Higher Volumes Expected At The Border This Civic Holiday Weekend

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The Canada Border Services Agency is anticipating higher than normal volumes at border crossings in the Southern Ontario Region this Civic holiday weekend. Increased volumes may affect border wait times at some border crossings.

During high volume periods, they are asking travellers to be patient, allow for extra travel time and to follow these tips to cross the border faster:

Plan ahead: Check border wait times using the CanBorder App and cross at the least busy port of entry in the area. Historically, the holidays result in higher than normal volumes; plan your entry during non-peak hours such as early morning. The Monday of holiday long weekends tends to be busiest, plan around it.

Be prepared:  Have proper identification for you and everyone in the vehicle, including children, ready to present to the border services officer. Acceptable forms of identification for entry into Canada include a passport, a NEXUS card and an enhanced driver’s license. If you are travelling with children that you either have or share custody of, have copies of all relevant legal documents, such as custody rights, on hand.

Declare all purchases, acquisitions, and/or gifts received when returning to Canada:  Keep your receipts readily available including hotel receipts to verify the length of your stay outside Canada.

Know the contents of your vehicle:  Consult the CBSA’s website for information on firearms and other restricted and prohibited goods. Failure to declare any weapons or firearms in your possession may lead to penalties, including seizure action and prosecution.

If travelling with pets, know that dogs and cats that are three months of age or older need valid signed and dated certificates from a veterinarian verifying vaccinations against rabies. These are usually valid for 1-3 years. Service dogs are exempt when accompanied by their owners.

If camping in Canada or returning from a camping trip, ensure all camping gear, recreational equipment and supplies are clean and free of pests and soil. Firewood cannot be brought into the country because it can introduce invasive species and spread disease to Canada’s trees. Campers should buy firewood on site, burn firewood on site, and leave all unused firewood on site. Consult the CBSA’s website for information on other restricted and prohibited goods.