in Canada. Tax rate differences alone can make up the difference. 13% here in Ontario, and I believe it's something like 6% in Michigan.

We generally cross with condiments and dry goods, but then fill up on groceries stateside. I've tried looking up what I can and can't bring, but there's so many different agencies involved (CBP, FDA, CDC, etc...) that I can never find them all. The best bet for a starting place is here:

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/det...dV94eW9zS2w%3D

But since the food is cheaper anyways, I just buy it over there. We're also prohibited to bring in any firewood around here, but I think that's mostly due to an emerald ash borer quarantine, so it might not apply around BC.

Coming back, at least as a resident, there's not usually too many restrictions. Just stay under the Alcohol and Tobacco limits, as per here:

Travellers - Residents Returning to Canada

And since you'll be gone for over 48 hours, you're allowed up to $800 per person for duty free, so don't worry about declaring all goods purchased. I know back in the day my parents used to try to calculate how much of our groceries that we bought we still had left, and then would declare only what we were bringing back, but back then the limits were a lot lower. Nowadays, with the family of 4, I find there's no way I can have over $3200 of goods, so I just declare the original price, and that we're bring back "Whatever groceries we have left out of that amount."

I never heard of "Tobacco Sticks" before reading this. I guess that people living in tobacco growing states are more familiar than those of us that don't. I Goggled them and learned what they are - very interesting.

Only question I have is why anyone would want to import 200 of them expect perhaps for the purpose of reselling them?

Kaadk · 08-11-2014, 01:10 PM

Since I don't smoke, I didn't look at that table before. I also have never heard of tabacco sticks, but after a quick google, it looks like they're basically 1 for 1 with cigarettes. If you're allowed 200 cigarettes I don't see why 200 sticks would be any different. Assuming a pack of cigarettes is about 20 per, then that's only like 10 packs of cigarettes. The few smokers I do know would go through that in like 2 weeks. It takes me longer than that to get through the 40 oz'r I bring back.

B47 · 08-11-2014, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaadk

Since I don't smoke, I didn't look at that table before. I also have never heard of tabacco sticks, but after a quick google, it looks like they're basically 1 for 1 with cigarettes. If you're allowed 200 cigarettes I don't see why 200 sticks would be any different. Assuming a pack of cigarettes is about 20 per, then that's only like 10 packs of cigarettes. The few smokers I do know would go through that in like 2 weeks. It takes me longer than that to get through the 40 oz'r I bring back.

The tobacco sticks I'm speaking of are those that are being offered as "walking canes" which are reported as recycled tobacco sticks used by tobacco farmers to hang tobacco leaves in barns for drying - this is from the Goggle site I visited using "tobacco sticks".

I have to agree that the 200 tobacco sticks referenced in the Canadian regulation are probably not walking canes,but rather some sort of smoking product. The regulation could probably define tobacco sticks better - hence my question.

Kaadk · 08-11-2014, 01:48 PM

Oh, my google search came back about some kind of product that's like a tobacco coated toothpick people chew on instead of smoking. I assumed that's what they were referring to.

And yes, things could be clearer in the regs on both sides of the border.

B47 · 08-11-2014, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaadk

Oh, my google search came back about some kind of product that's like a tobacco coated toothpick people chew on instead of smoking. I assumed that's what they were referring to.

And yes, things could be clearer in the regs on both sides of the border.

You're right - after further research I found the same thing. I tried to edit my last message,but couldn't.

SaskCampers · 08-11-2014, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B47

The tobacco sticks I'm speaking of are those that are being offered as "walking canes" which are reported as recycled tobacco sticks used by tobacco farmers to hang tobacco leaves in barns for drying - this is from the Goggle site I visited using "tobacco sticks".

I have to agree that the 200 tobacco sticks referenced in the Canadian regulation are probably not walking canes,but rather some sort of smoking product. The regulation could probably define tobacco sticks better - hence my question.

They are actually tobacco sticks that slide into cigarette tubes. Picture the tubes you buy to use a roller with and then a tube of tobacco that slides into it. They are a bit more than full roll your own and cheaper than taylor mades. We used to buy them when we smoked years ago.

Kaadk · 08-11-2014, 01:57 PM

Ah, well, there we go, looks like we both came up with the wrong answer.

oldsmasma · 08-11-2014, 02:37 PM

We usually cross into the US a couple of times per year. As previously stated groceries are generally cheaper in the US so I cross with just condiments coffee tea canned soup water etc and stock up after we cross. Usually the farther you go from the border the cheaper it gets so we plan to shop on day 2. We have been entered and searched routinely with no problems and had the trailer X-rayed as well.

Returning has always been a breeze. The limit on what you can bring back is so high now that you can do some serious shopping with no issue. I keep receipts and details of what I have close at hand but have never been asked to produce them. Duty Free knows what you can buy and is helpful plus they advise the border of what you bought. Enjoy your trip and travel safe.

Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

You may also like: