All foreign visitors entering Canada must show a valid passport or an alternative legal travel document. Some may require visas to enter the country. You are required to know what documentation you need to cross the border (a driver's license is not sufficient to prove citizenship) and what items can not be taken across the border (such as certain plants and fruits). It is suggested that you bring your birth certificate too. Citizens from other countries may need additional documentation and should check with Immigration Canada in Ottawa or their local consulate.

Passports are necessary for anyone entering the USA by air including returning US citizens. All citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda shall have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer’s identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States from within the Western Hemisphere. In addition to the passport, a valid NEXUS Air Card or Merchant Mariner Document (MMD) will be acceptable. If you return to the US by car or boat U.S. citizens need to present either (a) a passport, passport card (available in spring 2008), or WHTI-compliant document; or (b) a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, along with proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. See http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html.

For Customs or Immigration questions prior to arriving at the border:
US Customs
US Immigration and Naturalization
Canada Customs
Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Allow plenty of time to travel through border points. See this for border line-ups.

Duty-free allowances.
When entering Canada travellers may bring duty-free gifts up to Cdn$60.
When re-entering USA visitors may take back duty-freegoods up to US$200, excluding alcohol and tobacco, if your stay has been less than 48 hours. For longer stays the personal exemption is US$800 including one lite of alcohol and 200 cigarettes.

Money and taxes.
Most banks are open Monday to Saturday, except downtown where ATM machines are best. Convert your currency. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Canadian cash or travellers cheques.
Sales taxes. 6% federal Goods and Services Tax and 7% Provincial Sales Tax apply to most purchases.
10% non-reclaimable Hotel Taxes are added to hotel and bed breakfast bills but note that we are exempt from this since we have just three rooms, saving you money!

Time Zones.
BC is on Pacific Daylight Time from the first Sunday in April to the first Sunday in October, the same as Seattle and Los Angeles. The clocks are advanced 1 hour from Pacific Standard Time.