Canadian requirements?

[battleb]

Other than a passport or birhtcertificate (for now) what will I need to know when crossing into Canada with a popup?
For example:
What kind of food will be ok to take?
Are there any vehicle or trailer regulations that are different from US regulations?
What items might be a red flag with Canadian customs to inspect the vehicle/trailer or for that matter the US customs when crosing back to the US?

[AustinBoston]

Are there any vehicle or trailer regulations that are different from US regulations?

You may be required to have trailer brakes.

You will need proof of insurance that is valid in Canada.  If you tell your insurace agent you need a "yellow card" for driving in Canada, they should know what you are talking about.

This list is not complete.

Austin

[dthurk]

We are US citizens.  We've crossed with a camper several times, both at Niagara Falls and at Alexandria Bay in the Thousand Islands.
 
  You will need a passport or birth certificate and photo ID for each individual in the vehicle, including children.  (As of Jan. 1, 2008, the new law will require passports.)  It's harder to get photo ID's of kids than you might think.  Start early with the process.  We got a Sheriff's ID for our daughter, but they called it something else as true Sheriff's ID's were only for children over a certain age, maybe 16.  Our 11 year old didn't qualify.  If you're taking a child that is not your own, make sure you have written notarized permission signed by BOTH parents to take them across as well as birth certificate and photo ID or passport if they're not a US citizen.
 
  You may take canned, boxed or dried foods across the border.  Use original packaging.  Don't plan on taking any fresh fruits or vegetables.  If you take meat, it must be in it's original packaging showing place of origin.  Otherwise, leave it.   We generally just left food behind and bought in Canada the first evening.  DO NOT TAKE FIREWOOD OR FIREARMS.  You don't want to be caught with either of those items at the border.  Declare all camping knives.  
 
  Make sure you declare any alcohol you might have, and you may want to take a couple cans of beer even if you don't drink.  The Canadian Customs officials expect Americans to be importing alcohol because alcohol is so expensive in Canada that Americans take it across and sell it.  They are expecting that you're carrying it and automatically consider a "No" answer to "Do you have any alcohol or tobacco products" to be a lie.
 
  Try not to cross on a Canadian Holiday.  We did on a Monday in August and found ourselves in a line of campers waiting to be X-rayed.  We were escorted 200 feet away from our camper and tow vehicle minus our keys.  I asked the official we were with if it was because of the beer question, he said no, that it was a Canadian Holiday and non of the trucks were running, so they were x-raying all the campers for something to do.  There was no line at the crossing, this process extended a 3 minute crossing to over an hour.
 
  Coming back from Canada did not pose any additional problems, it just took longer.  The US Customs officials were more demanding, but then that was just after those terrorists were discovered in Britain last summer.  We were in Canada at the time and found that the US Border was closed for a period of time at the Alex Bay crossing in the Thousand Islands.  We weren't interested in returning that day, we just found out the border was closed.  We don't have any idea, even now, how extensive the closing of the border was at the time, but they were not allowing anyone, including US citizens into the country that day at Alex Bay.
 
  You most likely won't have any problems and your time at the gate will be short.  But realize they can stop and search anyone at anytime for any reason, so you have to be prepared for that eventuality.  Whatever you do, don't lie to one of the officials.

[GeneF]

"You most likely won't have any problems and your time at the gate will be short. But realize they can stop and search anyone at anytime for any reason, so you have to be prepared for that eventuality. Whatever you do, don't lie to one of the officials."


Have to agree with this one.  Not a pretty sight watching the inside door panels being taken off of a car.

We have crossed at different points and never had much of a problem, except once.  

Asked about veggies with us and DW mentioned that we had a 5 pound bag of potatoes with us.  Sorry, but we had to hand those over.

Dave gave you some very good advice.