Canada

[Guest tnrider]

I am planning to ride my motorcycle from Colorado through Canada to Alaska and back next year (2011). What sites I have gone to, both private and Canadian government are confusing as hell. Does anyone here have any practical, read first hand, experience? Thinking right now it might be too much trouble and we have to go without.

[Guest bkelm18]

What's your question?

[Smith]

I'm pretty sure you can't carry your weapon. There may be a way to get approval to transport, but from what I've read it is pretty involved to get permission.

[Bubbatn]

Canada is definetly a different "creature". I got turned away at the border(going into Ontario) last year for just having a chapstick sized pepper spray in my truck last year...haha. I had to turn back and get rid of it before they would let me through. I don't know how it is in the other provinces....but i'm pretty sure Ontario for sure doesn't allow any weapons to enter.

[oldogy]

No real first person experience but the firearm carry into Canada is a frequent subject on motorhome forums. Most of us carry within our motorhomes and when in a "sheep state" we store securely, isolate and store ammunition separate from the firearm and drive on through making sure we do not spend any money in said "sheep state."

Canada is a different world altogether with handguns, worse than a "sheep state." Not worth the trouble.

oldogy

[Guest 270win]

About the only reason you can take a handgun to Canada is for a shooting match at a gun club. The handgun has to have an almost 4 and a quarter inch long barrel. If you are doing something like IPSC or IDPA, you could take it with the proper paperwork.

Long guns are easier to get into Canada with more reasons than just shooting matches at gun clubs.

Not many folks up there have real pistol licenses to carry handguns in public. I've read that about the only ones that get them are prosecutors, other govt types that get death threats.

I guess you could carry Canadian 'bear spray' and a knife.

[Fallguy]

Not sure if this is of any help or not...

http://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/TakingGunsIntoCanada.pdf

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/information/visit/index-eng.htm

Edited April 19, 2010 by Fallguy

[Guest tnrider]

Yeah, thanks for the replies. Thought my question was pretty clear though. Any one with personal experience. Anyway, The more that I look the more that I am beginning to think I will have to just leave any piece at home. They just might like my Kimber Ultra II too much to not keep it from some info I have gotten. Looking into just a transport permit and will have to keep it locked in something is another suggestion that I have found. Even wondering about mail/ship it across and pick up both ways but that seems like to much trouble.

Idea! Buy one when I get to Alaska and mail it back when I leave. Is that a good way to add to my collection or what?

Thanks for the input again.

[Currently]

I lived on the Canadian border most of my life. Forget firearms, billy clubs, pepper spray or ANYTHING that can be construed as a weapon. They will confiscate it or turn you back.

1. If you have a DUI or any criminal record other than speeding, don't bother ... they will turn you back at the border. All border crossings have access to criminal databases ... US databases.

2. Make sure you have some cash and credit cards, if you have no clear source of money, they will turn you back. This is true for hikers and motorcyclists.

3. Many types of food cannot cross either into or out of Canada. Buy what you need when you are there. BTW, they sell milk in plastic bags, not jugs.

4. You will need a passport. Just drivers license is not good enough anymore.

5. You can cross alcohol that has been purchased at a special tax-free store if you will be there for over 48 hours. Same thing coming back. All border towns usually have these stores. You buy at the store and they follow you with your purchase in their vehicle to the border and hand it to you there.

6. Cuban cigars are legal in Canada.

7. Radar detectors are illegal ... they will drive over it with their cars and hand you the pieces back. With a ticket and if you don't pick up the pieces, they give you another ticket for littering. <true story>

8. RCMP are like THP ... absolutely no sense of humor.

9. Expect to pay 18%+ for sales taxes ... (paying for that socialized medicine).

10. Expect cattle, tractors and other weird stuff on their version of the interstate; TransCanada.

11. Moose ... don't drive at dusk or dawn, they are impossible to see until too late. Lots of biting flies in the woods drive them crazy and they run into the road. Their brain is the size of a walnut. They weigh up to 1800 lbs. They are dumb and during the rut in August will charge anything ... even freight trains.

12. Bring lots of fly dope, you got mosquitos, blackflies, gnats, no-see-ums, horseflies, mooseflies, deerflies .... the last three feel like a red hot icepick jabbing you.

13. Never trust a deer to stay on the side of the road. Kind of like around here.

14. People for the most part are friendly (except Quebec if you don't speak french) ... drinking alcohol is a national past time. Hockey over there is like football down here.

15. Canadian Tire are great hardware stores that typically have good mechanics in their garages.

16. Tim Horton's sells a mean cup of coffee. (Kind of the Canadian version of Dunkin' Donut.)

17. Motorcycle dealers are far and few in between in the hinterlands. Make sure your bike is in top shape.

18. Biker gangs in Canada usually have guns ... keep your distance and respect them on and off the road and you will be all right. Don't try to be their "friend", bad move.

19. You have to try "Poutine" (pronounced poo-teen) at least once ... french fries and mozzerella cheese smothered in hot gravy. A little bit of salt and and it is an excellent recipe for a heart attack but sooooo good!

20. You will be going through some gorgeous country, bring a good camera!

As much as I hate to admit it, you won't need a gun in Canada. Things are "different" there.

EDIT: More thoughts ....

21. Make sure your motorcycle insurance company knows you are going to Canada. I would bump up my limits ... especially medical payments and uninsured/underinsured coverage. I would carry $300k as a minimum. Bring them back down when you get back if you don't like the premiums.

22. Speed limits are in kph ... 62 mph equals 100 kph ... don't make that mistake.

23. Some provinces like Ontario see 20+ over the limit ... kph ... as racing. They will impound your bike and you will go to jail. Not a good way to end a vacation.

Hope this helps!

BTW, all this stuff I mentioned is not to scare you off, just to make you aware. Canada is a beautiful country, just different. I highly recommend it, the fishing up in the northern hinterlands will ruin your taste for fishing locally for the rest of your life. If you get a fishing license, make sure you try some of those streams you cross over for an incredible supper or breakfast.

Go for it, let me know if you have any further questions.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Currently
Additional thoughts and advice.

[Guest 270win]

Currently summed up what I've heard from friends and relatives that have traveled in Canada by car. Everything up there is somewhat more expensive than in the States...be prepared for that! I've always wanted to go up there and hunt. That's about the only way I'll get to bring a firearm into Canada and the most common way I've known people bringing them in....besides matches for handguns. Handguns are not legal for hunting game in Canadian provinces like in most US jurisdictions. Enjoy your trip up there!

[Fallguy]

Yeah, thanks for the replies. Thought my question was pretty clear though. Any one with personal experience. Anyway, The more that I look the more that I am beginning to think I will have to just leave any piece at home. They just might like my Kimber Ultra II too much to not keep it from some info I have gotten. Looking into just a transport permit and will have to keep it locked in something is another suggestion that I have found. Even wondering about mail/ship it across and pick up both ways but that seems like to much trouble.

Idea! Buy one when I get to Alaska and mail it back when I leave. Is that a good way to add to my collection or what?

Thanks for the input again.

Guess it is easy in one's desire to help that they may not see the request was made to a limited few..

Shipping it is an idea. AFAIK shipping a firearm to yourself is legal across state lines.

I'm not 100% sure, but not being a resident of AK I don't think you can buy a firearm when you are there.

[peejman]

I lived on the Canadian border most of my life. Forget firearms, billy clubs, pepper spray or ANYTHING that can be construed as a weapon. They will confiscate it or turn you back.

1. ... 23. ...

What he said. I have family that lived in Canada several years ago (now MI) and I used to work in the auto industry so travelling back and forth to Windsor was common.

The fact that you're from TN guarantees the firearm questions..... "do you have a gun? do you own a gun? did you bring it with you? did you leave it at home? ...."

When I'd travel with guys from MI, they'd get asked 3 questions. When it was just me or others from TN, we'd get 20 questions.