The Town of Osoyoos just got more clarity on crossing the Osoyoos-Oroville border by land and water.
During Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting, Melinda Medland, chief of operations for Canada Border Services Agency’s Okanagan ports, gave a presentation on the agency and the Osoyoos border crossing.
In light of frequently asked questions, Osoyoos RCMP Sgt. Jason Bayda asked whether boaters will now have to report when they cross into Oroville from Osoyoos and vice versa.
“As long as you don’t make landfall, or get off your boat and perhaps go to a beach, […] and then get back on your boat and come back to Canada, there’s no need to report it with Canada Border Services,” Medland said.
However, as per the CBSA website, private boaters must report if at any point they “come to port, anchor, moor or make contact with another vessel” or “disembark any people or goods while outside Canada”.
To report, boat operators may call 1-888-226-7277, report via CANPASS, or NEXUS.
Tariffs at the port of entry
In regard to tariffs, Medland recommends people check the estimated total of their goods on the CBSA website.
“Generally speaking, most goods that are purchased in the United States and originate as a place of manufacturing in the United States are subject to 25 tariff,” Medland said.
“So, that would be something to factor into somebody shopping to see if that’s an item that they would still want to buy, knowing that it could attract 25 per cent tariffs and duties and taxes, potentially.”
Additionally, Medland said the CBSA provides an itemized receipt with PST and GST, then a second receipt for tariffs.
Travellers could be asked to go inside the port office to pay taxes and tariffs.
“In some occasions, any person, even if they’re considered a low risk traveler, may be examined at the border, which is also part of our mandate,” Medland said.
“Sometimes they’re random exams, and sometimes there’s things about the declaration that we just want to make sure that there’s nothing that can’t come into Canada, and those are the things that we’re looking for at the border.”