With summer rapidly approaching, boating season is in full swing in the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) would like to remind all boaters of their reporting obligations under the Customs Act when travelling between Canada and the United States.
All persons entering Canada must report their arrival to the CBSA. This is as true for someone driving across the border as it is for someone boating to Canada. When entering Canadian waters, the master of the vessel must report their arrival to the CBSA without delay.
Quick Facts
- All private boaters who intend to land on Canadian soil, or who have departed Canadian waters and landed on U.S. soil, are required to report to a CBSA designated marine reporting site in person. Upon arrival at a CBSA designated marine reporting site, follow the posted instructions on how to receive CBSA clearance.
- Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have left Canadian waters and have not landed on U.S. soil, and U.S. citizens and permanent residents who do not plan to land on Canadian soil but have crossed the border while cruising may use their cellular telephone to call the CBSA telephone reporting centre at 1-888-226-7277 to report their presence in Canadian waters.
- At all times, if there are persons who are not citizens or permanent residents of Canada or the United States aboard-ship, the ship’s master must proceed to a designated marine reporting site to report to the CBSA in person.
- NEXUS members can call the NEXUS marine reporting number at 1-866-99-NEXUS up to four hours in advance of their arrival in Canada for more convenient processing.
- Canadian law enforcement authorities patrol Canada’s coasts and inland waterways and have the authority to stop any boat that has recently entered Canadian waters.
- Failure to report to the CBSA may result in detention, seizure or forfeiture of your boat and/or monetary penalties. The minimum fine for failing to report to the CBSA upon entry to Canada is Can$1,000.
Associated Links
Contact
Caroline Desjarlais
Canada Border Services Agency
613-991-1591
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