Passport and Other Important Information You Need to Know if Visiting Ontario
Passports
The best advice is to have a passport when entering Canada. You will not be allowed in without one or an equivalent travel document. As of June 1, 2009, everyone from every country, including the United States, arriving in Canada by air, land and sea has needed a passport. There are some equivalent travel documents that are acceptable if travelling by land or sea, but by air a passport is absolutely necessary.
U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 15 or younger with parental consent will be allowed to cross the borders at land and sea entry points with certified copies of their birth certificates rather than passports.
When travelling with children, please pay attention to the following:
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Divorced parents who share custody of their children should carry copies of the legal custody documents.
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The Canada border Services Agency suggests identification, such as an original birth certificate, baptismal certificate, immigration document or passport. If none of these are available, obtain a letter stating that you are the children's parent or guardian from your doctor or lawyer or the hospital where the children were born.
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Adults who are not parents or gurardians need written permission from the parents or guardians to supervise the children, including the name and contact information of the parent or guardian.
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Even if you are not divorced from the child's other parent, if travelling alone with a child bring the other parent's written permission to take the child over the border, including contact information to contact the other parent if the border guard feels it is necessary.
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Adults and/or Guardians should travel in the same vehicle as their children when arriving at the border.
Alcohol in Ontario
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) is a Crown Corporation established in 1927 to sell liquor, wine and beer through a chain of retail stores. LCBO stores are generally the only stores allowed to sell hard liquor in Ontario. There is at least one LCBO store in or near every town in Ontario. Large cities have many stores.
Beer is also sold by the Brewers Retail Inc. that is call The Beer Store and is owned by the major breweries of Ontario. There are a few micro-breweries throughout the province where they will sell their own brand on the premises.
Wine is also available in a number of stores operated by wineries and licensed to sell their own brands.
Licenced bars and restaurants may resell alcoholic beverages, but they must be consumed on the establishment's premises. The bars and restaurants themselves must buy their products from the LCBO, The Beer Store or directly from Ontario wineries and breweries. On a sign visible from outside the establishment the bar or restaurant will designated as "Licenced by LCBO".
Drinking and Driving in Ontario
Ontario has strict drinking and driving laws. The limit for impaired driving is 0.08 blood alcohol concentration (BAC). However, there is a warning level of 0.05 BAC that has consequences as follows:
Fully-licensed drivers face immediate roadside licence suspension for:
As of August 1, 2010 if you are a fully licensed driver who is 21 and under or a novice driver and are caught with any alcohol in your blood (must be 0.00), you will receive an immediate 24-hour roadside driver licence suspension and, if convicted, you will face a fine of $60-$500 and a 30-day licence suspension.
You may see RIDE Programs along any road in Ontario at any time of day or night where the Police stop cars and ask if you have been drinking. If the Police suspect that you might be impaired you may be asked to take a breath test.
Boating Licence
As of September 15, 2009 ALL operators of powered vessels, regardless of age, size of boat or engine horsepower, must have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card. There is a minimum fine of $250 for not having a card while operating a pleasure craft.
Fo more information and to take the exam online visit PCOC.
Fishing Licence
If you are a Canadian resident between 18 and 65 years of age and you want to fish in Ontario right away, you can buy a a "Resident Fishing Licence and Outdoors Card Application" from one of more than 2,000 licence issuers across the province. A temporary paper licence is effective immediately and valid until December 31 of the year in which it was purchased.
The fee for a temporary paper licence includes the cost of a three-year Outdoors Card.
If you do not live in Canada, you need a non-resident licence to fish in Ontario.
For all details re fishing licence's visit Fishing Licence.
Hunting Licence
Ontario residents must have the hunting version Ontario Outdoors Card. The Ontario Outdoors Card also provides fishing privileges, when it has a fishing licence tag affixed. The Ontario Outdoors Card is NOT a licence but requires the the required huinting licence tags and any applicable paper hunting licences and game seals and/or validation tags also.
Residents and non-residents must be 16 years of age or older to be eligible for a licence.
Non-residents of Ontario must present certain documents to be eligible to purchase a licence.
For all details re hunting licence's visit Hunting Licence.
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