Questions about visiting Canada...

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mariner36

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Our travels on lake Ontario takes us to Canada ( or at least very close when in the St. Lawrence).

This summer we need to pass through Canadian waters to get from Lake Champlain to the St.Lawrence.

We were hoping to bring the dog with us, and wondered if this would be a problem.

Also, we have a guest that received a DWI in NYS in 2008. I have heard that it will be difficult to get him into Canada.

If this is true, does anyone have contact information for. The branch of Canadian government which would handle this?

Thnk you for the assistance.
 
Call any Canada customs office to be sure, but when I took my Black Lab into Canada several years ago, all I needed was to show proof of rabies shots.

Lar.
 
No problem on the dog, just make sure you have a current rabies certificate. The DWI is more of a problem, yes they will not let your guest into Canada unless he has been officially pardoned by the Canadian government.
 
The dog will need proof of a current Rabies Vaccination.
You do not have to clear into Canada if you do not land.
If you do land the system is mostly by phone call to a remote site.
You and your passengers will need a Passport for Canada AND to get back into the US.
Your boat will need a US Customs sticker but if it is the firs time they will just tell you to get one
for furure entries, clearing is faster if you have one.
Most ports on the US side have remote videophones for clearing.
A NEXUS card or a drivers license with embedded chip containing your passport number also works.
In ten years on either side I have never cleared in to a port with a real live person but they are out there making sure
you have cleared so put the clearance number in your log book.

The US/Canada border services share a computer system so they both know when you leave/return.
 
We summer our 330 Chaparral on the St Lawrence and frequent Canada on weekend trips. Canadian Customs has made it clear that any American convicted of a DWI offense (this includes DWAI) in any country, may not enter their country under any circumstances for a period of 10 years (I think)from the date of conviction. This is not to say that you can't go to Canada. Just don't get caught or get into trouble and be prepared to be turned back at the border upon checking in. My girlfriend has one and we thought that we could never go their anymore. We have and when we check in they say have a nice time. They could however run a "check" on you and the deewee will show up. All they can do is turn you away. That's the chance you have to take and when they turn you back at Rouses Pt. it's along way around thru the Erie canal
 
quote:
Originally posted by hoteo

We summer our 330 Chaparral on the St Lawrence and frequent Canada on weekend trips. Canadian Customs has made it clear that any American convicted of a DWI offense (this includes DWAI) in any country, may not enter their country under any circumstances for a period of 10 years (I think)from the date of conviction. This is not to say that you can't go to Canada. Just don't get caught or get into trouble and be prepared to be turned back at the border upon checking in. My girlfriend has one and we thought that we could never go their anymore. We have and when we check in they say have a nice time. They could however run a "check" on you and the deewee will show up. All they can do is turn you away. That's the chance you have to take and when they turn you back at Rouses Pt. it's along way around thru the Erie canal

Click to expand...


Actually Canada Customs has the power of arrest and detention for this. I think it's rare, in most cases they just ask you to leave.

Cheers, John
 
We would be transitting the Richielu canal and the "Canadian portion" of the St. Lawrence in one day.

I am not sure if transiting the locks is "Landing" or not?

If not, would this mean that she can pass through customs, or would we eevn have to meet with customs if just passing through, so to speak?

BTW, I wonder how the would be entitled to detain someone, ie what crime is being committed at the boarder if you identify yourself nad present ID?

Has anyone ever dealt with transporting a firearm on board while passing through Canadian waters?

Thanks again for the help.
 
Thank you for the link, I just finished reading it.

Below is the relvant time frame for DWI's it appears.

"Example 2: On June 3, 2003, I was convicted of driving under the influence and had my driver’s licence taken away from me for three years. When am I eligible to apply for rehabilitation?

The sentence imposed ends on June 3, 2006. Count five years from the end date of the suspension or the date your driver’s licence is reinstated. You will be eligible to apply for rehabilitation on June 3, 2011."

So 5 years appears to be the magic number, not 10.
 
Just to have this clear in my own mind, does that mean that if you have a DWI on your record, you can't enter Canada by boat - or does it mean that you can't enter Canada at all - regardless of method (boat, auto, airplane, on foot, or whatever)?

I don't have a DWI on my record, but one of my sons has two on his (he paid the penalties, to include some jail time - I think he's learned his lesson), and it might be embarrassing to him if he were on vacation and were to be turned away at the border.

NEVER MIND - I read the link...!
 
Bear in mind that the opposite is also true. My daughter had a DWI and had to get a pardon prior to being allowed into the US.
The US/Canada cross reference computer system has a lot of shared info since 911 changed everything.

Handguns ae a NO, long guns need to be declared at the border. This is much easier into Canada than for me to bring firearms into the US I need to get an Import/export permit from ATF that takes 6 weeks so I have to do this every spring if I am planning a cruise that takes me to US waters. My US Customs decal I get online every January.
 
Mariner36, You really need to call Canada Border services at 1 888 CANPASS and describe the circumstances and route.
It is possible that you can bring the person "in transit" as long as they do not get off the boat. all my reading refers to
a "destintion in Canada" and is very spotty on "in transit"
 
Thank you, i'll call and see if the rules are different if you are just passing through.

Thanks again!
 
mariner36:
Yes 5 years is the magic number.... to be eligible for "rehabilitation". If you google " canadian customs dwi" you will read about many stories of people trying to get "rehabilitated" so they can go to Canada. The time and expense,to me, is just not worth it unless perhaps your job or family is in Canada . Also this law applies to travel by any means. I've read where people have had connecting flights in Canada and have been detained and turned back. Also people have had paid vacations in Canada only to find out that they are refused entry because of a dwi. And also think about what is in one's closet too. They will also question any other past convictions. We all remember our college days when that little "brush" with the law may have happened. Minor to us not them. As far as transiting in foreign waters I understand it that if you drop anchor or physically touch land you must report immeadiately to a customs agent or office. Transiting thru Canadian locks requires docking to their land. Hand gun possesion is suicide. And one more note. Somewhere in the area of Rouses Pt in northern New York sits a large Indian Reservation I forget their name. National news last week reported beefed up border patrols in that vicinity because they claim that this reservation land has the highest smuggling activity on our northern border. Just something to think about. If you are coming from NYC why not take the Hudson, the Erie canal' the Oswego canal to Oswego port on lake Ontario? Sorry for the ramble.
 
On a general note regarding any conviction for DWI/DUI in USA.
The law for having the conviction set aside or 'expunged' is different in different States.
Google for 'expunged convictions' and the State for information.
Once expunged it is not necessary, in law, to declare that one has had a conviction.
If the same crime is re-committed, it is law to refer to the first conviction at trial for the second offense.
 
Hot, I really appreciate the ramble. Our boat is on Lake Ontario near Rochester. We were originally going to south from Oswego to the canal heading west to Lake Erie and then heading north via the Welland canal back to the lake.

We then decided to take the canal east again hitting Sylvan beach, Lake Champlain, running the Richielu river, and then spending a week in the thousand islands/Alexandria Bay area.

Both of which require passing through Canadian locks to get home.

The third choice, since we are banned from Canada when this guest is aboard would be to run canal to the Hudson, down to NYC, and then out to Block Island. This avoids the Canada issue altogether.

I did confirm via calling CANPASS that passing through counts as entering, so the DWI is an issue.
 
We are in the Information age. Canada Border Services and US Border Services share the same database. The Conviction/Pardon rules work the same in both directions. A Canadian can be turned back at the border for the same reasons. Every year there are hundreds turned back at airports and bridge crossings because of a forgotten College fauxpas. It matters not that you have prepaid an air ticket or vacation. The airlines put the onus on the customer to read the fine print.
 
I think if you are not stopping it won't be an issue but I understand technically it is. I have been up and down the Detroit River a few times, in and out of Canadian waters but because I never stopped there isn't a check in to go through. We didn’t have any DUI’s aboard when we did the Welland and Toronto last year but I did worry about the frozen steaks I had in our freezer. I guess that is a no-no.

Good luck
Niles
 
Mariner
Your option 2 trip is the same trip we want to take. We winter our boat in Rome,NY (near Sylvan Beach) on the Erie canal and make the trip back and forth to Cape Vincent each year. We are dying to make the Lake Champlain loop to the St Lawrence river but the admiral has a 5 year old dwi and we just can't take the slim chance of a refusal of entry at the border. Way to much backtracking not to mention the added fuel expense. Some say that my only real option is to get a new admiral :)
 
Mariner
We did the same trip, except in the opposite direction 2 years ago. It is very slow passage thru the Chambly Canal and the first 4-5 Locks on the Seaway going in your planned direction are very slow most of ther time and they are all in Canada.

Ray
 
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