Border agency reduces access to 27 ‘low traffic’ crossings at Canada-U.S. land border

By Cristin Schmitz

Law360 Canada (April 15, 2020, 3:39 PM EDT) -- In a move Ottawa states “should not affect commercial traffic,” the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has announced it is temporarily reducing its hours of service at 27 “low-traffic” ports of entry along the Canada-United States land border — effective April 15 at 11:59 pm EDT.

“The government of Canada continues to introduce border measures to limit the spread of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Canada,” said the CBSA in an April 14 statement. “All non-essential travel into Canada continues to be prohibited. Economic supply chains and trade will remain open, and we will work to ensure that access to goods and services is not interrupted. As such, these changes should not affect commercial traffic.”

The 27 affected land border points of entry, and details of their reduced hours of service, are available here.

Impacted are eight points of entry in Quebec, 16 in the Prairies, and three in British Columbia.

The CBSA said it “remains committed to ensuring that Indigenous people continue to be able to move within, and between, their communities, and are able to provide and access essential goods and services.”

The border agency noted the reduced hours of service will continue until the expiration date of the order-in-council made under the Quarantine Act, which prohibits non-essential entry into Canada from the United States. The changes will be reviewed “on an ongoing basis as the public health situation evolves.”