Moving to another province is two jobs at once. There’s the move itself: a full household on a truck for hundreds or thousands of kilometres, arriving on a date you can plan around. And there’s everything that changes at the border: a new driver’s licence, a new health card, a vehicle to register, and a different set of deadlines for each.
Moving Co. is a Toronto moving company that moves households between Ontario and the rest of Canada. One crew from our own team loads your home, drives the truck and unloads at the other end. Nothing is handed to a broker or another carrier along the way, so there’s one company accountable for your things from the first box to the last.
Call 905-752-7787 or request a free quote. Tell us both addresses, roughly how much you’re moving, and the dates you’re working with.
What a province to province move looks like with us
- One crew, start to finish. The people who wrap and load your home are the people who unload it in your new province.
- No brokers, no subcontractors. Your job isn’t sold on to whatever carrier is cheapest that week.
- Packed for the distance. Furniture is blanket-wrapped and shrink-wrapped, mattresses go in bags, and fragile items are boxed for days of highway, not fifteen minutes across town.
- An inventory both of us can check. We record what goes on the truck so we both know what came off at the other end.
- A clear estimate up front. Priced by the hour or as a set price for the job, explained before you book.
- Packing, storage and junk removal if you want them. One company for the whole move instead of four.
The moves we do most
We’re based in Toronto, so most of our interprovincial moves start or end in Ontario. These are the routes we run most often, with a guide for each:
- Ontario to Quebec. Toronto to Montreal is a little over 500 km, mostly on the 401 and 20. The highway is the easy part; the receiving end often isn’t, with outdoor staircases on older triplexes and tight streets in the older neighbourhoods. See our guide to moving from Ontario to Quebec and our Toronto to Montreal cost guide.
- Ontario to Alberta. A long run west across Northern Ontario and the Prairies to Calgary or Edmonton. See moving from Ontario to Alberta, Toronto to Calgary and Toronto to Edmonton.
- Ontario to British Columbia. The longest of the common routes, finishing through the mountains. See moving from Ontario to BC and Toronto to Vancouver.
- Ontario to Nova Scotia. East through Quebec and New Brunswick to the coast. See moving from Ontario to Nova Scotia and Toronto to Halifax.
- Ontario to Manitoba. Toronto to Winnipeg is roughly 2,000 km by road, most of it through Northern Ontario on the Trans-Canada. See moving from Toronto to Winnipeg.
- Into Ontario. Families and workers moving to Toronto from other provinces. See Montreal to Toronto, Vancouver to Toronto and Calgary to Toronto.
Moving somewhere that isn’t on the list? Call anyway. Tell us the two addresses and we’ll tell you straight whether we can do it and what it would take. If you’re moving to the United States, or coming home from there, see our Canada to US movers page, since the border adds its own paperwork.
What changes when you cross a provincial border
Every province sets its own rules for new residents, and the deadlines are shorter than most people expect. Here’s what the official sources say for the provinces people most often move to from Ontario. Rules change, so confirm the details with each province before you go.
| Province | Driver’s licence | Your vehicle | Health coverage starts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec | New residents can drive on their old licence for up to six months | A used vehicle from outside Quebec needs a mechanical inspection certificate before it can be registered | Usually after a maximum of 3 months from registering with the RAMQ |
| British Columbia | 90 days to switch to a B.C. licence | 30 days to register, license and insure; an inspection is required, with an exemption for qualifying private vehicles from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba | After the rest of the month you arrive, plus two more months |
| Alberta | Exchange within 90 days of becoming a resident | Register in Alberta within 90 days; out-of-province vehicles must pass an inspection before plates are issued | First day of the third month after you establish residency |
| Manitoba | Use your current licence for up to three months | Up to three months to transfer registration and insurance; the vehicle needs a passed Certificate of Inspection | First day of the third month after you arrive |
| Saskatchewan | Drive on your current licence and plates for 90 days | Up to 90 days to register; most vehicles need an inspection first | May begin on the first day of the third month after you move |
| Nova Scotia | The province’s own pages give different limits, 90 days on one and up to 180 days on another, so confirm with Access Nova Scotia | A safety inspection within 30 days of the vehicle entering the province, before registration | Usually the first day of the third month after you become a resident |
| New Brunswick | Get a New Brunswick licence as soon as you take up residence | Register with Service New Brunswick immediately, with proof of insurance | First day of the third month after the month you establish permanent residence |
Sources: SAAQ and RAMQ (Quebec), ICBC and B.C. Medical Services Plan, Alberta, Manitoba Public Insurance and Manitoba Health, SGI and eHealth Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.
Leaving Ontario: health coverage and your licence
When you move permanently to another province, OHIP doesn’t stop the day you leave. According to Ontario’s guidance, it keeps covering you, for the same services it covers when you’re away temporarily, until the last day of the second full month after you leave Ontario. Most of the provinces in the table start their own coverage at the beginning of your third month there. Compare the two dates for your own move, and apply for your new health card as soon as you arrive.
For your Ontario driver’s licence, the province says you can return or exchange it and apply for a refund for the time left on it. Check your new province’s rules first, since you’ll usually be exchanging the Ontario licence for theirs.
Moving into Ontario
If you’re coming to Toronto from another province, two things are simpler than they used to be. Ontario says there is no longer a waiting period for OHIP: if you’re eligible, coverage starts right away. Eligibility rules still apply, so read them before you apply. And you can drive on a valid licence from another province for 60 days, then exchange it for an Ontario licence.
Once you’re settled, ServiceOntario handles the address on your licence, vehicle permit and health card. Our moving to Toronto guide covers the rest, from neighbourhoods to building rules.
Taxes and moving expenses
Two federal tax rules matter in the year you move. First, you file using the income tax package for the province or territory where you lived on December 31. Moving in early December or early January can change which province’s tax applies to the whole year.
Second, if you’re moving for work or school, some of your moving costs may be deductible. The Canada Revenue Agency’s rule is that your new home must be at least 40 kilometres closer, by the shortest public route, to your new work location or school. A move from one province to another almost always clears that bar, but the other conditions are on the CRA’s page. Keep every receipt, including ours, and talk to your accountant about what applies to you.
Timing a move between provinces
The distance is fixed. The timing is where you have choices.
- Summer is the busy season. Families try to move between school years, so trucks and dates fill up early. Book as soon as you know your dates.
- Month-end is the busiest time of any month. Leases turn over and everyone wants the same days. A move in the middle of the month is easier to schedule.
- Winter changes the drive. Routes west run through Northern Ontario on Highways 17 and 11, where storms can close sections of highway for hours. A good plan leaves room in the schedule for weather. Ontario 511, the province’s road information service, reports closures.
- Build in a buffer at both ends. If your lease ends Friday and your new place opens Monday, plan where you’ll sleep, and where your things will be, in between.
A long move arrives in a window, not at a minute. We’ll give you a realistic delivery window when we quote, based on the route and the time of year, rather than a date that falls apart at the first delay.
Packing for days on the highway
Hundreds of kilometres of highway is a hard test for a badly packed truck. Every bump and every hour of vibration works on anything that wasn’t packed and loaded properly. So we pack and load for the distance:
- Furniture is blanket-wrapped, then shrink-wrapped so the padding stays in place.
- Mattresses go in bags so they arrive clean.
- Glass tabletops, mirrors and framed art travel best crated or sandwiched between rigid board.
- TVs travel boxed and upright rather than lying flat.
- Drawers and cabinets get emptied so nothing slides around inside for days.
- Pianos and other heavy pieces are strapped and positioned with the drive in mind.
You can pack everything yourself, pack the easy rooms and leave the kitchen and fragile items to us, or have us pack the whole home. See our packing services and our room-by-room guide on how to pack for a long-distance move.
Bring less, pay less
On a long move, every piece you don’t ship is money saved. It’s also time saved at the other end, unpacking things you were going to get rid of anyway. Go through the house before the quote, not the week of the move. Sell, donate or give away what you won’t use in the new place, and book junk removal for the rest before the truck comes. Our junk removal crews can clear the leftovers on a separate day or the same day as the move.
What can’t go on the truck
Like any moving company, we can’t transport hazardous goods. That means propane tanks, gasoline, paint, paint thinner, solvents, aerosols and similar products. Use them up, give them away, or take them to a household hazardous waste depot before moving day.
Some things shouldn’t go on the truck even though they’re allowed. Keep these with you in the car or on the plane:
- Passports, birth certificates, health cards and other ID.
- Medications, and enough of them to last until you’ve found a pharmacy.
- Jewellery, cash and small keepsakes that can’t be replaced.
- Laptops, hard drives and important papers like leases, closing documents and tax records.
- Chargers, a change of clothes and what you need for the first few nights.
The day the truck leaves
On loading day, the crew works through the house room by room. Your job is to be the person who knows what’s going and what isn’t. A few things that help:
- Mark what stays. Anything that’s not coming, like furniture the buyer is keeping or boxes going to a friend, should be in one room with the door closed and a sign on it.
- Walk the house before the truck pulls away. Check every closet, cupboard, the attic, the basement, the garage, the shed and behind the doors. Long moves are where forgotten boxes hurt most, because nobody is driving back for them.
- Take meter photos. A quick photo of the hydro, gas and water meters on your last day settles any billing questions later.
- Keep your phone charged. You’ll want to be reachable about the delivery while you’re on the road yourself.
Your first two weeks in the new province
The truck is unloaded and the beds are made. Now the clock starts on the paperwork. A simple order that works for most people:
- Health card. Apply as soon as you arrive. The waiting period, where there is one, usually runs from your arrival or registration date, so starting early matters.
- Driver’s licence. Book the exchange well inside the deadline in the table. Some provinces need you to come in person with your old licence and proof of address.
- Vehicle. Book the inspection first if your new province needs one, then the registration and insurance.
- Address changes. The Canada Revenue Agency, your bank, your employer’s payroll, your insurance and any subscriptions. Canada Post mail forwarding, a paid service, catches what you missed.
- Home insurance. Make sure the new place is covered from the day you get the keys, not the day you remember.
Moving with children and pets
A move between provinces is a big change for a child, and a long drive is a long day for a dog or cat. Ask the new school what it needs to register your children, and bring copies of report cards and any records with you rather than packing them on the truck. For pets, bring their food, medications, vet records and a familiar blanket in the car, and plan pet-friendly stops along the way. The first night in the new home goes better when the kids’ beds and the pets’ corner are set up first, and the crew can do those rooms before anything else if you ask.
Your car
Most people drive their car to the new province, and some book a vehicle shipping company instead. Either way, check the vehicle deadlines in the table above. Several provinces require an inspection before your car can be registered there, and a few give you only 30 days, or less, to deal with it.
Storage between provinces
Dates rarely line up perfectly on a long move. The closing on the new house is two weeks after you have to leave the old one, or the job starts before the apartment is ready. We have our own storage, so your things can wait in between. Storage is climate controlled, monitored and inventoried, and it’s priced on the space you use and the length of time you need it, plus the move in and the move out. Nothing is handed to a third party. See our storage page.
Coverage on a long move
Standard coverage in the moving industry, including ours, is $0.60 per pound per article. That’s fine for a box of books and very little for a flat-screen TV that weighs 15 pounds. On a move this long, ask us about full replacement-value coverage, and decide before the truck is loaded rather than after. Our guide to moving insurance in Canada explains how the two kinds of coverage work.
What a province to province move costs
We price long distance moves either by the hour or as a set price for the whole job, and you’ll know which before you book. What changes the number:
- How much you’re moving. A studio and a four-bedroom house are very different loads.
- The distance. Montreal is a long day’s drive. Vancouver is several.
- Access at both ends. Stairs, elevators, long carries and tight streets all take time.
- Packing. Whether you pack yourself or have us do some or all of it.
- Storage and timing. Whether your things need to wait between homes, and the time of year.
Our guide to the cost to move across Canada walks through how these add up, and our current local rates are on the pricing page. For a real number, request a quote with both addresses and a rough inventory.
How to choose a mover for an interprovincial move
Long distance is where most moving horror stories happen, and they usually come from the same place: a company that sells the job and then hands it to someone else. A few questions sort that out quickly:
- Will your own employees load, drive and unload, or will the job be passed to another carrier?
- Whose name goes on the contract and the bill of lading?
- What coverage is included, and what does the upgrade cost?
- What could change the price after I book, and how will you tell me?
- What’s the delivery window, and who do I call while my things are on the road?
Our answers are short: our own crews do the whole move, the contract is with us, and you call us. Our guide on choosing a long distance moving company goes deeper.
How it works
- Tell us about the move. Both addresses, a rough inventory, the access at each end and your dates. Call 905-752-7787 or request a quote online.
- Get a clear estimate. We explain how it’s priced and what could change it before you book.
- Packing day, if you want it. Usually a day or two before the truck for a full pack.
- Loading day. Everything wrapped, inventoried and loaded for the distance.
- Delivery. The same crew unloads, places furniture and puts back together what came apart.
For more on our long distance work inside and outside Ontario, see long-haul moves and long distance movers in Toronto. Our moving to another province checklist is a good companion to this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you move from Ontario to other provinces?
Yes. We move households from Toronto and the rest of Ontario to other provinces, and from other provinces into Ontario. The same crew loads, drives and unloads.
Do you use brokers or subcontractors on long distance moves?
No. Our own crews do the whole move. Your job isn’t handed to another carrier on the way.
How are province to province moves priced?
Hourly or at a fixed price for the job, depending on the move. The price depends on how much you’re moving, the distance, access at both ends, packing and storage. You get a clear estimate before you book.
How long do I have to change my driver’s licence after moving to another province?
It depends on the province. British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan give 90 days, Manitoba three months, and Quebec lets new residents drive on their old licence for up to six months. New Brunswick expects a new licence as soon as you take up residence. Confirm with the province before you move.
When does health coverage start in my new province?
In Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick it’s generally the first day of the third month. In British Columbia it’s the rest of your arrival month plus two months. In Quebec it usually begins after a maximum of three months. OHIP keeps covering you until the last day of the second full month after you leave Ontario.
Is there a waiting period for OHIP if I move to Ontario from another province?
No. Ontario says there is no longer a waiting period for OHIP. If you’re eligible, coverage starts right away.
Can I deduct my moving costs?
Possibly, if you’re moving for work or school and your new home is at least 40 km closer to the new job or school. The CRA’s page lists the other conditions. Keep your receipts and ask your accountant.
Can you store my things if my new home isn’t ready?
Yes. We have our own climate controlled, monitored storage, priced on the space and the time you need, plus the move in and out.
What can’t you move?
Hazardous goods like propane tanks, gasoline, paint, solvents and aerosols. Keep ID, medications, jewellery and important papers with you rather than on the truck.
Tell us where you’re going and when, and we’ll plan the move with you. Request your free quote or call 905-752-7787.