What you need to know about crossing the border this holiday season: CBSA

Windsor-Detroit Tunnel seen in Windsor, Ont. on Nov. 3, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is providing tips for travelling across the border this holiday season.

Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2025, the CBSA welcomed more than 70 million travellers while also intercepting over 30,790 kg of illegal drugs and 13,500 weapons and firearms.

CBSA officials say knowing what you need to enter Canada will help ensure a smoother border crossing experience while also giving border officers more time to continue focusing on stopping dangerous goods and inadmissible people from entering the country.

Here are some travel tips to help you plan for your trip:

• Have your travel documents readily available to present to an officer. This will speed up processing times at the border.
• When travelling with children who are not your own or for whom you don’t have full legal custody, we recommend you have a consent letter from the parent or legal guardian authorizing you to travel with the child. We are always watching for missing children, and in the absence of the letter, officers may ask additional questions.
• Be prepared to declare. Declare everything you have with you upon entry into Canada. If arriving by land, you are responsible for everything inside your vehicle.
• Driving into Canada? Check border wait times to plan your route.
• Flying into Canada? Use Advance Declaration and be able to make your customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of your arrival into Canada (at participating airports.)
• Leave your firearms and weapons at home. You are encouraged not to travel with firearms. If you choose to do so, be sure to check the rules on importing firearms.
• Cannabis: Don’t bring it in. Don’t take it out. While cannabis is legal in Canada, bringing it across the border in any form, including oils containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD), without a permit or exemption authorized by Health Canada is a serious criminal offence subject to arrest and prosecution. A medical prescription from a doctor does not count as Health Canada authorization.
• Bringing fireworks into Canada? Consult Importing, exporting and transporting fireworks to ensure that the ones you are bringing in are authorized.
• Know before you go: review the restricted and prohibited goods to avoid the possibility of penalties, including fines, seizure or prosecution. Make sure you have the information you need before attempting to bring items into Canada.

Not sure? Ask a CBSA officer. The best way to save time is to be open and honest with the border services officer. If you are not sure about what to declare, call 1-800-461-9999.