Canada: Before You Go Guide (Printable + iPad)

Canada is huge, bilingual and seasonal, and it catches first-timers out: distances measured in flights, shuttle-only lakes in the Rockies, wildfire smoke, bears, tides, tax and tip added at the till, and French first in Quebec.

This printable guide puts everything you should know before a trip to Canada in one place, in short plain-English points, checked in October 2026 with links to the official sites so you can double-check anything.

WHAT'S INSIDE

• Conditions right now: Jasper's recovery after the 2024 fire, the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake shuttle rules, the 2026 wildfire season, BC highways and ferries, airline labour disruptions
• Entry, parks and rules: the eTA, US citizens, customs, cannabis, drones, Parks Canada fees and the Discovery Pass, bear spray and fishing licences
• Getting there and between regions: the main airports, Air Canada, WestJet and Porter, VIA Rail, The Canadian and Rocky Mountaineer, and drive times
• Getting around: cars and one-way fees, winter-tire laws, BC Ferries, Marine Atlantic, EV charging, transit and wildlife on the road
• Money, phone and tax: GST, HST, PST and QST, tipping, hotel taxes, cell coverage in the mountains and the north
• Safety and nature: bears, moose and elk, wildfire smoke, cold, Bay of Fundy tides, ticks, avalanches and aurora-season cold
• Culture and etiquette: bilingualism, Quebec French norms, respecting Indigenous peoples, hockey, Tim Hortons, and how to eat Canadian
• Six regions at a glance, festivals and natural seasons, and 14 mistakes first-timers make
• What things cost: 30 everyday prices in Canadian dollars, from a double-double to a Parks Canada pass
• A month-by-month calendar, a pre-trip countdown, a tick-box packing list and a first-day checklist
• French basics, place-name pronunciations (Saskatchewan, Tadoussac, Squamish and more) and Canadian English
• Emergency numbers, including park and road-condition lines
• Two editions: a printable PDF and an iPad edition with a tappable contents page

PERFECT FOR

• First-time visitors to Canada
• Anyone planning the Rockies, a Vancouver trip, or Toronto to Quebec City
• Travellers who like to arrive prepared
• A thoughtful gift for someone with a Canada trip booked

PAIRS WELL WITH

The Canada in 14 Days itinerary, or the Canada Travel Pack that bundles every Canada guide for less.

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

You'll receive 2 PDFs. No physical item will be shipped.

• Print edition (23 pages): US Letter, prints fine on A4
• iPad edition (32 pages): tappable contents, room to write

This guide is general travel information, not legal, medical or immigration advice. Rules (including cannabis, drone and entry rules) depend on your situation: always confirm with the official sites before you travel.

PLEASE NOTE

Rules and prices were checked in October 2026 and are subject to change: park fees, fares, menus, hotel rates and taxes can change without notice, and road, park and fire conditions change daily. Please confirm important details with the official sites before you travel. Photos are illustrative. Researched and written with the help of AI tools.

Made by Global Trip Insight. For personal use only.