Busy border expected this weekend as Canada, U.S., celebrate holidays
This weekend will see plenty of travel, as both Canadians and Americans have a long weekend.
That means people planning on crossing an international border may be in for a long wait.
To get people moving quickly through customs and on to their weekend plans, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is giving tips for a smooth trip.
They include keeping travel documents handy, knowing the exemption limits and learning what products can and can’t be imported.
Superintendent Craig Kennedy said that timing is key to a short wait on the bridge.
"Check the border wait times,” Kennedy said.
“They are updated every hour. That will give you the best timeframe to cross the border. If you do want to avoid the longest lines, try and cross on a Saturday or Sunday, rather than a Friday or Monday."
For any additional border-related questions, the CBSA has many resources, he said.
"The Canada Border Services Agency website is great,” Kennedy said.
“You can also call a port of entry.
We spoke to a few Sault locals who gave us their tips:
"You just need to make sure you have some good music, maybe something to drink, and something for your kids, if you're travelling with kids," one person said.
Another said he plans to cross the border this weekend and plans to check wait times, as he's been burned in the past.
"I don't mind waiting five minutes or 10 minutes. I don’t want to show up and the bridge is lined up all the way across. I have seen that before and that's not a fun time."
Kennedy says customs officers aim to have a well-prepared traveller through customs in under a minute.
Border officials said traffic at border crossings could persist until after the American Independence Day on July 4.
Sault Ste. Marie's tourism director calls that a good thing for businesses in the city.
Travis Anderson said many refer to this weekend as "the official start of the summer tourism season."
"We’re seeing a lot more visitation up this way since COVID,” Anderson said.
“We’re seeing a lot more out of the GTA and southern Ontario area. Now with ArriveCan gone, we’re anticipating a big bump in our U.S. visitors."
Anderson said tourism numbers are starting to rebound to pre-pandemic levels.
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