Canada Detecting information PLEASE..........

Kam in MN

Greenie
May 14, 2003
17
1
Winona, Minnesota
Detector(s) used
Whites
Hi,
I am planning a trip to Canada in the near future. I was wondering if any of you would know if there are any laws, regulations, or something that I need to know.

I am mainly searching for coins at a fishing resort. There is perhaps a beach and some land to search. I read somewhere that you cannot dig without "permits" is this true??

What about returning to the USA with some articles??

Later,
Kam in MN - Thanks for your help
 

Loco-Digger

Gold Member
Jun 16, 2014
11,827
17,744
Northern O-H-I-O
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
F75 LTD, 1280X Aquanaut, & a Patriot (back-up/loaner)
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Maybe if you identify which province you are interested in, it may help. Your question is like asking US detecting info.
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
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Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
Kam, you need to specify what type land you'll be on . For example you allude to a "fishing resort" as to your destination, eh ? So that would be private property then, eh ? Hence outside the domain of any laws governing public land in Canada. So any laws anyone could show you, would apply to public land, not private land. As long as the resort doesn't care (ie.: you're not trespassing, or they don't have some express "no detecting" rule for their guests).

Unless the resort were a public resort ? In which case, what type land ? Canada federal ? Canada state ? Canada city ? etc....

As for ability to "return with articles", it sounds like you're just fumble fingers beach detecting, right ? I highly doubt anyone's at the border studying individual rings or coin dates. It's not as if you're crossing borders with bars of gold or something ? Hence maybe you're over-thinking all this.
 

7red7

Jr. Member
Jan 24, 2017
27
23
N.W.Ontario
Detector(s) used
ATPRO Int., GTI2500 , Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Checkout gov reg for province u are going to visit, our Ontario laws,Provincial and Federal, are strict on artifacts-mainly native - even on private land. Don't brag about your finds until you are home. Your alright if your just coin hunting, rings and jewelry on the beach, just don't hide it at the border.:icon_thumright:
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
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.... are strict on artifacts-mainly native - even on private land. ....

7red7, do you any links to that ? I mean

a) if what you're saying is right , (and assuming "artifact" has some silly definition of item over 50 yrs. old), and

b) if this applies to private land as well as all levels of public land that you allude to, then

c) it would effectively be "border to border" at all land (even private) in Ontario. Right ?

Ok then, I'll bite: How is it then that we have Ontario metal detecting brethren that post show & tell old coins (aka "artifacts") all the time ?? How can that be if what you're saying is true ? Thus do you have any link to show that some public lands law (like if they have some federal equivalent to our ARPA), subrogates down even to county and city levels, and even down to private land. ?

If what you're saying is true, then how do we see no shortage of md'rs there finding old coins ? I'm not saying that you're not right, but .... can you give any actual citation of such a thing ?

And I see that you're from Ontario. Ok, then .... have YOU found "artifacts" ? (seeing as how .... afterall ... you're into the hobby of md'ing after all). Or are you only angling for modern coins ?
 

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SusanMN

Silver Member
Jun 1, 2007
4,534
4,098
Minnesota
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First, make sure that you can get into Canada. So much as a DWI will disqualify you from entry. If it were me, after that I would call the resort and ask if they allow metal detecting.
 

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
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** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
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I go up to Ontario and detect a lot up to the French river area and North Bay area and more. And i never asked any one about detecting and no one has ever said a thing to me about detecting. I also do gold panning up there and no one ever said a thing to me about that either.
 

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
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N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
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First, make sure that you can get into Canada. So much as a DWI will disqualify you from entry. If it were me, after that I would call the resort and ask if they allow metal detecting.
Susan i know of ones that has had DWI and worse that get in to Canada with no problem . Now to make this clear it is not me . But i have had a few friends that made some mistakes at one time or two. But now really nice hard working people.That go up and fish with me and they have never had a problem crossing the border. They don't go to live there but just go up for fun.Could be different if they wanted to move there. But just to vacation no problem.
 

7red7

Jr. Member
Jan 24, 2017
27
23
N.W.Ontario
Detector(s) used
ATPRO Int., GTI2500 , Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
There is no problem here so far in our city parks re Thunder Bay but Lake Superior shorelines on our side I have had a park attendant aproach me and was told i could not rock hound lookin 4 lk sup agate....now that was in Pukaskwa National Provincial Park. In the last few years the shoreline almost from here to Rossport is now considered a Marine Sanctuary. What new laws the CRONIES have cooked up I do not Know{ reminds me of reading about BLM ours Crown Land .So much for Agate Island. I have an old publication: Archaeological Conservation in Ontario, dated 1979 #ISBN 0-7743-4503-9 ....its old but our laws are old :BangHead: Also check out WWW. pc.gc.ca. it may help. .....You can go across the the border here and pic lake superior agate and metal detect on the public beaches, the people are great and cordial.:thumbsup:
 

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RAMA

Jr. Member
Feb 8, 2017
20
5
BC
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Silver UMAX,AT PRO International X 2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi,
I am planning a trip to Canada in the near future. I was wondering if any of you would know if there are any laws, regulations, or something that I need to know.

I am mainly searching for coins at a fishing resort. There is perhaps a beach and some land to search. I read somewhere that you cannot dig without "permits" is this true??

What about returning to the USA with some articles??

Later,
Kam in MN - Thanks for your help

By the sounds of it your probably coming to BC (fishing resort) Or maybe the east cost.
Private land you need the permission (not tenant)but of the land owner,Stanley Park in Vancouver NO DETECTING allowed ,public land is wide open for detecting schools,play grounds,public beaches. ect.(no permits needed in BC).But to be 100% Google metal detecting laws in ?????? what ever province your going to. And don't forget to take your trash out and close your holes,thanks in advance.
If you find old coins 1800's that should not be a problem to bring across the line.
BUT if you find parts of Noah's Ark or maybe the Holy Grail well then you better phone me and I will do the brokering for you LOL Good luck with fishing and MDing you might even find a Spanish coin.
 

7red7

Jr. Member
Jan 24, 2017
27
23
N.W.Ontario
Detector(s) used
ATPRO Int., GTI2500 , Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
There is no problem here so far in our city parks re Thunder Bay but Lake Superior shorelines on our side I have had a park attendant aproach me and was told i could not rock hound lookin 4 lk sup agate....now that was in Pukaskwa National Provincial Park. In the last few years the shoreline almost from here to Rossport is now considered a Marine Sanctuary. What new laws the CRONIES have cooked up I do not Know{ reminds me of reading about BLM ours Crown Land } .So much for Agate Island. I have an old publication: Archaeological Conservation in Ontario, dated 1979 #ISBN 0-7743-4503-9 ....its old but our laws are old :BangHead: Also check out WWW. pc.gc.ca. it may help. .....You can go across the the border here and pic lake superior agate and metal detect on the public beaches, the people are great and cordial.
 

7red7

Jr. Member
Jan 24, 2017
27
23
N.W.Ontario
Detector(s) used
ATPRO Int., GTI2500 , Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Sorry for the double post :BangHead: Please checkout my album more pics to come...
 

SusanMN

Silver Member
Jun 1, 2007
4,534
4,098
Minnesota
Detector(s) used
Tiger Shark, Xterra 705, Makro Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Susan i know of ones that has had DWI and worse that get in to Canada with no problem . Now to make this clear it is not me . But i have had a few friends that made some mistakes at one time or two. But now really nice hard working people.That go up and fish with me and they have never had a problem crossing the border. They don't go to live there but just go up for fun.Could be different if they wanted to move there. But just to vacation no problem.

Part of my job the years prior to my retirement was trying to get our employees into Canada to temporarily work on our projects. I can tell you if you disclose even a DWI they will not let you in. Maybe your friends didn't disclose their offenses but the rules for vacation travel aren't different than work travel.
 

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
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Other
Part of my job the years prior to my retirement was trying to get our employees into Canada to temporarily work on our projects. I can tell you if you disclose even a DWI they will not let you in. Maybe your friends didn't disclose their offenses but the rules for vacation travel aren't different than work travel.
Susan of course they did not disclose .No one even asked . And if they did just ask . They would just say not me .
 

Keppy

Gold Member
Nov 19, 2006
8,318
2,870
N.E. Ohio on lake Erie
Detector(s) used
** WHAT ONE I FEEL LIKE ON HUNTING DAY *****
Primary Interest:
Other
There is no problem here so far in our city parks re Thunder Bay but Lake Superior shorelines on our side I have had a park attendant aproach me and was told i could not rock hound lookin 4 lk sup agate....now that was in Pukaskwa National Provincial Park. In the last few years the shoreline almost from here to Rossport is now considered a Marine Sanctuary. What new laws the CRONIES have cooked up I do not Know{ reminds me of reading about BLM ours Crown Land .So much for Agate Island. I have an old publication: Archaeological Conservation in Ontario, dated 1979 #ISBN 0-7743-4503-9 ....its old but our laws are old :BangHead: Also check out WWW. pc.gc.ca. it may help. .....You can go across the the border here and pic lake superior agate and metal detect on the public beaches, the people are great and cordial.:thumbsup:
7red7 .. Yes i also was up and hunted Thunder Bay area a few times ..nice area..
 

Relicific

Silver Member
Feb 2, 2017
3,425
4,426
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2
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XP DEUS
X terra 705
Fisher F2
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Don't worry too much,if the land is private then ask for permission otherwise just detect.
 

longtimedad

Jr. Member
Jan 15, 2019
25
38
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Basically anything of value can be taken from you and you charged if gov. wants to pursuit it. In my area of Ontario (southwestern) everything is covered from HIstorical laws (all grounds and waterways in the wars of 1812) and the Indian wars / Native American settlements. Also included is about 200 years of mineral claims from large land owners with inheritance claims to modern oil drill companies to utility company easements and erca watershed/ wildlife lands. plus current native American reserves... warning they are not all obvious. some in my area are the size of a small farm. (but they should have notices posted)

Basically if you find anything of value or historical significance you committed a crime!

With that said, what experiences has people had? any bad run ins?

My house is 260 yrs old and I found a cannon ball in the walls (yes the Americans shot my house with a cannon in the war of 1812) and some arrow heads. I have them on display on my fireplace mantel along with a poison bottle from the 1900s, and a engineers gauge that sights the elevation of a cannon to aim at enemy. All found in my house! I had a building inspector over and he gave my a stink about them with some unlined threats of getting in trouble with the Historical committee. (as he was on it)

Other than that I've had little issues, but I am new to the metal detector hobby. But I do excavate and locate for a career and have found stuff this way. (nothing interesting other than some old beer bottles)
 

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