How long can you stay in Vancouver or BC?

I don't know the answer to that, but it's pretty close to run over to the San Juans or Port Angeles from Sidney.

"Most visitors are allowed a six-month stay from the day they entered Canada."

From:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?q=1016&t=16

You'll pay sales taxes on everything you buy from the minute you enter, and I would guess that income taxes are covered by a tax treaty with the US, i.e. you'd still file and pay US income tax.

In my experience, there is no limit. If you don't buy the boat in Canada, you don't pay the tax (and even if you do, you may be exempt). There is a limit as to how long you can stay (6 months sounds right for the typical tourist), but your boat can stay longer. And as long as you exit and re-enter, I believe you can string together lots of 6-month periods.

The rules are a bit less than concrete on this situation as you're doing the opposite of what most do. If they consider the boat to have been permanently moved to BC then you will be subject to taxes on it, up to potentially 19% in total. For most residents they look at where the boat is kept over the winter. But they aren't vacationing during the winter. Your limitation personally will be six months but extensions are available. As Traveler says, I wouldn't anticipate problems as long as you're not exceeding six months at a time. Beyond that the burden of proof might switch to you.

Where in BC are you thinking? As long as in the Victoria to Vancouver to Sidney areas I'd think you'll find full service marinas available. Too far north and that could be an issue.

Now, for one thing you may not have thought about, the state of Washington. Far more likely to lead to problems than BC. Over 60 days and you're required to register the boat and subject to use tax. Use tax is 7 to 9.5% depending on area. Washington is really clamping down on that as well. You may also be subject to their excise tax.

The easiest thing is to periodically go back and forth, even mix in some Oregon and Alaska to your mix. Do also keep good records of where you are at a given time and marina slips.

There was talk a while ago of applying a similar license for foreign vessels what the US has for it's foreign documented or owned vessels, there was potential fee for this but have not been able to pin it down in actuality, most Gov't websites don't seem to specifically address this question and I would suggest writing or emailing Border services and request a specific reply as we all know not all offices have the same interpretation to the same reg. The last time I checked a few yrs ago there was no similar cross border application.

Oppps. forgot to add, don't forget, the killer whales here eat fiberglass boats and the logs floating in the water are thick enough to walk across, we do get snow in summer and health care is non existent, apart from that, come on in and spend lots of money. lol...you are welcome..

Is there anyplace else in the world where the term "log spill" is so commonly used and everyone knows what it means?

If you are going to get work done on the boat while it is in Canada you can file an E99 form with customs and it can stay after October 31. But you can continue to file the same form each year provided that you are having some sort of work done. Otherwise US boats are supposed to be out of Canada by October 31. My home yacht club is very close to the US and most of the boats are US registered, but never actually leave Canada. Every fall customs comes to the club and everyone does their paperwork so the boats can be stored for the winter. It should be a very simple process.

I think the one difference from the situation you describe is that he intends to be living on the boat during the winter.

This was recently changed to 180 days.

Ah. I see. A Nonresident Visitor Permit. A note to the OP that before 60 days has elapsed you must apply for this permit. It gives you two months I believe but then you can renew for a total of up to 6 months within a 12 month period.

I believe when we were there they also had some convoluted six month permit for vessel sales that required you not return then within two years.

Any light you can shed on any of these is appreciated. We just made sure we didn't stay over 60 days which was relatively easy and fit right within our schedule. We did have breaks for trips to Alaska, BC, and Oregon.

We have a vessel hare in Nanaimo, registered in NZ and stays here on a continuous basis, have seen it for 2 yrs now, so not sure what that is about. under US directive 3160 ? ( I believe) vessels of certain flagged nations are eligible for annual cruising licenses and this is the result of a reciprocal arrangement between these nations of which Canada is one, no Cdn Gov't agency seems to know about this agreement. One requirement for foreign owners of foreign flagged vessels in the US is that the vessel must leave the country annually for 15 days prior to renewal, as I stated the Cdn Gov't knows nothing of this agreement that I can find.