We move households both ways between Michigan and Canada: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and the rest of the country, with the customs paperwork prepared. Written, flat quotes after a quick video call.
Brands we work with
Moving between Michigan and Canada means declaring your household goods to the Canada Border Services Agency, working out whether they enter duty-free, and, in Ontario or Quebec, sorting licensing and health coverage soon after arrival. Motion handles the customs forms; you confirm your status and your dates.
Goods entering Canada with a relocating household are declared on two CBSA forms. The BSF186 lists goods arriving after you, and the BSF186A lists goods travelling with you. Both are filed with the Canada Border Services Agency at the port of entry, for example the Ambassador Bridge or Blue Water Bridge. Motion prepares them from your inventory.
Used personal and household effects are generally duty-free when you relocate to Canada. Returning residents must have owned and used the goods abroad for at least six months under tariff item 9805.00.00. Settlers bringing goods to Canada for the first time are assessed under different conditions, so say which you are before the inventory is filed.
Most Michigan moves end in Ontario, where new residents have 60 days to exchange a driver’s licence and provincial health coverage can carry a waiting period of up to three months. Quebec has its own separate licence and health rules, so confirm the requirements for your province before you leave.
A Michigan load reaches Canada at the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit or the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron. Truck routes feed in along I-94, I-96, I-75 and I-69, then continue on Highway 401. Motion runs one carrier from pickup to delivery, so the load is not transferred to another carrier at the border.
Tell us your Michigan pickup and Canadian address in the quote form at the top of this page, and we will book your video call.
Get my free quoteRoad distances from Michigan
388 km
Detroit ↔ Toronto
920 km
Detroit ↔ Montreal
3,780 km
Kalamazoo ↔ Vancouver
585 km
Grand Rapids ↔ Toronto
Moving between Michigan and Toronto? We pick up anywhere in Michigan and deliver to Toronto, the GTA, Ottawa, Hamilton, London and the rest of Ontario, or the other way round. Your move is assessed on a video call, the rate is locked in writing, and we help you prepare the customs paperwork before the truck reaches the border.
Moving between Michigan and Montreal? We pick up anywhere in Michigan and deliver to Montreal, Laval, Longueuil and the rest of Quebec, or the other way round. Your move is assessed on a video call, the rate is locked in writing, and we help you prepare the customs paperwork before the truck reaches the border.
Moving between Michigan and Vancouver? We pick up anywhere in Michigan and deliver to Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond and the rest of British Columbia, or the other way round. Your move is assessed on a video call, the rate is locked in writing, and we help you prepare the customs paperwork before the truck reaches the border.
Moving from Michigan to Canada is one truck and one carrier from your driveway to your new address. Loads normally leave on I-94, I-96, I-75 or I-69, cross at the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit or the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron, then follow Highway 401 to Toronto or on toward Montreal. Nothing is handed to a second carrier at the border, and Motion prepares the customs paperwork for you.
Timing in Michigan is shaped by the school year and the thaw. Late spring brings seasonal weight restrictions on some county roads, and lake-effect snow on the west side of the state can slow a winter pickup in Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo.
Count the basement and garage. Many Michigan homes have full basements and attached garages, which hold more than owners expect. Walk them before the video call so the quote reflects the real volume.
Leave room for snow. Winter pickups in west Michigan can be delayed by lake-effect snow. Give us a flexible date window and a cleared driveway, and the truck can load safely.
Keep the inventory exact. The inventory taken at pickup becomes your customs list. Keep it accurate, because what you declare at the Ambassador Bridge or Blue Water Bridge must match what is on the truck.
Ask before you pack. Firearms, plants, firewood and some foods are restricted at the Canadian border. Tell us before packing day so nothing is boxed that will be pulled at inspection.
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Origin, destination, rough timeline. A specialist texts you back within five minutes, Mon-Sun, 9am-7pm ET.
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We assess your move accurately over a video call, no in-person visit needed, then lock your rate in writing. Klarna available on deposits $500+.
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Picked up at your door and delivered to your new one, in Michigan or in Canada. Cargo-liability insured. Balance due after delivery, before offloading.
Sources: Canada Border Services Agency (Form BSF186, Memorandum D2-2-1) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP Form 3299). Rules depend on your situation; confirm yours with the border agency.
The load stays with Motion from your Michigan door to your Canadian one, with no transfer to a second carrier at the border.
We prepare the BSF186 and BSF186A forms for CBSA, so the paperwork is ready when the truck reaches the bridge.
Trucks run Michigan to Canada and back, so space is filled in both directions instead of driving home empty.
A short video call walks through your home, basement and garage, and the quote is built from what we see.
A written inventory at pickup that matches your customs list, so what is declared at the border is on the truck.
“I was helping my daughter to relocate from New Jersey to Toronto and we worried so much about the cross border move. … The pick up in New Jersey was made so smooth that we didn't need to worry about even the packing. The shipment arrived Toronto in 3 days, without needing us to clear the customs!”
ada choungNew Jersey → Toronto · July 2026
Read the full review on Google →“Moving from Montréal to Texas felt like a lot to handle at first. … His approach was different — his communication was on point, he was thorough, and everything he said matched the reviews I read. … The team worked hard, took care of my stuff, and made the whole thing way easier than I expected.”
André LavoieMontréal → Texas · December 2025
Read the full review on Google →“We are moving to the United States and so far Charles and Brent have made our movement swift and smooth. I am sure just as the stuff was picked up on time, it will be delivered on time . Thank you for promptly answering our calls always… wishing your company the very best.”
Shilpa ThackerMoving to the United States · November 2025
Read the full review on Google →Reviews quoted word for word from Motion Transport’s Google Business Profile (5.0 from 216 reviews); … marks a shortened review.
5.0 · over 200 Google reviews
Real customers. Real moves. A moving specialist personally answers every quote.
Read all reviews on GoogleGenerally no, not on used household effects. Used personal and household goods are generally duty-free when you relocate, though conditions differ for returning residents and first-time settlers. A returning resident must have owned and used the goods abroad for at least six months. Your customs paperwork declares which category applies.
Most Michigan loads cross at the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit or the Blue Water Bridge at Port Huron. Detroit suits loads coming along I-94 or I-96; Port Huron suits I-69 loads from Flint. We choose the crossing at booking based on your pickup point and delivery date.
Detroit to Toronto is only about 390 km, while Detroit to Vancouver is about 3,990 km. We give you a window on the video call, not a guarantee.
Two CBSA forms: a BSF186 for goods that follow you and a BSF186A for goods travelling with you, filed at the port of entry. Motion prepares them from your inventory. You still bring your own identification and any immigration or residency documents.
Yes. Motion runs these corridors in both directions with the same single carrier, no transfer at the border, and customs paperwork handled. Going into Michigan, entry is into the United States, so the paperwork differs, and we confirm what applies to your situation on the video call.
Book a short video call and we will quote your move from what we see.
