More on the topic of how much and what to declare and why:
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5052-eng.html
Monetary instrument of any kind needs to be reported. Failure to comply can
result in civil and criminal penalties and may lead to forfeiture of your monetary
instrument(s).
Monetary instruments include:
1) foreign coins and currency;
2) Traveler checks in any form;
3) Negotiable instruments (including checks, promissory notes,
and money orders) that are either in bearer form, endorsed
without restriction, made out to a fictitious payee, or otherwise in a form that the funds can be transferred to another
person;
4) Incomplete instruments (including checks, promissory
notes, and money orders) signed, but with the payee’s name
omitted; and
5) Securities or stock in bearer form or otherwise in a form that
the funds can be transferred to another person.
However, the term “monetary instruments” does not include:
1) Checks or money orders made payable to the order of a
named person which have not been endorsed or which bear
restrictive endorsements;
2) Warehouse receipts; or
3) Bills of landing
Mitali