Personal Medication at the Canadian Border: Packaging, Prescription and Quantity
Prepare to cross the border with medication without assuming a prescription automatically permits every import.
Rules vary by product, status, quantity and country. Controlled substances may have additional requirements.
Keep identification clear
Carry medication in its original labelled packaging. Keep a prescription copy or clinician letter listing generic and brand names, dose and need.
Limit the quantity
Health Canada generally describes a personal quantity as a 90-day supply or one course of treatment, but Canadian residents cannot freely import every foreign prescription drug.
Declare honestly
Answer CBSA questions and present documents. Do not combine products in an unidentified container or carry medication for an unaccompanied person without checking the applicable rule.
Plan the return
Before leaving, verify whether the product can leave and re-enter Canada, how to store it and what quantity is permitted. A pharmacist or Health Canada can clarify the specific product.
Personal importation of health products — Health Canada