Registering vs Licensing Boat in Canada

[boatpoker]

There is quite a bit of dubious information in this thread stated as fact. I am a Transport Canada Appointed Tonnage Surveyor and deal with out of country tonnage surveys, TC ships registry, TC licensing, documention de-listing and border crossing with boats often.
If anyone has a specific situation they would like to discuss please pm me.

[CrazyHeart]

I'm assuming all of this is if you're a Canadian who resides in Canada. I plan to purchase a boat in the US, and I plan to sail in Canada, but I'm a permanent resident of the US. I'll avoid my home waters if it means the government want a chunk. Of course, I guess this means I'll be sailing under a US flag also.

[jabiroo]

CrazyHeart, I am a Canadian Citizen, residing in Washington State as a permanent resident. I am not a resident of Canada. I purchased the boat in WA, paid the sales tax and state registered the boat.
Since I am not a citizen of the US, I was not able to document the boat with the US Coast Guard. In April, I flagged the boat in Canada, listed the vessel in the Transport Canada vessel registry. I had to get a Canadian radio station license. I already had a Canadian radio operator license but I did have to get a new Canadian MMSI number and reprogram my equipment (AIS and VHF).
As a non-resident of Canada, there were no tax implications to doing this. My wife and I and the boat are enrolled in NEXUS and we regularly travel into Canada and back to the US without any issues. This is a local convenience in the Pacific North West.
If we plan to go south and leave the Puget Sound Coast Guard Sector, I was advised that I will require. Cruising license and will have to follow the usual vessel reporting protocol.

So there are many 'opinions' on this thread, but this is the procedure I followed and hav head no issues.

[Astar]

I am a Canadian sailing out of Florida to Bahamas. On returning to Florida we have recently been aware of US Customs requiring Canadian boats needing to renew their cruising licenses to have registration documents and they would not accept licensing documents. Quoting the official "only the yellow paper". There may be some exception for boats manufactured in the US - not sure.

[CrazyHeart]

Jabiroo, that was very helpful - thank you!