The 15yr rule is for any vehicle no meant to be sold in the Canadian or US market. In the US they have a 25yr rule, although, you can import newer vehicles, but you have to jump through a tonne of hoops.
I am guessing the reason it is 15 yrs is to protect the local market. I personally don't agree with it. I figure a 10 yr old vehicle is safer than a 15 yr old vehicle. But the local dealerships wouldn't want these cars being imported, as it could hurt their sales.
So idea behind it is that you are able to purchase a vehicle (mainly from Japan) for around $10k, and it gives people a good base to build on. Mainly with the Skyline GTR (nick named Godzilla). You can get upwards of around 600bhp from an RB26DETT (GTR Engine) on stock engine internals.
Plus it allows people to get their hands on vehicles that are not available in the CDM (Canadian domestic market). This goes for any british car nuts as well. You could import a UKDM vehicle that is 15 yrs old into canada. Although, it is not as popular as JDM.
The reason alot of the JDM vehicles are popular, is partially because of Drifting. If you import a JDM vehicle (Skyline, Silvia, etc), you can get one for about 10K, turboed, modified etc, for cheaper than purchacing a 240 and building it up in canada.
As far as registering a RHD in canada, you have to go through a bunch of inspections before it is even able to hit the road in canada. It does have to conform to DoT regulations. So this include Daytime running lights, bumper braces, etc. And alot of insurance companies are allowing JDM vin to be input in thier systems as well.
As for driving around in a RHD, you are probably better off, as you have to be more aware, and not put yourself in dangerous situations. Passing on the highway is dangerous regardless. in a RHD vehicle, you just have to either keep a safe distance from the vehicle behind you, have a passenger that you trust, or sneak over to the right and look around the vehicle in front of you.
Left hand turns suck, especially if a large vehicle is in your line of site, as you can see around it, but that could be said for some intersections even with a LHD. Just avoid those.
I read somewhere that RHD vehicles are safer (if everyone drive RHD), as most peoples predoment eye is in the right eye. Other than NA, not many countries are drive on the left. I am not sure why NA adopted driving on the left, i guess it could be as simple as the US and Canada didn't want anything british, and so decided on the left, as the brits where on the right.
Let me know if you have any other questions. While I don't currently own a RHD or imported one, I have been researching for a couple years, and think I have a pretty good handle on it.
Neeper, if you have anything to add, or if you think I have missed anything, feel free to correct me
