Travel
Facts
Entering
Canada
A passport is preferred, but
is not necessary, for U.S. visitors entering Canada. U.S. citizens should
have their birth certificate or citizenship certificate as well as a picture
ID; permanent residents (who are not citizens) need their alien-registration
card and passport.
Citizens from all countries
other than the US must have a valid passport, and in some cases a visitor
visa may be required.
Customs
Information
Canadian customs regulations
apply for all personal and business travel into Canada. For most travelers,
they may clear customs with their personal goods and belongings at the
airport in Toronto.
Please check your local customs
regulations if you are planning on taking Canadian purchases home with you.
Air Transportation
Air
Canada,
Canadian Airlines and many
US
and international carriers provide direct flights to Toronto's Lester
B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) from major cities in North and
South America, Europe, the Orient, and the Pacific Rim.
Ground
Transportation
Airport-Hotel Transportation
For those staying in downtown
Toronto hotels, it is approximately 13 km (8 miles) from Lester B. Pearson
International Airport. The Pacific Western Airport Express bus to downtown
hotels usually operates every 20 minutes and costs CAD$12.50. The fixed-rate
taxi/limo fares to downtown are about CAD$36.
Car Rental
A private car is not really
necessary in the downtown Toronto area, since public
transportation throughout the city is excellent.
Currency
Money may be exchanged at a
favorable rate at banks. Shops and restaurants will often accept U.S. currency,
but at a less favorable exchange rate. The rate during mid 2001 has been
about CAD$1.50 = USD$1.00.
Sales
Taxes and Sales Tax Rebate
Most items in Ontario, except food, are subject to both a 7% Provincial Sales Tax (PST) and a 7% federal
Goods and Services Tax (GST). Non-residents of Canada, however, may claim
a rebate for the GST paid on accommodation and most consumer goods taken
out of the country. The GST Rebate Guide for Visitors, which includes the
rebate form, will be supplied in the registration package. Please ensure
that you retain all your receipts so that you can claim your rebate at
a Duty Free Shop as you leave the country.
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