Meteorites found in Canada cannot be removed from the country without permit

“In Canada, all meteorites are considered Canadian cultural property automatically through the Cultural Property Export and Import Act,” he said in an interview. “... ”If it’s public property, say an American comes in and finds (the meteorite,) they have to apply to export it from Canada. “The expert examiner then might say, ‘well, this is of potential outstanding significance and national importance,’” he said. Anyone taking a meteorite out of Canada without the requisite permit can face fines of up to $25,000, as much as five years in prison or both. Since Canada is a vast country, Herd said thousands of meteorites may have fallen in remote places.