Should I bring a car from the US into Canada, or...?

[JonnyBoy123]

This is a somewhat complicated question. Here are the facts:

• I currently live in Blaine, Washington on the west coast US-Canada border.
• My wife recently moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a new job.
• I have put in an application for Canadian PR status, though it hasn’t yet been processed.
• I plan to join her in Halifax in early April.
• I have a very full car-load’s worth of personal belongings to bring (electronics, wedding gifts, clothes, etc.)
• I have a 13 year old Honda Civic I was planning to drive across the country (US) with all of my stuff, crossing into Canada from Maine.
• I will cross many months before I get my Canadian PR, and will stay in Canada as a visitor during that time.
• My parents, worried about my old(ish) car, have offered to buy me newer used one for the trip (roughly $25k).

Based on this information, which do you think us the best option (what would you do?):

1. Take them up on their offer, and go through the hassle of importing a newer car into Canada.
2. Figure out a way to ship all belongings across the border and fly there, using the money to buy a car on the other side.
3. Something else entirely.

 

[canuck78]

This is a somewhat complicated question. Here are the facts:

• I currently live in Blaine, Washington on the west coast US-Canada border.
• My wife recently moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a new job.
• I have put in an application for Canadian PR status, though it hasn’t yet been processed.
• I plan to join her in Halifax in early April.
• I have a very full car-load’s worth of personal belongings to bring (electronics, wedding gifts, clothes, etc.)
• I have a 13 year old Honda Civic I was planning to drive across the country (US) with all of my stuff, crossing into Canada from Maine.
• I will cross many months before I get my Canadian PR, and will stay in Canada as a visitor during that time.
• My parents, worried about my old(ish) car, have offered to buy me newer used one for the trip (roughly $25k).

Based on this information, which do you think us the best option (what would you do?):

1. Take them up on their offer, and go through the hassle of importing a newer car into Canada.
2. Figure out a way to ship all belongings across the border and fly there, using the money to buy a car on the other side.
3. Something else entirely.

You aren't a PR yet so you can only visit Canada in April. You should not be bringing a car full of your belongings because that would signal that you are moving to Canada. CBSA could go as far as to deny you entry. It is impossible to predict but would suggest you bring belongings that would make sense for a visitor. The car is personal preference. You'd need to price out costs of buying in the US versus buying later on in Canada, decide if you want to drive across country or fly (you'll need to pay to quarantine if you fly), look at the import process for the make and model you want to import, letc.