Shipping orchids to canada

[ALToronto]

Originally Posted by buffalo

I'm a long ways from vancouver ,I'm in Ontario. However it won't hurt to get some information on your group orders.

Then you have a choice of Southern Ontario, Cambridge, Royal (Botanical Gardens), Ottawa and Windsor orchid societies. Don't know about Kingston/Bellville. They all do group orders. Look them up.

[plantbuddy]

Buffalo.
Do you live close to the border?

I ask because the simplest way to get orchids is to have them shipped by the vendor to a UPS office just across the border. Then zip across and bring them back without the need for permits of any sort.

You should have this document on hand, as many officials are not familiar with the rules (including those at CFIA).

Note - section 4.7 refers to this situation.

D-08-04: Plant protection import requirements for plants and plant parts for planting - Plants - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

[buffalo]

Originally Posted by plantbuddy

Buffalo.
Do you live close to the border?

I ask because the simplest way to get orchids is to have them shipped by the vendor to a UPS office just across the border. Then zip across and bring them back without the need for permits of any sort.

You should have this document on hand, as many officials are not familiar with the rules (including those at CFIA).

Note - section 4.7 refers to this situation.

D-08-04: Plant protection import requirements for plants and plant parts for planting - Plants - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

After some research i have to agree with this method. Need phyto inspection certificate and CFIA form 5272 (request for documentation review form). Which they like you to fax ahead of time so at the border there is not much delay. Also a nominal fee is paid according to the value of plants.

[plantbuddy]

Let me reiterate.

Section 4.7 states you are allowed to bring up to 50 house plants across the border as personal baggage from the US to Canada with NO documentation whatsoever. As long as they are for your personal use and are not potted in soil.

No phytos, no USDA inspections, usually no GST. Nothin'.

This includes orchids.

I do it all the time. Have your orchid shipment sent to a border town UPS location and go across for a half hour and pick em up.

[This Side of Paradise]

Plant buddy this does not include anything on cites

[plantbuddy]

Typically, if you have an invoice from the seller, it'll specify all the artificially propagated hybrids or species. No orchid I've ever brought in has ever triggered a call for CITES application. Never been asked for one for commercially acquired plants.

Simply, if you declare them and go into the office, they'll clear them through the computer mediated Automated Import Reference System (AIRS).

Importing plants and plant products: what you need to know - Plants - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Which will follow a flowchart of questions and answers from the officer as follows. Such as:

Orchids - yes
accompanying traveller - yes
for personal use - yes
originating (grown for 6 months) in the USA - yes
free of soil - yes
less than 50 - yes

and you are free to go home with your haul.