Long wait at border as restrictions ease for fully-vaccinnated travelers
Friday was a challenging day if you were trying to cross the border.
On the first day since the federal government lifted some restrictions on travelers entering Canada, the wait to cross into Canada from Montana exceeded five hours earlier Friday.
Normally a busy time of year when snowbirds are returning home to Canada, the new travel rules just made things that much busier.
"We ask travelers to be patient, said Lisa Laurencelle-Pearce, Executive Director of the prairie region of the Canada Border Services Agency.
"And," she added, "to be ready with their information."
The federal government lifted pre-entry testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers Friday.
"They do need to take a COVID-19 test on arrival unless randomly selected," Laurencelle-Pearce said.
But some travel requirements remain in place, she added.
"Travelers are to submit their mandatory proof of vaccination using the free Arrive Can app or through the website within 72 hours before arriving in Canada."
Restrictions are only being eased for fully-vaccinated travelers
And with longer processing times at the border, the CBSA is urging travelers to help speed things along.
"Having their passport (and) Arrive Can receipt and proof of vaccination ready," Laurencelle-Pearce said.
Despite the epic wait times at the border, Canadians are itching to get out and travel.
"I travel a lot, so it makes travel easier," said one woman. "Which is what really excites me about it."
Another traveler at Calgary Airport added, "It makes it (travel) a lot less complicated."
And the tourism industry is anxious to welcome back our southern neighbours.
"We really do need an international guest to return if we want to actually see a recovery in the industry," said Tourism Calgary CEO Cindy Ady, adding that it continues to be important to be mindful of safety.
"I know that my hospitality partners are working really hard at keeping their customers safe and comfortable," Ady said.
Travelers are advised to take delays into consideration when crossing the border, whether by land or through the airport.
And the easing of restrictions only applies to those who are fully vaccinated.
Rules for partially or unvaccinated travelers remain unchanged.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton attacked in prison
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a "major assault."
DEVELOPING Defence rests without Donald Trump taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial
Donald Trump's lawyers rested their defence Tuesday without the former president taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial.
Passenger killed, 30 injured as Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.
Feels like mid-30s in parts of Canada, while other areas expecting snow
Anything is possible this week, as far as Canada's weather is concerned, with forecasts ranging from scorching heat in some parts of the country to rain and snow in others.
Canada's inflation cools to 3-year low of 2.7%, in boost for rate cut bets
Canada's annual inflation rate slowed to a three-year low of 2.7 per cent in April, matching expectations, and core measures continued to ease, data showed on Tuesday, likely boosting chances of a June interest rate cut.
'Documents are fraudulent': Graceland is not for sale, Elvis Presley's granddaughter says in lawsuit
Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, is fighting plans to publicly auction his Graceland estate in Memphis after a company tried to sell the property based on claims that a loan using the king of rock ’n’ roll's former home as collateral was not repaid.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Nestle to sell $5 pizza, sandwiches in the U.S. for Wegovy, Ozempic users
Nestle NESN.S will market a new, US$5 line of frozen pizzas and protein-enriched pastas in the United States which it says it designed specifically for people taking drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.