Transport Canada requires official translations for your JDM import; chances are, your translation from Japan may not cut it.
It might come as absolutely no surprise that when you're getting documentation for your car and attempting to register it with the Ministry of Transport in Canada, most people in the Ministry of Transport do not speak Japanese.
...most people in the Ministry of Transport do not speak Japanese... マジで (maji de) ... "Seriously?"
And while any attempts at weeb/fanboy Japanese will only get you so far, it is still insufficient to get them to certify anything. Well, usually... I'll get back to that later.
When I was going through the process in Project 1.0 of getting my RX7 certified with the Ministry of Transport, it came as an absolute shock to me that despite having a completely authentic and registered translation from a professional agency in Japan (contracted by Japan Motor, my auction contact), the staffer at Service Ontario took one look at my documentation and said it wasn't good enough.
Now, please don't take this the wrong way; I actually had an incredibly knowledgeable member of Service Ontario helping me out here, and she was phenomenal. But this raised a new obstacle: how could I get a legitimate translation that would be accepted by the Ministry of Transport (i.e., Transport Canada)? And for that matter, what was wrong with my translation in the first place?
#1 All the paperwork
This first tip should be a juicy one. It’ll keep your readers with you.
Well, let's start off with the basics. First of all, you're importing a car from Japan. Your auction buying agent has been representing you in Japan and has presented you with several pieces of documentation:
Original Auction Sheet: Detailing the vehicle’s condition and auction grading.
Bill of Sale: Proof of purchase.
Export Certificate: Official document from Japan’s export authorities.
Translated Documents: Certified translations of the auction sheet and export certificate.
Vehicle History Report: Information about the vehicle’s past use and maintenance.
Shipping Documentation: Bill of lading and shipping details.
Transport Canada's concern is largely surrounding the original auction sheet and the export certificate. And while your auction buying agent can be very reputable and certainly provide you with an accurate translation of all this documentation, the Canadian government simply doesn't trust that.
Why, you ask? Simple. They can't trust the accuracy of a foreign body/company doing the translation. They will only stick with people they know.
And that brings us to today's problem—“Who does Transport Canada trust for translations?”
The answer, "Not very many people/institutions!
“Who does Transport Canada trust for translations?” The answer, "Not very many people/institutions!
#2 - Go official or go home (potentially)
While the initial documentation and translations provided is probably enough to get you past the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), it may not be enough to get you past Transport Canada for vehicle registration. In fact, there is a very hard-to-find list (and honestly, my Service Canada branch literally called the Ministry of Transport to get this information) of agencies that they accept. And in Ontario, there really is only one they recommend right off the bat—the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario (ATIO).
ATIO is a member of a professional body of translators with recognized certification for its interpreters in both the source language (in this case, Japanese) and the target languages (in this case, either English, French, or both).
NB: As a cautionary note, every province has its own specific recognized body of translators, so if you're looking at importing, you may have to reach out to these organizations for translation:
Newfoundland and Labrador: Association of Translators and Interpreters of Newfoundland and Labrador (ATINL)
Prince Edward Island: Translators and Interpreters of Prince Edward Island (TIPEI) – Seriously, given PEI’s population, it's probably five guys doing translations from their moms’ basements, while watching Dragon Ball reruns.
Nova Scotia: Association of Translators and Interpreters of Nova Scotia (ATINS)
New Brunswick: New Brunswick Translators and Interpreters Association (NBTIA)
Quebec: Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec (OTTIAQ): Similar to ATIO, OTTIAQ certifies translators based on strict criteria, including exams and professional experience.
Please note, Quebec has a 25 year import rule compared to the rest of Canada's 15 year rule for RHD vehicles
Manitoba: Association of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters of Manitoba (ATIM)
Saskatchewan: Association of Translators and Interpreters of Saskatchewan (ATIS)
Alberta: Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA)
BC: Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia (STIBC)
The Territories: Currently, there are no specific territorial professional bodies for translators in Canada's territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut) that have government recognition similar to those in the provinces. Translators in these regions often affiliate with the professional bodies in neighboring provinces or national organizations. And while most JDM servicing in major cities could potentially be a hassle, good luck servicing your JDM car in Nunavut—unless you’ve got a buddy who’s got a mechanic with a technique for swapping pemmican for Pennzoil, you're on your own.
Not having this paperwork 'officially' translated mean that your car will not be legally permitted to drive on Canadian roads.
#3 - $221.14 The price you pay for bureaucracy
So what does this mean for you? Well, long story short, you're going to have to deal with one of these agencies to get your stuff translated a second time, and you're going to have to pay money.
As of June 2022, that charge is $221.14 plus delivery. The typical processing time is 4 to 7 days, and they will send you a sealed document with the translations in it. You will then go to Service Canada, present these documents, and receive the blessings and benedictions of the Ministry of Transport so you can drive your JDM dream legally.And now, here's the caveat that crushed me.
I took my car to a local meet of RX-7 fanatics in Toronto, "Rotarmeet,": a meeting of like minded masochists/enthusiasts who don't mind pouring endless amounts of oil and money into their RX's. I proudly count myself among them :)
Reach out to the GTA Rotary Club on Facebook if you like Wankels and Doritos ;)
That day, I met a few other people who also had imported RX7s. Half of them nodded their heads and grumbled with me, saying, “Yeah, that's my story too.” The other half of them said, “Really? MoT just accepted my documents without even checking.”
And this is when my frustration bloomed. Apparently, sometimes you can run into fairly knowledgeable people at Service Canada, and then you'll have the people who (in fairness, are just doing their jobs) actually know the rules and follow them! And then there are others like "yeah ... whatever... just get this paperwork outta my face"
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
And don't get me wrong, I harbor no resentment against Service Canada for doing their job! I just harbor resentment over having spent $221 on something I kind of didn't really need to pay for.
So just bear in mind, you could have either type of these individuals at your Service Canada window when you try to register. So be prepared to be turned away and dump another couple hundred into your import.
~Dream
Has something like this happened to you? Did you manage to slip past the MoT without an ATIO paper? Comment below and share your story!
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