Overland Canada Travel

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Pan American Highway > Canada Currency to display:

Visiting Canada

Give a brief overview of what it's like to visit. How easy is the border, how safe is the country, are there great things to see and do, etc.

Entering Canada with a Car or Motorbike

Correct as of: November 2013

Required Paperwork

(To check if you need a travel Visa for Canada, application instructions and fees see: Canada Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)
List the paperwork required to enter with a vehicle, including number of copies

Process at border

Briefly describe the process at the border to enter with a vehicle

Cost of entry

No cost.

Permitted length of stay

90 days for tourists.

Extension of stay

Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.

Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country

Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.

Exiting with a vehicle

None.

Driving in Canada

Recommended books for Overlanding in Canada

Lonely Planet Canada (travel Guide)
Lonely Planet Canada (travel Guide)
by Lonely Planet
From $14.62 on Amazon
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
by Dan Grec
From $click on Amazon
Don't Go There. It's Not Safe. You'll Die. And Other M...
Don't Go There. It's Not Safe. You'll Die. And Other M...
by LifeRemotely.com
From $click on Amazon
Americas Overland - The Driving Handbook
Americas Overland - The Driving Handbook
by Donald Greene
From $29.95 on Amazon
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $22.49 on Amazon
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $click on Amazon
Footprints Deluxe: Scripture With Reflections Inspired...
Footprints Deluxe: Scripture With Reflections Inspired...
by Margaret Fishback Powers
From $4.62 on Amazon

Travel insurance for Canada

World Nomads offer the most flexible Travel Insurance at the best prices for multi-country / multi-year trips. You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home.

Vehicle insurance requirements

Insurance is mandatory in Canada, but limits vary by province:

* In British Columbia basic Autoplan coverage by ICBC is required

Cost of vehicle insurance

State the price of insurance and a time period.

Where to purchase vehicle insurance

Insurance requirements differ by provinces. Most provinces have a competitive insurance system, but some do not:

* British Columbia has a province-owned monopoly insurance system by ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia) who provides Autoplan basic liability insurances; optional comprehensive coverage plans are also provided, but these are extra above the mandatory Autoplan cover and is available through ICBC as well as commercial providers

Driving license

State the kind of driving licenses required. i.e. International Driving Permit.

Driving side of road

Right.
RHD vehicles can be driven in Canada without a problem.

Mandatory items in vehicle

None

Roads

General Road quality

General road quality in Canada is good to excellent. One way streets are common in some city centers such as Vancouver, BC, and Calgary, AB. PEI has many dirt roads, frequently poorly labeled. The roads in Newfoundland are generally good, but there are some stretches with potholes. In Labrador the Trans-Labrador Highway is currently being paved. Be prepared for 100s of miles of gravel. In Yukon there are stretches of decent road, but also long stretches with potholes and deteriorating pavement. The Dempster Highway (from Dawson City to Inuvik, NWT) is not paved. The road was constructed from local materials and the quality of the road changes with each construction material.

Road signs

Road signs for directions are generally well marked and hazards / road work are almost always well marked.

Toll roads

The Trans Canada Highway goes from coast to coast and has sections that are tolled. Recently in BC heading into Vancouver, the Port Mann bridge on HWY 1 (Trans Can) has been tolled. It is possible to get around with a good map and many side roads, but formal directions on how to avoid isn't marked, you will have to discover it yourself. More tolled bridges are coming to the Greater Vancouver Area. The New Brunswick toll highway is strategically placed so that all traffic to the Maritimes has to pass through it.

Bribery in Canada

Bribery with the local police or RCMP is non-existent. Do NOT attempt to bribe Police.

Checkpoints

Across the country are Drunk Driving check points. They are more common on holidays and weekends but operate year round. Police roadside spot-checks are set up on major roadways and off-ramps of highways. All drivers are stopped and interrogated upon reaching the checkpoint. If a driver is suspected to be intoxicated, the officer may request a roadside breathalyzer test. Spot checks usually consist of several cruisers and pylons to direct cars into the area. Trailers are used to conduct breathalyzer testing. Tow trucks may be on standby to remove any vehicles with drivers caught drunk.

Traveling with pets

List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.

Gas and Diesel price in Canada

Last updated: August 2014

Currency and unit to display:

Gas and diesel prices vary across the country, and change quickly.

Gasoline Grade Price
Regular (85) $1.10 CAD per Liter
Diesel $0.90 CAD per Liter

Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency

Gas stations are frequent and if you are going to be on a highway for a long distance between stations there will be a sign warning you.

Gas and Diesel Quality

Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.
State the sulfur content of diesel, if known.

Safety and Security Considerations

Driving at night

Driving at night is typically very safe.

Vehicle parking

Vehicles can typically be parked on the street safely. Large parking lots of malls, transit stations, hotels/motels are targets for thieves. Many are patrolled by security.

Special driving considerations

A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road, etc.).
List any roads that are not recommended to drive for safety or other security reasons.

Security advisories and information

Camping in Canada

Organized "pay" camping is common, often with full facilities. British Columbia specific: Within the borders, there are more than 400 different provincial parks for day use and camping. Four of the six national parks offer developed camping facilities. Hundreds of BC Government recreation sites, located throughout the province, offer rustic camping, boat launching and often maintained trails.
Most campgrounds in British Columbia have the basic facilities. This includes water, wood, pit toilets, picnic tables and fire pits. Some larger campgrounds can offer showers, flush toilets, sani-stations, wheelchair access, group camping, visitor's centers and interpretive programs. The camp spots are made tidy after each visitor leaves, garbage is collected on a regular basis, and washroom facilities are usually clean and well maintained.
At fee sites, fees are collected only from approx April to October. Camping fees vary from site to site depending on the facilities. Attendants, in most parks collect the cash only payment in the early evening hours. Fees are reasonable. There is a charge for firewood in national parks. Whether camping or not, they charge an additional fee in national parks. http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/camping/ http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca

Camping guide books

From roadside parks to remote wilderness campsites the Backroad Mapbooks are your source for camping in Canada. http://www.backroadmapbooks.com

Drinking water

Tap water is safe to drink everywhere. Water can also be purchased in any store.

Navigation

Paper maps

Reise Know-How are amoung the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in Canada

Canada, Central
Canada, Central
by Reise Know-How Verlag
From $4.99 on Amazon
National Geographic Road Atlas - Adventure Edition
National Geographic Road Atlas - Adventure Edition
by National Geographic Maps
From $12.85 on Amazon
Canada [map Pack Bundle] (national Geographic Adventur...
Canada [map Pack Bundle] (national Geographic Adventur...
by National Geographic Maps - Adventure
From $25.13 on Amazon
Lonely Planet Banff, Jasper And Glacier National Parks...
Lonely Planet Banff, Jasper And Glacier National Parks...
by Lonely Planet, Brendan Sainsbury, Michael Grosberg
From $11.01 on Amazon

The Backroad Mapbook Series provides up-to-date topographic maps and outdoor recreation descriptions needed to get you outdoors safely and confidently. They have Backroad maps for all of Canada in a variety of formats including their very popular mapbooks, PDF books, digital maps, GPS maps and TOPO maps. http://www.backroadmapbooks.com
City maps can be purchased at gas stations and big drug stores like Shopper's Drug Mart or London Drugs.
BCAA or across Canada, CAA also have detailed maps of North America and major cities and other travel information, insurance etc. http://www.bcaa.com/

GPS Maps of Canada

Review different GPS companies, quality and coverage (Tomtom, Garmin, OSM, Tracks4Africa). (with links to each).

GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Canada

  • iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.

Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.

Special Overland Travel interests

List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders

You can possibly cross Canada and not drive on pavement ! See : http://graveltravel.ca/ Mostly for motorcycles, many sections are 4x4 friendly.

Eastern Canada's answer to the Dempster Hightway : the TransLabrador Highway !Info here : http://www.tlhwy.com/ Unfortunately the entire road is being paved and can be driven in a regular 2 wheel drive car. See also the : http://www.jamesbayroad.com/

Vehicle Maintenance

Dealers

4x4s / Trucks

Motorbikes

Local Garages

Add known good mechanics here.

Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Canada

Buy
http://wwwa.autotrader.ca/
A foreigner will need a Canadian license to register a car, which usually means you need a tourist visa of 6 months.

Sell
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'

References

Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.


Helpful External links

Add any helpful external links here.