We move households from Richmond to Toronto, and from Toronto back to Richmond, with the customs paperwork prepared on both sides. About 935 km by road.
Brands we work with
Moving between Virginia and Ontario means declaring your goods to the Canada Border Services Agency, and filing the right lists at the port of entry. Depending on your status, it also means showing that your belongings qualify for duty-free entry. Motion prepares those forms and files them, so you are not working them out at the bridge.
Goods entering Canada are declared on the BSF186 for goods to follow and the BSF186A for accompanying goods lists. These are filed with the Canada Border Services Agency at the port of entry. Motion prepares and files them for you.
Used personal and household effects are generally duty-free when you relocate. 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.
The road run is about 935 km. A truck normally takes I-64 west to I-81 north, crosses Pennsylvania and New York, then follows I-90 to Buffalo. It enters Canada at the Peace Bridge or Queenston-Lewiston and finishes on the QEW into Toronto.
Motion moves your goods on one carrier from Virginia to Ontario, with no transfer to a second carrier at the border. The corridor runs each way, and trucks are filled on the return, so space on the Toronto to Virginia leg is not wasted.
Tell us about your move in the quote form at the top of this page and we will set up a video call.
Get my free quoteRoad distances to Toronto
935 km
Richmond ↔ Toronto
975 km
Petersburg ↔ Toronto
972 km
Hopewell ↔ Toronto
968 km
Colonial Heights ↔ Toronto
Moving from Richmond or a nearby city to Toronto? We pick up across the Richmond area and the rest of Virginia 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.
Richmond to Toronto is roughly 935 km by road. The truck normally leaves Virginia on I-64 west to I-81 north, runs through Pennsylvania and New York, then takes I-90 to Buffalo. It crosses at the Peace Bridge or Queenston-Lewiston and finishes on the QEW. Motion uses one carrier for the whole run, with no transfer at the border, and handles the customs paperwork.
Motion runs Toronto to Virginia as well and fills trucks on the return, so a load in either direction rides in space that is already scheduled, not on a dedicated one-way run. Winter on I-81 and the Niagara approach can slow a trip, so keep your dates flexible.
Plan for brick and stairs. Rowhouses in the Fan and Church Hill often have steep stairs and street parking only. Tell us on the video call so we send the right crew and plan where the truck stops.
Expect a colder, drier climate. Richmond’s humid summers are easy on furniture compared with Toronto winters. Wood pieces and instruments should come out of humid storage early and be given time to settle indoors.
Ask your Toronto building early. Many Toronto condos and apartments require elevator bookings and insurance certificates for deliveries. Confirm the rules with your building so the delivery window is held before we set the date.
Keep documents with you. Carry passports and your own copy of the inventory when you cross. The customs lists are filed for you, but you may be asked about the goods at the port.
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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 Virginia 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.
One carrier end to end: the same Motion crew and truck from your Richmond door to your Toronto address.
Your goods stay on the same truck at Buffalo; nothing is handed to a second carrier at the Niagara crossing.
We prepare the BSF186 and BSF186A lists and handle the filing with CBSA at the port of entry for you.
Packing, wrapping and loading at your Virginia address, with the inventory made to match the customs lists.
Trucks run Toronto to Virginia too, so your load rides in space that would otherwise be empty.
“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 GoogleUsually not on used personal and household effects when you relocate. Returning residents must have owned and used goods abroad for at least six months under tariff item 9805.00.00. Settlers arriving for the first time are assessed under different conditions, so confirm yours on the video call.
The drive is about 935 km, but actual timing depends on the fulfilment partner, the loading schedule and the border queue at the crossing on the day. We confirm dates when you book.
Most loads use the Peace Bridge at Buffalo or Queenston-Lewiston, then the QEW into Toronto. The choice depends on inspection lanes and traffic on the day. Before the bridge the truck runs I-64, I-81 and I-90 north through Pennsylvania and New York.
Yes. Motion runs this corridor in both directions and fills trucks on the return, so Toronto to Virginia loads are routine. It is the same single carrier with no transfer at the border, and the customs paperwork is handled for you in the same way.
Ontario health coverage through OHIP can carry a waiting period, so keep private cover for the first months. Your Virginia driver’s licence is usable for a limited time before you must exchange it. Check current Ontario rules before you land, as they change.
Book a video call and we will quote your move once we see what you are shipping.
