Overland Canada Travel
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Contents
- 1 Visiting Canada
- 2 Entering Canada with a Car or Motorbike
- 3 Driving in Canada
- 4 Gas and Diesel price in Canada
- 5 Safety and Security Considerations
- 6 Camping in Canada
- 7 Navigation
- 8 Special Overland Travel interests
- 9 Vehicle Maintenance
- 10 Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Canada
- 11 References
- 12 Helpful External links
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
List the paperwork required to enter with a vehicle, including number of copies
Process at border
(To check if you need a travel Visa for Canada, application instructions and fees see: Canada Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)
Briefly describe the process at the border to enter with a vehicle
Cost of entry
State the cost for a vehicle to enter
Permitted length of stay
State the permitted length of entry for the vehicle
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
Describe the paperwork requirements and process at the border to exit.
Driving in Canada
Insurance requirements
Yes or No if insurance is mandatory, and what kind is acceptable.
Cost of insurance
State the price of insurance and a time period.
Where to purchase insurance
Describe where insurance can be purchased.
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
State any mandatory items that must be carried in the vehicle. (i.e. safety triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.)
Roads
General Road quality
General road quality in West and Central Canada are good to excellent. Roads in the Maritime provinces are in bad shape. One way streets are common in some city centers such as Vancouver, BC, and Calgary, AB.
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: November 2013
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Gas and diesel prices vary across the country, and change quickly.
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular (85) | $1.24 CAD per Liter |
| Diesel | $1.37 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
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Canada - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
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.
Paper maps
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
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
Travel Guide Books
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
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.
- Canada: Visa and Passport requirements | World Travel Guide
- Health Information for Travelers to Canada - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- Canada travel guides at wikivoyage
- Canada - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
