Canada Travel Tips – Customs Information
1. Gifts
When bringing gifts with a unit price of less than 60 Canadian dollars into Canada, tourists can be exempted from customs duties and taxes. Gifts over 60 Canadian dollars are subject to customs duties on the excess amount. Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and promotional materials are not included in the category of gifts.
2. Alcohol and tobacco products
You can bring limited quantities of alcoholic beverages into Canada, subject to the age requirements of each province or territory (see below). You must arrive with the alcoholic beverages you bring. The age of entry into Canada for alcoholic beverages is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, and 19 in Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador. You can only bring one of the following alcoholic products duty-free: 53 ounces of wine, 40 ounces of hard liquor, 40 ounces of wine and hard liquor combined, or 24 x 12 ounce cans or bottles of beer or ale. You can bring the following items duty-free into Canada: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or cigarillos, 7 ounces of manufactured tobacco, or 200 tobacco rods.
3. Items prohibited and restricted by Canadian Customs
Many agricultural products are restricted or prohibited from entering Canada. Canadian law requires that all agricultural products brought by travelers, whether by land, water or air, must be declared to customs officers upon arrival. Except for indoor potted plants from the United States, all other plants must be allowed to enter Canada with prior permission. Weapons such as pistols, maces and pepper spray are prohibited from entering Canada. In addition, certain fruits, vegetables, honey, eggs, meat, dairy products and plants from other countries are also prohibited from entering Canada.
4. Customs contact information
You can log on to the Canada Border Services Agency website to find the customs address closest to you, or call the Border Information Service (BIS).
Toll-free number in Canada:
- English 1-800-461-9999 or
- French: 1-800-959-2036.
Outside Canada, please call
- 204-983-3500 or 506-636-5064 for English service;
- 204-983-3700 or 506-636-5067 for French (long distance charges apply).