NEWS RELEASE
\nCANADA BORDER SERVICES AGENCY
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\nThe Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reminds travellers to plan ahead for Victoria Day long weekend.<\/p>\n
As you prepare for your travels, knowing what you need to enter Canada will help ensure a smoother border crossing experience and gives CBSA officers more time to focus on stopping dangerous goods and inadmissible people. In 2025, the CBSA welcomed over 82 million travellers, stopped over 83,200 kg of illegal drugs from entering our communities and kept more than 17,700 weapons and firearms off our streets.<\/p>\n
Here are some travel tips to help you plan for your trip:<\/p>\n
\n\tHave your travel documents<\/a> readily available to present to an officer. This will speed up processing times at the border.
\n\tFlying into Canada? Use Advance Declaration<\/a> and make your customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of your arrival into Canada (at participating airports).
\n\tDriving into Canada? Check border wait times<\/a> to plan your route.
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\n\t\tEarly mornings are the best time to cross the border to avoid wait times.
\n\t\tThe Monday of holiday long weekends tend to be the busiest.
\n\t\tConstruction work at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle port of entry may cause higher than normal wait times.
\n\t\tConsider an alternative port of entry with shorter wait times or less traffic.
\n\t\tCheck the port of entry\u2019s hours of operation on the official Directory of CBSA Offices and Services<\/a>.
\n\t\tIf you are using a GPS application (such as Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze) to direct you to a port of entry, consider checking different navigation options (such as fastest and shortest routes) to determine the preferred route of travel.
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\n\tEntering Canada by boat? All travellers entering Canada by boat must report to the CBSA without delay. Reporting requirements<\/a> may vary depending on your itinerary, your nationality and number of passengers onboard.
\n\tBe prepared to declare. Declare everything you have with you upon entry into Canada. If arriving by land, you are responsible for everything inside your vehicle.
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\n\t\tGoods purchased abroad: If you are a resident of Canada, personal exemptions<\/a> allow you to bring goods, including alcohol and tobacco (up to a certain value), back to Canada without paying regular duty and taxes. Make sure you know the value of goods you are bringing back in Canadian dollars and have your receipts available for the officer.
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\n\tAvoid importing raw poultry products or by-products: Be sure to review current restrictions on poultry and birds from the United States<\/a> before bringing these products across the border. Homemade food or leftovers containing poultry cannot be brought into Canada.
\n\tWhen travelling with children<\/a> who are not your own or for whom you don\u2019t have legal custody, bring a consent letter from the parent or legal guardian authorizing you to travel with the child. We are always watching for missing children<\/a>, and in the absence of the letter, officers may ask additional questions.
\n\tDo not bring cannabis across the border. While cannabis is legal in Canada, bringing it across the border in any form, including oils containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), without a permit or exemption authorized by Health Canada<\/a> is a serious criminal offence subject to arrest and prosecution. A medical prescription from a doctor does not count as Health Canada authorization.
\n\tSmuggling drugs is illegal. Trafficking drugs across the border is a criminal offence. Beware of people who ask you to carry anything for them. Consequences are serious in Canada and abroad.
\n\tLeave your firearms and weapons at home. You are encouraged not to travel with firearms. If you choose to do so, be sure to check the rules on importing firearms.<\/a>
\n\tKnow before you go: Review the restricted and prohibited goods<\/a> to avoid the possibility of penalties, including fines, seizure or prosecution. Make sure you have the information you need before attempting to bring items into Canada.
\n\tBringing fireworks into Canada? Consult Importing, exporting and transporting fireworks <\/a>to ensure that the ones you are bringing in are authorized.
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