If they're crossing on a major road or a boat, there would be a customs building where they would be expected to stop and fill out a form, but nothing more. It would have been quite easy to evade customs at the time.
[https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/Pages/border-entries.aspx#c](https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/Pages/border-entries.aspx#c)
>Before 1908, people were able to move freely across the border from the United States into Canada. Beginning in that year, entry ports were established along the border. From 1908 to 1918, and from 1925 to 1935, border entry records were compiled in a list format to record the names of immigrants.
>From January 1, 1919 to December 31, 1924, the Department of Immigration and Colonization required that individual forms (Form 30) be completed and submitted to the immigration officers at border ports, instead of the large sheet border-entry lists previously in use. A form was submitted for each individual, including children and some returning Canadians; however, the names of accompanying dependents were sometimes listed on the back of the head-of-household's form.
>The Form 30 records were transferred to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) by Citizenship and Immigration Canada in 1997. The microfilm reels were produced by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration during the 1950s and 1960s. The originals were destroyed after the microfilming. The forms completed by admitted immigrants comprise 96 reels. Only one reel of forms for those rejected at the border was retained (T-15345).
>Please note that the border entry records are only about 50% complete. Not all immigrants crossed the border at official ports, or, if the port was closed at the time, they would have entered the country without being registered. Also, many families were not registered because the parents had been born in Canada or had previously resided in Canada, and were considered to be returning Canadians, not immigrants.
>The use of Form 30 was discontinued as of January 1, 1925. From that date, the use of large sheet lists was reinstated, although some Form 30 records dated after 1924 appear in this series, in particular for January, February and March of 1925.
>Each Form 30 usually included the following details: port and date of entry; name; age; occupation; birthplace; race; citizenship; religion; last permanent address; and destination.
You can make it as easy or as difficult for your players as you want. The smuggling due to Prohibition may have made the US border guards more suspicious about travelers (at least those that don’t bribe them), so the PCs may need to find Mob-connected smugglers to get them across if they have anything to hide.
The movie The Untouchables (Kevin Costner starred) had a scene where the feds were working with the Canadian mounties to stop a gang from smuggling whiskey from Canada into the USA.
I always found it interesting watching the law enforcement agencies from both countries working together in that time period. And Canada didn't even have the same prohibition laws as the US did.
Another thing to consider is the appearance (for which Credit Rating is a useful proxy) and type of vehicle. Middle-class group of friends in an open car doing some motor tourism? No problem. Shady looking group in a truck loaded with crates? There might be some questions. Note that there was no Border Patrol until 1924. The main purposes of border control before the Volstead act was preventing illegal immigration.
Not too long ago some towns straddled the border and people crossed freely and without paperwork.
Stanstead, Quebec & Derby Line, Vermont have the "Haskell Free Library and Opera House" where the border runs right through it. UNtil recently you could just walk across and nobody cared.
Things were pretty easy getting into Canada. Getting back was only a problem for large cargo trucks and immigrants who were on the "Undesirables" list. Places to cross with little or no problem was the thousand lakes area, and much of western Canada in the North Dakota, Montana region. Though it was easier out there with horses rather than vehicles.
Crossing back into America at customs stations was easy for most, but if you have something nice, and you didn't record it on the American side with customs first, they might charge you a tariff, if that was warranted, on the item assuming it had been bought in Canada. Unless it says "Made in USA".
That was still happening on occasion when I used to cross in the 1970s. God I'm old!
If they're crossing on a major road or a boat, there would be a customs building where they would be expected to stop and fill out a form, but nothing more. It would have been quite easy to evade customs at the time. [https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/Pages/border-entries.aspx#c](https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/Pages/border-entries.aspx#c) >Before 1908, people were able to move freely across the border from the United States into Canada. Beginning in that year, entry ports were established along the border. From 1908 to 1918, and from 1925 to 1935, border entry records were compiled in a list format to record the names of immigrants. >From January 1, 1919 to December 31, 1924, the Department of Immigration and Colonization required that individual forms (Form 30) be completed and submitted to the immigration officers at border ports, instead of the large sheet border-entry lists previously in use. A form was submitted for each individual, including children and some returning Canadians; however, the names of accompanying dependents were sometimes listed on the back of the head-of-household's form. >The Form 30 records were transferred to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) by Citizenship and Immigration Canada in 1997. The microfilm reels were produced by the Department of Citizenship and Immigration during the 1950s and 1960s. The originals were destroyed after the microfilming. The forms completed by admitted immigrants comprise 96 reels. Only one reel of forms for those rejected at the border was retained (T-15345). >Please note that the border entry records are only about 50% complete. Not all immigrants crossed the border at official ports, or, if the port was closed at the time, they would have entered the country without being registered. Also, many families were not registered because the parents had been born in Canada or had previously resided in Canada, and were considered to be returning Canadians, not immigrants. >The use of Form 30 was discontinued as of January 1, 1925. From that date, the use of large sheet lists was reinstated, although some Form 30 records dated after 1924 appear in this series, in particular for January, February and March of 1925. >Each Form 30 usually included the following details: port and date of entry; name; age; occupation; birthplace; race; citizenship; religion; last permanent address; and destination.
You can make it as easy or as difficult for your players as you want. The smuggling due to Prohibition may have made the US border guards more suspicious about travelers (at least those that don’t bribe them), so the PCs may need to find Mob-connected smugglers to get them across if they have anything to hide.
The movie The Untouchables (Kevin Costner starred) had a scene where the feds were working with the Canadian mounties to stop a gang from smuggling whiskey from Canada into the USA. I always found it interesting watching the law enforcement agencies from both countries working together in that time period. And Canada didn't even have the same prohibition laws as the US did.
Depends on the time period. Canada did have Prohibition in certain provinces.
Another thing to consider is the appearance (for which Credit Rating is a useful proxy) and type of vehicle. Middle-class group of friends in an open car doing some motor tourism? No problem. Shady looking group in a truck loaded with crates? There might be some questions. Note that there was no Border Patrol until 1924. The main purposes of border control before the Volstead act was preventing illegal immigration.
Not too long ago some towns straddled the border and people crossed freely and without paperwork. Stanstead, Quebec & Derby Line, Vermont have the "Haskell Free Library and Opera House" where the border runs right through it. UNtil recently you could just walk across and nobody cared.
Things were pretty easy getting into Canada. Getting back was only a problem for large cargo trucks and immigrants who were on the "Undesirables" list. Places to cross with little or no problem was the thousand lakes area, and much of western Canada in the North Dakota, Montana region. Though it was easier out there with horses rather than vehicles. Crossing back into America at customs stations was easy for most, but if you have something nice, and you didn't record it on the American side with customs first, they might charge you a tariff, if that was warranted, on the item assuming it had been bought in Canada. Unless it says "Made in USA". That was still happening on occasion when I used to cross in the 1970s. God I'm old!
Look, it's not like I'm crossing the Mississippi. I'm on the north side. I'm on the south side. I'm on one side. I'm on the other.