Hi Karen. I emailed the Consular Affairs this past March regarding this same question. I asked them if a drivers license and birth certificate for DH and a birth certificate and photo Health card for me (I don' t drive)would be sufficient and this is the reply:
......Thank you for your enquiry. The documents you have will suffice. The
following text is what we are telling Canadians travelling to the U.S.:
"A valid Canadian passport should be carried for all visits outside Canada.
The passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your
expected return to Canada. However, for travel to the United States, you
are only required to be in possession of valid photo identification and
proof of citizenship.
Canadians travelling to and from the United States may experience
difficulties entering, transiting, and/or returning if they do not possess
valid photo identification and proof of citizenship. A valid Canadian
passport is the most assured identificaiton both for entry into the United
States, and re-entry to Canada. All carriers (notably airlines, but also
Amtrak and Greyhound) have tightened their policies concerning passengers'
proof of admissibility into Canada. Since birth and baptismal certificates,
for example, do not have photographs, they are no longer accepted by airline
companies without accompanying valid photo identificaiton. Even carriers
that have transported Canadians from Canada to the United States on
round-trip tickets have refused to return them to Canada without valid photo
identificaiton and proof of Canadian citizenship. Many travellers have had
to contact the Canadian Embassy or nearest consulate in the United States
for assistance. Consular officials have to verify documentation with either
provincial or federal authorities, which involves further delays."
Current information concerning safety and security conditions, health
issues, entry and visa requirements and embassy contact particulars for over
220 destinations, including the United States - Florida, can be found in the
destination specific Travel Reports available in English and French on the
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Web site at (
<
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/>
http://www.voyage.gc.ca).
Also, I suggest you read our publications entitled "Bon Voyage, But..."
which provides advice and guidance for travellers; "Her Own Way" which
provides advice for the woman traveller; and "Crossing the 49th". These
three publications can be found on the same Web site.
As for passports, the fee has already gone up. Please refer to the Passport
Office's Web site at (
http://www.ppt.gc.ca <
http://www.ppt.gc.ca> ).
I hope this information proves helpful.
Nancy Théberge
Communications Officer/Agent de communications
Client Services Division/Direction des services aux clients
Consular Affairs Bureau/Direction générale des Affaires consulaires
Hope this helps you!
