Travel by Air

All persons, including U.S. Citizens, travelling by air between the United States and Canada (including in transit passengers who are transferring planes in the U.S.) are required to present a valid passport or NEXUS card, according to an American law, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI).


Travel by Land or Water

The US has begun phasing in WHTI requirements by identifying new document requirements for entry into the U.S. by land and water. U.S. and Canadian citizens now need to present either a WHTI-compliant document or a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. Naturalised U.S. citizens should carry a naturalisation certificate. Permanent U.S. residents who are not citizens are advised to bring their Alien Registration Receipt Card (Green Card).


Ontario has an 8% Provincial Sales Tax (PST), a 5% federal value-added General Services Tax (GST), special taxes on food and liquor in restaurants and a room tax on visitor accommodation.


Visitors to Ontario are eligible to reclaim the provincial 8% Retail Sales Tax (RST) paid on goods permanently removed from Ontario within 30 days of purchase. To qualify, RST paid on each purchase must total at least $50 (Canadian), before taxes. Please note that a refund is not available for the RST paid on accommodation or on taxable services.


Goods and Service Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) Refund The Goods and Service tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) refund is no longer available on personal goods and short term accommodations. A refund is still available for the GST/HST paid on eligible tour packages.

Canada's second-largest province covers 1,068,639 million square kilometres (412,592 square miles) stretching 1,730 kilometres (1,056 miles) from its most southerly point to the Arctic waters of Hudson Bay, and 1,690 kilometres 91,047 mi.) from west to east.


The word Ontario is thought to mean "beautiful waters" in the original Iroquoian language, a fitting description for a land of more than 250,000 lakes and thousands of kilometres of rivers and streams. These glorious freshwater lakes and rivers were created by the retreat of massive glaciers during the last ice age.



Although English is Ontario's official language, French is spoken in many communities, and French language rights have been extended to the legal and educational systems. The searchable Franco-Ontarian Directory lets you access approximately 3,000 organizations, associations and institutions that operate in French in Ontario.


To help visitors find their destinations easily, Ontario has introduced a new system of specially designed signs to indicate a wide range of tourism attractions along provincial highways. The blue and white signs indicate the distance to the closest attractions.


In addition to the world's finest freshwater sport fishing, Ontario provides outdoors enthusiasts with the opportunity to hunt deer, moose, wild turkey, bear, waterfowl and a variety of other game species. Special packages and hunting trips are available throughout the province. You can buy your hunting licence at most sporting goods stores, bait and tackle outlets, tourist outfitters and hunting lodges. If you're a resident of Ontario, or a resident of Canada not living in Ontario, you must have an Outdoors Card before you can purchase a hunting licence. Outdoors Card applications are available from licence issuers and offices of the Ministry of Natural Resources.


Non-residents of Canada do not need an Outdoors Card to buy a hunting licence. For details about hunting regulations, pick up a copy of the Hunting Regulations Summary from most Ontario Travel Information Centres.

In general, Ontario's climate is considered continental, with temperatures ranging from humid in the south, with chilly winters and warm summers, to sub-Arctic in the north. Due to Ontario's size, temperatures may vary tremendously from region to region and even within the regions themselves. The large bodies of water in the north and south have a bit of a moderating effect on the climate, with less extreme temperatures during the summer and winter months. The effect reduces the differences between day and night temperatures.


The cold polar air from the north meeting the warm, moist air from the south causes considerable precipitation throughout the year. During the winter months, most of Ontario is blanketed with snow, especially in the north. Precipitation in Northern Ontario varies from 70 cm (28 in.) in Moosonee, to 97 cm (38 in.) in North Bay. In Southwestern Ontario, precipitation averages about 95 cm (37 in.) per year. A boon to skiers and winter outdoors enthusiasts, annual snowfalls east of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, including Owen Sound, can exceed 339 cm (134 in.).


Ontario is laced with a transportation network of regional and national airline routes, railways, bus routes and ferries.


Ontario boasts some of the finest freshwater sport fishing in the world, with special packages and resort accommodations available for the avid angler.


To fish in Ontario, you must have a fishing licence, which is available at most sporting goods stores, bait and tackle outlets, tourist outfitters and fishing lodges. If you're a resident of Ontario, you must have an Outdoors Card before you can buy a fishing licence. Outdoors Card applications are available from licence issuers and offices of the Ministry of Natural Resource.


If you're a Canadian resident from outside Ontario, you must also buy an Outdoors Card and a fishing licence. Licences for non-residents of Canada can be bought at most licence issuers; and you don't need an Outdoors Card.



As a rule, weapons are not allowed into Canada. However, you may bring a hunting rifle or shotgun into Ontario as a visitor for hunting or competition purposes if you are 18 years of age or older, plus 200 rounds of ammunition for hunting, or 1,500 rounds for use at a recognised meet.


Firearms manufactured as fully automatic are prohibited entry, regardless of any conversion, and no firearms less than 66 cm (26 inches) in length or with a barrel less than 46 cm (18 inches) are allowed, unless they are being imported for an approved shoot, in which case a temporary permit is required in advance from a local police agency. Mace/stun guns and other weapons are also prohibited.

With more than 272 unspoiled natural provincial parks dotting the province, Ontario is indeed a camping paradise. You can relax with family and friends in your camper, hooked up in a fully serviced campground, or you can have a backcountry experience in the serenity of the wilderness with nothing but the great outdoors.


In Ontario's provincial parks, enjoy an abundance of year-round activities, ranging from picnicking, nature study, winter camping, hiking, cycling, fishing, swimming, canoeing, bird-watching, rock climbing, waterskiing, boating, cross-country skiing, wildlife viewing and other activities that are unique to individual parks. Ontario's provincial parks are owned, maintained and protected by the province.


Today, 106 of the parks created over the years are classed as operating parks and are detailed in the Ontario Parks Guide, available at Ontario Travel Information Centres and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) Information Centre.

Visitors are strongly urged to obtain health insurance before leaving their home province or country. (Your health insurance plan may not extend coverage outside your country of residence.) If you are taking medicine prescribed by your doctor, bring an adequate supply and a copy of the prescription in case it needs to be renewed by a doctor in Ontario. For further information and insurance details, contact your travel agent or insurance agent.


In Ontario, anyone 19 years of age or over may buy liquor and imported or domestic wine and beer from government liquor stores known as LCBO stores. These stores are open daily including some holidays (exceptions may apply). A large selection of domestic beer is available from Beer Stores throughout Ontario. These too are open daily including some holidays (exceptions may apply). Drinking hours in licenced establishments are from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. In Ontario it is an offence to consume alcohol anywhere other than in a residence or on licenced premises.


Please note driving motorized vehicles, including cars, trucks, All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, and boats, while impaired is illegal. You can immediately lose your licence for 90 days for refusing to take a breathalyser test or having a breathalyser reading greater than 80 mg (0.08%) of alcohol per 100 mL of blood. Charges may be laid under the criminal code of Canada.

Parks Canada operates two historically significant waterways - the Trent-Severn Waterway and Rideau Canal. They are usually open from mid-May until mid-October. You can buy canal vessel permits; including lockage, overnight motoring and boater camping permits, for a small fee at lock stations during the navigation season. The Ontario Marine Operators Association provides a list of marinas across the province.


The Ontario Marine Operators Association is an Industry leader, with such programs as their Discover Boating program, world-renowned Clean Marine program, and the Clean Boater program.


Need more information? Give Ontario’s Wilderness Region a call at 1-800-461-3766.