Products to Declare

Chart - What Products Can You Bring Into Canada?

Travellers must declare all food, animals, plants and related products. To be safe, travellers should also declare any items they are unsure about.

The following items commonly carried by travellers must be declared:

meat and meat products;
cream, milk, cheese and other dairy products;
plants, trees, cut flowers and their soil (may require an import permit);
wood and wood products;
fruits and vegetables (may require an import permit);
pets, birds and other live animals (require an import permit or vaccination documentation);
feathers and down;
seeds and nuts; and
baby formula.

The chart below provides a quick reference to which products must be declared in each category. Canadian law requires that you declare all food products, plants and animals and their products - including insects - that you bring into Canada. Therefore, the best advice is to declare everything you are carrying. It's the only way to be sure.

All items brought into Canada must be clean and free of pests, soil and roots. Proof of the product's country of origin may be required.

You should also note that the pest and disease situation around the world is constantly changing; these changes can impact what products must be declared. You should always seek advice before travelling and visit the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) regularly.

Click on any item in the chart to see the reason(s) that item must be declared.

The following items commonly carried by travellers must be declared [D]