The safest way to avoid this situation is to declare and register the items with Canadian customs as you’re leaving the country. Doing so provides you with proof that the items were actually in your possession when you left.
This can be done at a Canadian customs office, either at the airport of departure or at a border crossing. This free service is intended to facilitate bringing items with serial numbers or other easily identifiable features out of the country. If the items in question aren’t serialized or are not easily identifiable, Canada customs can provide labels which will facilitate identification and legal re-entry at customs upon your return.
The customs agent will fill out a card called the « BSF407, Identification of Articles for Temporary Exportation ». When re-entering Canada and passing through customs, producing this card will serve as proof that the items were indeed in your possession before traveling and help you avoid potentially costly surprises.