Bought new motorhome in Florida, taking it home to Canada

There's another issue too.

If the vehicle doesn't bear a label that says it complies with CSA Z240 or equivalent, i.e. the new version of the US (they've changed their standards to equal ours recently) RVDA spec's as of the date of manufacture then it must be inspected and if required modified to meet Canadian specifications.


Here's the straight goods;

Ontario Regulation 164/99 (Electrical Safety Code) made under the (Ontario) Electricity Act is an extremely short regulation that merely adopts the "Canadian Electrical Code Part I, C22.1-12" as the (Ontario) Electrical Safety Code.

Ontario Regulation 438/07 (Product Safety) made under the (Ontario) Electricity Act, RSO 1998 (and the relevant sections) says;

Definitions and application.

1. (1) In this Regulation,

(shortened in context)

(2) This Regulation applies to electrical products and devices governed by the Electrical Safety Code adopted under Ontario Regulation 164/99 (Electrical Safety Code) made under the Act.

Deemed approvals.

2. (1) An electrical product or device that falls into one of the following categories is deemed to be approved:

1. An electrical product or device for which a certification body has issued a report certifying that the electrical product or device conforms to the applicable standards for the electrical product or device and,

i. the report is available to the Authority from the certification body,

ii. the electrical product or device complies with all standards of design and construction and all terms and conditions set out in the report, and,

iii. the electrical product or device bears the certification body's mark, which identifies the electrical product or device as certified for use in Canada.

Prohibition, selling etc. non-approved product or device.

5. (1) No person shall use, advertise, display, sell, offer for sale or other disposal any electrical product or device unless it has been approved in accordance with this Regulation.


So, when all that is taken together, the law in Ontario (and in fact the rest of Canada too) says;

a) the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) is the Ontario Electrical Code,

b) anything that connects to the grid, or produces electricity (generator) is required to comply to the CEC, and,

c) it's ILLEGAL to "use, advertise, sell, offer for sale" an electrical product or device that doesn't comply, and bear proof of compliance, I.E. CSA Z240 sticker or ESA approval.



People are trying to paint dealers and the Canadian and ORVDA as being complicit in some sort of conspiracy to defraud Canadians by artificially inflating prices based on some imaginary need to have CSA approval on RV's imported into Canada.

That is not the case, the requirement is very real and based in Canadian law.

Ladybug1955
here is what the Highway Traffic Act says in relation to registration:

The Highway Traffic Act (HTA) is an Ontario Act which regulates the licensing of vehicles, classification of traffic offenses, administration of loads, classification of vehicles and other transport related issues.

Exceptions as to residents of other provinces, permit requirements, etc.
15. (1) Section 7 and subsection 13 (1) do not apply to a motor vehicle owned by a person who does not reside or carry on business in Ontario for more than six consecutive months in each year if the owner thereof is a resident of some other province of Canada and has complied with the provisions of the law of the province in which the person resides as to registration of a motor vehicle and the display of the registration number thereon, and provided the province of residence grants similar exemptions and privileges with respect to motor vehicles owned by residents of Ontario for which permits are issued and in force under this Act and the regulations. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 15 (1).
Exemption from s. 7 for thirty days
(2) Upon the owner of a motor vehicle becoming a resident of Ontario, the owner is exempt from the provisions of section 7 for the thirty days immediately following provided the owner has complied with the provisions of the law of the jurisdiction in which the owner resided immediately prior to taking up residence in Ontario as to the registration of the motor vehicle and the displays of the registration number thereon, and continues to display the registration number in accordance with that law. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 15 (2).
Exceptions as to residents of foreign countries
(3) Section 7 and subsection 13 (1) do not apply to a motor vehicle owned by a person who does not reside or carry on business in Ontario for more than three months in any one year if the owner thereof is a resident of a country or state that grants similar exemptions and privileges with respect to motor vehicles owned by residents of Ontario for which permits are issued and in force under this Act and the regulations and has complied with the provisions of the law of the country or state in which the person resides as to registration of a motor vehicle and the display of registration plates thereon, but this subsection does not apply to commercial motor vehicles. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 15 (3).
Registration of vehicles of certain non-residents
(4) Despite subsections (1) and (3), section 7 and subsection 13 (1) apply to a motor vehicle owned by a person who does not reside in Ontario that displays registration plates of a jurisdiction other than Ontario and that is,
(a) based and operated in Ontario by the person; or
(b) operated by a resident of Ontario for more than a thirty-day period in any calendar year. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 15 (4).

I hope this answers your question,
Respectfully,
AM

bstark

I suggest you review the now current import requirements as much of what you are suggesting is not correct. The vehicle must be "admissible" per Transport Canada online listings. The vehicle basically must come from the US and be built to a "standard" either CSA OR the US RVIA standard for import into Canada. Canadian RV dealers will suggest that it must have CSA/Ontario Hydro/Whatever approval but that is just not true. You pay a fee of approximately $200 to the "Registrar of Imported Vehicles" aka "RIV" - that fee also includes the inspection. The inspection form is issued by the RIV after they (and Customs)verify it is admissible in compliance with the Transport Canada list and there are no outstanding safety recalls on the Chassis or house per the letters that the importer(you) must provide from the appropriate manufacturers. The vehicle must meet TC safety standards one of which is daytime running lights to pass the inspection which is conducted largely by Canadian Tire dealers. There is no requirement for propane inspections, electrical inspections, etc. The fact that it was built to the RVIA standard suffices.
There are subtle differences between the US and Canadian standards in the plumbing, electrical and other areas that really should have been harmonized with free trade. That said, you will never get the CSA to agree that other (US) standards are acceptable or they wouldn't have a job or contribute to the higher cost of doing business in Canada with no apparent value added - in my opinion.

You will be deemed attempting to import without proper documentation if you simply show up at the kiosk.

Your process starts with perusing the list of vehicles with compliance already established in Canada via Ontario Hydro/CSA inspection stickering etc., it then moves on to the moree mundane such as propane, water, plumbing even stuff like the black tank venting and the colour of the lenses over all the marker lights turn signals etc., all has to be certified as compliant with Canadian reg's PRIOR to importation.

Your vehicle may very well already be on a list but if manufactured with only a mile per hour and no kilometer speedo or no daytime running lights, they may insist that be changed out and can be expensive. The inspection process is performed by Canadian Tire, for one, and usually runs around $100 to $200 dollars just for the inspection and certification.

Without this certification that vehicle is not entering Canada as an imported vehicle.

You would have saved yourself a lot of aggro had you called the border (Canadian Customs) folks PRIOR to purchasing your MO/HO as they could have furnished you with a list of already compliant vehicles and instructions on prior documentation required.

You need to notify the border crossing you intend to use in advance and have all your paperwork already performed or you are letting yourself in for a very nasty couple of days.

They do not look kindly upon those who simply show up pleading ignorance. That will get you a world of hurt; believe me.

Simple answer: You cannot drive a foreign plated vehicle in Canada if you are a Canadian resident. There is no duty but you would have to pay GST and PST as well as a small fee. Lots of people do this. I cannot believe you bought this vehcile without knowing the regulations.

Moisheh

My suggestion would be.....

Drive the RV to a point near the Canada US border, in a US state and STORE IT. That gets around the LEGAL requirement to IMPORT the vehicle into Canada, and the associated costs to do so.

Neat and clean, yes.....

Jim B

Toronto.

Try here for more info.
Doesn't look too hopeful to me!!

ladybug1955 wrote:
Is there any way that we can take our motorhome that we purchased in Florida back to Canada keeping the Florida registration, title and tag the way they are or is it a must that we import the vehicle and register it in Ontario and pay more ridiculous taxes? We are snowbirds , own a home in Florida but are Canadian Citizens.
I have tried searching online but cannot find the info we need.

If you could bring an RV to Canada and later return to the US the next winter, why would anyone ever even consider legally importing an RV?

explorenorth wrote:

PackerBacker wrote:
I can't ad any more info other than a personal experience. A few years ago I flew to Buffalo (NY) and rented a car for business just over the border in Ontario. I was quickly advised by Canadian Border Services that I can not cross a US registered vehicle into Canada with a Canadian driver's permit.

That regulation was changed last year. Canadians can now rent a US-plated car in the US and drive it into Canada.

Is that for rentals only or any vehicle?

... Eric

PackerBacker wrote:
I can't ad any more info other than a personal experience. A few years ago I flew to Buffalo (NY) and rented a car for business just over the border in Ontario. I was quickly advised by Canadian Border Services that I can not cross a US registered vehicle into Canada with a Canadian driver's permit.

That regulation was changed last year. Canadians can now rent a US-plated car in the US and drive it into Canada.


sorry no edit was made, I just hit the wrong button (moderator function ) :S