The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is urging travellers to plan ahead as they prepare to travel to or return to Canada during the busy holiday season.
In a reminder issued this week, the CBSA said advance preparation can help ensure smoother border crossings while allowing officers to focus on keeping communities safe. Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2025, CBSA officers processed more than 70 million travellers, while also intercepting over 30,790 kilograms of illegal drugs and 13,500 weapons and firearms.
“Knowing what you need to enter Canada will help ensure a smoother border crossing experience,” the agency said, adding that preparation also helps officers prevent dangerous goods and inadmissible individuals from entering the country.
Travel Tips for the Holiday Season
The CBSA shared several tips for travellers crossing the border by land or air:
- Have travel documents ready: Keep passports and other required documents easily accessible to speed up processing.
- Travelling with children: If travelling with a child who is not your own, or for whom you do not have full legal custody, carry a consent letter from a parent or legal guardian. Officers may ask additional questions without one.
- Declare all goods: Declare everything you are bringing into Canada. Drivers are responsible for all items inside their vehicle.
- Leave gifts unwrapped: Unwrapped gifts or gift bags allow officers to inspect contents if necessary.
- Poultry products: Check current restrictions before bringing poultry products, including turkey, from the United States. Homemade food or leftovers containing poultry are not permitted.
- Goods purchased abroad: Canadian residents may qualify for personal exemptions on goods, including alcohol and tobacco, up to certain limits. Travellers should know the value of items in Canadian dollars and keep receipts available.
Border Timing and Route Planning
For those driving into Canada, the CBSA recommends:
- Checking border wait times before travelling
- Crossing early in the morning when possible
- Avoiding Mondays during holiday long weekends, which are typically the busiest
- Considering alternative ports of entry with shorter wait times and confirming hours of operation
- Reviewing different GPS routing options to find the most efficient route
Travellers flying into Canada are encouraged to use Advance Declaration, which allows customs and immigration information to be submitted up to 72 hours before arrival at participating airports.
Prohibited and Restricted Items
The CBSA also reminded travellers:
- Firearms and weapons: Leave them at home if possible and review import rules if travelling with them.
- Cannabis: Do not bring cannabis into or out of Canada. This includes products containing THC or CBD. Doing so without Health Canada authorization is a criminal offence.
- Fireworks: Check authorization requirements before importing fireworks.
- Restricted goods: Review prohibited and restricted items in advance to avoid fines, seizures, or prosecution.
“We encourage you to read and follow all of our travel tips before arriving at the border,” the CBSA said.
Travellers with questions about what to declare are encouraged to ask a CBSA officer or contact the agency directly at 1-800-461-9999.