What can snowbirds bring back to Canada?
We will be heading home to Canada soon after spending the winter away, and want to bring some things back with us. How do I find out what we can bring back to Canada and any taxes or tariffs that might apply?
LAST UPDATED: March 11, 2026
For snowbirds returning to Canada, it can be very confusing to figure out which items you can - and cannot - bring back with you.
Many goods are restricted or prohibited, while others have limits on how much you can bring back to Canada. Then there’s the matter of how much you might have to pay in duties/tariffs/taxes, depending on what you’re bringing back and which country you're bringing it from.
And to make things even more complex, the rules can change from time to time, and temporary restrictions can be put in place for some goods due to health and safety concerns.
Fortunately, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have a number of resources available online to review prior to coming home so you can plan accordingly:
- What you can bring home to Canada
- Estimate duty and taxes on items you are bringing back to Canada
- New Tariffs on U.S. Goods: While there has been much concern about new tariffs that might apply to goods coming into Canada from the U.S., as of September 1, 2025, these new tariffs only apply to U.S. steel, aluminum and auto imports
- Bringing food into Canada for personal use
- Maximum quantity limits for personal use exemption
- Travelling with pets, food or plants
If you can’t find the information you are looking for online, you can also contact the CBSA by phone or email with your question:
