This year I did my first trip to Algonquin with my wife(we had a lot of fun). Usually I would dehydrate my own food and bring that. But after looking at the rules The packaged has to show country of origin said nope can't do that. We bought so granola and snack and some mountain house stuff. My wife and I do not care for all the salt in the prepackaged stuff. We were only going into back country for 4 days 3 nights so I figure I would pick up some stuff there. What I notice was there super markets were small even the big ones and unless I wanted to eat Ramen or macaroni there was not much choice and going off the highway to hit the super market was an adventure and a half ( I did not do it in the big cities maybe I should have). Between the cities there were trees and corn fields mainly corn fields we decide to hit Walmart it was 13 miles off the highway and it took us almost 3 hours 1 to 11/2 looking for stuff then the rest of the time getting on and off the highway. We got some stuff but not much ended up buying dehydrated meals at outfitter. I am now thinking may I should just do that would have been lot easier and I could of had what I wanted rather than pot luck because the outfitters did not have much. I would like to go again but could be a hassle I am only 5 hours from Maine northwood or NY ADK and there is lots of exploring I can do there.
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What do you do about bringing food into Canada?
- Thread starter JoeO
- Start date
Hi Joe,
I have crossed the border many times and have never been asked about food. I don't freeze dry anything, just take stuff off the shelf at a big supermarket nearby. I like salt..haha. All they ever ask at the border is where I'm from, do I have pepper spray, any guns, any alcohol, how long and sometimes they ask if I know Memaquay (just kidding there).
I never have read about anyone being asked about food, but maybe someone has heard something about fresh vegetables? I would bring my own freeze dryed if I wanted to.
I have crossed the border many times and have never been asked about food. I don't freeze dry anything, just take stuff off the shelf at a big supermarket nearby. I like salt..haha. All they ever ask at the border is where I'm from, do I have pepper spray, any guns, any alcohol, how long and sometimes they ask if I know Memaquay (just kidding there).
I never have read about anyone being asked about food, but maybe someone has heard something about fresh vegetables? I would bring my own freeze dryed if I wanted to.
I have been asked the usual questions about firearms and alcohol, and sometimes about fresh fruit and veggies. It just depends on the border agent that day. I never plan to cross the border with any, although I do sometimes have dried fruit and jerky (both could be questionable, from what I understand). I actually get more of those questions at the airport when I fly into Canada.
For the Yukon 1000 mile canoe race first run in 2009, the race rules required all racers to have 20kg (44 pounds!) of food per person in the boat at race start (even if it is dehydrated, and water weight did not count). I home dehydrated most of our food for my voyageur crew of 7 paddlers (do the math). The owner of the canoe drove his SUV from northern NY State with canoe and most of our gear and all of the dehydrated food on board, but he did not get questioned about food.
However, we have found excellent well stocked grocery stores in Whitehorse, with most anything you could want. But if you want home dehydrated food you obviously must do that in advance and bring it with you. Thankfully, that ridiculous food weight requirement was deleted from subsequent year's Y1K race requirements.
For the Yukon 1000 mile canoe race first run in 2009, the race rules required all racers to have 20kg (44 pounds!) of food per person in the boat at race start (even if it is dehydrated, and water weight did not count). I home dehydrated most of our food for my voyageur crew of 7 paddlers (do the math). The owner of the canoe drove his SUV from northern NY State with canoe and most of our gear and all of the dehydrated food on board, but he did not get questioned about food.
However, we have found excellent well stocked grocery stores in Whitehorse, with most anything you could want. But if you want home dehydrated food you obviously must do that in advance and bring it with you. Thankfully, that ridiculous food weight requirement was deleted from subsequent year's Y1K race requirements.
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I used to live on the border and crossed often. The only issue I remember going INTO Canada, in terms of food, was blueberries. Blueberries were a local crop and they didn't want our pests. Other than that, no one paid any attention to food. Alcohol, tobaccco, firearms, bear spray/mace, yes, but those are different categories.
They ask if I had a knife and I said no I have a multi Tool which is allowed. In the stuff I read they said you are supposed to declare any food you had so I declared it . I also read they will send you back across the border to dump it I crossed in NH and came back through Niagara Falls. Coming back they asked did I bring all that stuff into Canada and I said yes my I basically had gear for 3 vacations backcounty camping, base camp camping, and motel. I tried to talk my wife into using the little tent for the base camp but no I need to bring big ten and air mattress. It was all good just a lot of stuff. And she said she would go again on something with less portages
By the way, an odd quirk in Canada's medical RX law, you cannot buy Dramamine for air/sea sickness in Canada. My wife tried to buy it at a pharmacy in Ottawa before our flight to Whitehorse because she is susceptible to air sickness, but were told there that it is illegal to buy in Canada without a RX from a doctor if at all. Although you can easily get it over the counter in the USA. So, can you legally bing a small supply across the border?
All in all, since we live in northern NY, it is far easier and you get far less hassle from a border/customs inspection point of view if you cross the border by car and then fly to your destination from Ottawa or Montreal, than it is to fly into Canada from a U.S. airport. Our first choice every time.
All in all, since we live in northern NY, it is far easier and you get far less hassle from a border/customs inspection point of view if you cross the border by car and then fly to your destination from Ottawa or Montreal, than it is to fly into Canada from a U.S. airport. Our first choice every time.
I know on our last trip to Quetico, passing into the states and then back into Canada (very long drive for me) with all our food and gear was no issue. All the meals were dehydrated and there was no fresh stuff at that point, so I am pretty sure you are fine with sealed, prepared food. Any fresh fruit/vegetables you may want to supplement with, should be easy to get on the west side of Algonquin.
I find after a few days on Mountain House, the salt starts impacting how I feel ... so dehydrating your own becomes one of the only alternatives, as it seems all of the commercial freeze dried meals have high salt content (one of my buddies has found a boutique meal packager with little salt, we are waiting on a verdict from him).
FYI, they changed some of the regulations in Algonquin in the last couple of years, most notably the fines for bringing in glass and tinned foods .... although these items have been prohibited for many decades, the fines are now on the order of $75 per item found. Having said that, we usually manage to carry out an extra bag of burned out tins we find, from the fire pits every trip ... I am not sure that change to the penalty fine is well understood or people wouldn't still be sneaking the tins in ... I guess getting caught ONCE will fix that. I offer this up to those who weren't aware for this park.
Brian
I find after a few days on Mountain House, the salt starts impacting how I feel ... so dehydrating your own becomes one of the only alternatives, as it seems all of the commercial freeze dried meals have high salt content (one of my buddies has found a boutique meal packager with little salt, we are waiting on a verdict from him).
FYI, they changed some of the regulations in Algonquin in the last couple of years, most notably the fines for bringing in glass and tinned foods .... although these items have been prohibited for many decades, the fines are now on the order of $75 per item found. Having said that, we usually manage to carry out an extra bag of burned out tins we find, from the fire pits every trip ... I am not sure that change to the penalty fine is well understood or people wouldn't still be sneaking the tins in ... I guess getting caught ONCE will fix that. I offer this up to those who weren't aware for this park.
Brian
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I hesitated to respond to Joe O's original email- and glad I did.
Thank you for the more tempered responses!
Yes we are a foreign country and there is a border between us and we have a number of different laws. That said most concerns at any of the border crossings will have to do with firearms,alcohol and fresh food and vegetables, as has been noted. My experience with fruit and vegetables has actually been worse going into the US- not coming into Canada, but as noted, it really depends on which particular border agent you encounter and at what time of day.
And seriously Joe, I'm not sure how you drove to Algonquin but you either drove through Huntsville- at least 3 good size grocery stores and a Walmart; or Bancroft- 2 decent sized grocery stores, or Barry's Bay/Whitney- a small grocery store set up for campers in Whitney and a decent sized one in Barry's Bay.
Just because we call it the Great White North, there really are plenty of grocery options in Canada!
Come on back!
Bruce
on behalf of 30 million hicks who live in the northern part of North America...
Thank you for the more tempered responses!
Yes we are a foreign country and there is a border between us and we have a number of different laws. That said most concerns at any of the border crossings will have to do with firearms,alcohol and fresh food and vegetables, as has been noted. My experience with fruit and vegetables has actually been worse going into the US- not coming into Canada, but as noted, it really depends on which particular border agent you encounter and at what time of day.
And seriously Joe, I'm not sure how you drove to Algonquin but you either drove through Huntsville- at least 3 good size grocery stores and a Walmart; or Bancroft- 2 decent sized grocery stores, or Barry's Bay/Whitney- a small grocery store set up for campers in Whitney and a decent sized one in Barry's Bay.
Just because we call it the Great White North, there really are plenty of grocery options in Canada!
Come on back!
Bruce
on behalf of 30 million hicks who live in the northern part of North America...
Forget about Algonquin Park, come up here in the north, on Crown Land, where men are men, where we eat Spam without guilt and carry 60 beers at once into the wilderness. I've converted a few of our southern neighbors to the joys of canoe camping, circa 1950 (nudge nudge Robin).
Same here. My last road trip to NY was by way of MI to ON to NY and back the same way. We had some fruit (bananas, berries) and yogurt in a small cooler for my daughter, and I had forgotten about food rules. Purchased them here in the US, took them in an out of Canada on the way there, and then on the way back into the US at Port Huron, the border agent asked about food. I told her we had some fruit left over that we had brought on the trip, but it was purchased in the US. Still made me dig the cooler out of the car and confiscated the berries.
I have driven across the border at Grand Portage and Int'l Falls several over the last 6 years.
I never had any issue with dehydrated food.
Mine is vacuum packed in seal a meal after dehydrating so I believe its considered packaged food under the regs.
But I have never been questioned on it.
Fresh food, including meat, eggs, veggies and fruit are a no go.
I always buy liquor north of the border, so that is no issue.
I carry bear spray, but it is the type they allow. I have had to show it every time I cross going north.
I have never had any problem finding stores with those last minute items needed in Canada.
I never had any issue with dehydrated food.
Mine is vacuum packed in seal a meal after dehydrating so I believe its considered packaged food under the regs.
But I have never been questioned on it.
Fresh food, including meat, eggs, veggies and fruit are a no go.
I always buy liquor north of the border, so that is no issue.
I carry bear spray, but it is the type they allow. I have had to show it every time I cross going north.
I have never had any problem finding stores with those last minute items needed in Canada.
I did go to Huntsville and Walmart there. There were canned good and stuff but I am spoiled where I am we have Super grocery store as bigger than the Walmart in Hunviille. We have 40 feet of just tomato sauce and 20 feet of different peanut butter. I would not go food shopping at Walmart here for food either not that much variety here either. We have whole aisles of Mexican or Asian food. The grocery store across from Walmart in Hunstville is about a 1/4 of the size of a store by me. and half that store was cloths and stuff. I am about 20 miles north of Boston lot of people lot of Grocery stores it is not uncommon for Market Basket to have 3 to 5 store in a single city or 2 on the same road less than a mile apart
I was looking for stuff that would keep without refrigeration.
I am not trashing I was looking to see what other people do . Toronto reminds me of when I was a kid and they were building all the highways I was surprised by how rural Canada is between the cities. I go hiking the White mountains NH now 900 people by 9am on the trail to do Franconia Ridge forget about going to the Whites on Columbus day weekend. 20 years ago hardly any. It take me an 1 1/2 hours to go to work each way drive 1/2 way then 2 subway trains l leave at 4:30 in morning to get to work for 6 and leave at 3 pm and I am home by 4:30 if I am late either way it will take me 2+ hours. I was going through Toronto and Ottawa during rush hour and traffic was going pretty good about 40 MPH around here 10 mph or not moving every day it rains or snows everything just stops. I would like to move some place with less people but this is where my family is and where the jobs are. So I like to go on vacations where there are less people.
This is where I got my info from
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/in...-into-canada-/eng/1389648337546/1389648516990
I did not want to cause any trouble
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Hi Joe,
You weren't causing trouble- i was being overly sensitive!
Personally I've never shopped in a Walmart so can't help you there- and I don't think they'd be many Canadians first choice for groceries. You passed by two dedicated grocery stores a little further east off Hwy 60.
"I was surprised by how rural Canada is between the cities."
Glad you felt that way- many Canadians lament the loss of green space and feel that Southern Ontario- especially from Oshawa to Niagara Falls as far north as Barrie- is becoming one large concrete mess!
And as Mem noted, if you like remote and less people, come up into NORTHERN Canada! We have lots of room for you. Just don't bring Vermont Maple Syrup or Maine Blueberries!
Bruce
You weren't causing trouble- i was being overly sensitive!
Personally I've never shopped in a Walmart so can't help you there- and I don't think they'd be many Canadians first choice for groceries. You passed by two dedicated grocery stores a little further east off Hwy 60.
"I was surprised by how rural Canada is between the cities."
Glad you felt that way- many Canadians lament the loss of green space and feel that Southern Ontario- especially from Oshawa to Niagara Falls as far north as Barrie- is becoming one large concrete mess!
And as Mem noted, if you like remote and less people, come up into NORTHERN Canada! We have lots of room for you. Just don't bring Vermont Maple Syrup or Maine Blueberries!
Bruce
I haven't crossed into Canada recently, and never will again, but have done so many times in past years, centuries and millennia. I recall almost always being asked about foods of some kind. Maybe it was about some pest infestation that was affecting different food products in different years or maybe it was something political. I don't ever recall being asked about commercial dehydrated meals, and I think I would remember that because that's what I mainly eat on canoe trips.
Other than that, my food needs on canoe trips are deliberately basic and modest. I've had no problem finding adequate basics in small mom & pop stores or gas stations in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward's Island. I still salivatingly recall a small gas station near Georgian Bay that had delicious homemade cheese bread.
In the US of A, Walmart superstores can have gigantic food sections.
Other than that, my food needs on canoe trips are deliberately basic and modest. I've had no problem finding adequate basics in small mom & pop stores or gas stations in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Prince Edward's Island. I still salivatingly recall a small gas station near Georgian Bay that had delicious homemade cheese bread.
In the US of A, Walmart superstores can have gigantic food sections.
Question, Am I going to be able to bring the 'Bear Spray' I bought in Canada, back into Canada next year?
The import/travel food restrictions of Canada and US are very nearly identical. No surprises there. The threats are real. We're fighting invasive species and diseases on both sides of the border. The rules are pretty easy to understand and comply with. Unless you're my spouse. She once bought a full coolers worth of meat just before crossing the border. I have no idea what the heck she was thinking. I wasn't in the car with her at the time. Lucky me. I wouldn't have liked my chances after she was made to dump the entire coolers contents. We can all talk about this OP here, but whatever you do, if we're ever on a canoe trip together for goodness sake don't bring this subject up. Not unless you give yourselves a good head start.
Every goshforsaken time we approach the border she starts with "Remember that time...", and I can feel the temperature rise in the car. That's when I fiddle with the radio to turn it up just a touch, drop my driver side window, lean out and start to sing the first stupid song that comes into my head. Anything will do. Just so long as I can prevent an International incident that'll result in her spending the weekend in the slammer, and me being sent home in an empty quiet car.
Now wait a minute. I just thought of something.
Every goshforsaken time we approach the border she starts with "Remember that time...", and I can feel the temperature rise in the car. That's when I fiddle with the radio to turn it up just a touch, drop my driver side window, lean out and start to sing the first stupid song that comes into my head. Anything will do. Just so long as I can prevent an International incident that'll result in her spending the weekend in the slammer, and me being sent home in an empty quiet car.
Now wait a minute. I just thought of something.
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No trouble JoeO, good thread, lots of good information.
Bear spray is ok as long as it say bear spray and not pepper spray
Be aware that you may not be able to cross the U.S. / Canada border with some brands of bear spray. Canadian Customs will allow the importations of USEPA-approved bear spray into Canada. Specifications state that the bear spray must have USEPA on the label.
I brought bear spray and my wife slept with it every night
You ever see the movie backcountry good movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey9fi6m95vo it is a composite of everything that people do wrong with one person doing them all
I haven't heard of anyone having a problem provided they didn't try to hide it.
we had an issue with our home grown mint tea going into Minesota last year. They took it away for chemical analysis but did return the container to us after ten minutes wait. Who knows what things will be like after July 1st next year.
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