ezbordercrossing

Guide to Crossing the US Canada Border

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Canadian Thanksgiving Border Traffic Delays

Traffic will be much heavier at the U.S. / Canadian border during Canada’s Thanksgiving holiday long weekend which occurs every year on  the second Monday in October.  This is earlier than the American Thanksgiving, but that Monday is also the American Columbus Day holiday.  Government workers are the main beneficiaries of Columbus Day but there are a lot of those so you will have heavier than usual traffic in both directions.

Because Canadian Thanksgiving is always on a Monday,  this 3 day weekend is a  favorite time for large numbers of  Canadians to come to the U.S. to visit friends or shop.   At some ports, this is the 3rd highest traffic weekend behind the 4th of July and Labor Day.  In general, traffic will be around 30% higher than normal.  You should expect delays as long as 2 hours at major border crossings.

Projected Peak Wait Times for the Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday

Every port will have it’s own traffic patterns, and weather and road conditions also affect peak periods.  Here are some general rules:

  • A large percentage of all drivers will be leaving on Friday and returning on Monday.
  •  The longest delays entering Canada will be towards the end of the holiday weekend when Canadians return home.  Both Sunday and Monday will be heavier than usual.
  • In Washington State, border traffic typically doubles on this weekend.  The Peace Arch and Pacific Highway crossings are always the busiest, while Lynden / Aldergrove and Sumas / Abbotsford tend to be less congested.

Your Game Plan to Avoid the Heaviest Canadian Thanksgiving Traffic

  • Time your travel so you are outside the daily peak hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Simply put, leave early or late.
  • You should always check our page for the specific port you are going to use to see if there are any traffic alerts or updates on wait times.
  • If you can hit the road on Thursday you will avoid the first part of the weekend traffic.
  • If you can return on Tuesday rather than Monday you will miss the worst of the traffic so long as you also avoid normal rush-hour commuters.
  • If possible, use a smaller alternative port rather than the major ports.  For example, more than 3,200 travelers returned to Canada through the border crossing at Coutts on the Monday holiday, while just 1,600 travelers came back through at Carway, Alberta.  Of course, smaller ports may have fewer lanes and officers so you will have to weigh your choices.
  • Be aware that traffic is especially heavy when it mixes with normal commuter traffic on Friday evening and morning and evening on Monday.
  • Some ports will open additional lanes at earlier times than usual. You should be prepared to move into lanes that might not normally be open.
  • Use NEXUS if everybody in the vehicle is a cardholder

Prepare for your Border Crossing

One big tip – before you hit a long line at the border make sure you have a reasonably full tank of gas and that everyone in the car has used a restroom recently.

To reduce delays when you reach the border, make sure you are prepared by reviewing ezbordercrossing.com pages on the border crossing experience, prohibited items, and required documentation.  Have your crossing documents available for presentation and be prepared to declare all relevant items.

If there can be any silver lining to being stuck in line for hours at the border it might be that Canadian officers are sometimes told to waive through travelers who owe duties on goods purchased in the U.S.  This is done to keep the line moving when it gets long.  Obviously there is no guarantee this will happen and you are still required to declare all of your purchases.

Increased Police Arrests During the Canadian Thanksgiving

You should also be aware that there will be heightened police activity throughout Canada during the entire holiday weekend.  “Operation Impact” is a coordinated effort between police agencies across Canada which targets the following offenses:

  • Drinking and Driving
  • Failure to wear seat belts – adults and children.
  • Aggressive Driving
  • Failure to use hands-free cellphones and texting while driving

Commercial vehicles will be subject to more stops than usual and there will be many more unmarked patrol cars and random roadside drunk driving stops.

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Expect Heavy Traffic at the Border on Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day is celebrated in both the U.S. and Canada and it creates a 3 day weekend for most people.  As a result, this is the first or second busiest border crossing period for the entire year at many ports.  Major ports can see wait times of 3 hours or more at various points in the long weekend.  Smaller ports could see 30 minute delays.  No matter when you leave, an accident or other road condition could have you sitting at a border crossing for quite some time.

Your Game Plan to Avoid the Heaviest Labor Day Traffic

  • Time your travel so you are outside the daily peak hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Simply put, leave early or late.
  • You should always check our page for the specific port you are going to use to see if there are any traffic alerts or updates on wait times.
  • If you can hit the road on Thursday you will avoid the first part of the weekend traffic.
  • If you can return on Tuesday rather than Monday you will miss the worst of the traffic so long as you also avoid normal rush-hour commuters.
  • If possible, use a smaller alternative port rather than the major ports.
  • Be aware that traffic is especially heavy when it mixes with normal commuter traffic on Friday.
  • Some ports will open additional lanes at earlier times than usual. You should be prepared to move into lanes that might not normally be open.
  • Use NEXUS if everybody in the vehicle is a cardholder
  • Work at most construction sites will stop for the holiday but drivers should watch for shifted lanes, detours, and reduced-speed zones.

Prepare for your Border Crossing

One big tip – before you hit a long line at the border make sure you have a reasonably full tank of gas and that everyone in the car has used a restroom recently.

To reduce delays when you reach the border, make sure you are prepared by reviewing ezbordercrossing.com pages on the border crossing experience, prohibited items, and required documentation.  Have your crossing documents available for presentation and be prepared to declare all relevant items.

If there can be any silver lining to being stuck in line for hours at the border it might be that Canadian officers are frequently told to waive through travelers who owe duties on goods purchased in the U.S.  This is done to keep the line moving.  Obviously there is no guarantee this will happen and you are still required to declare all of your purchases.

Projected Peak Wait Times for the Labor Day Holiday

Every port will have it’s own traffic patterns and weather and road conditions also affect peak periods.  Here are some general rules:

  • About half of all drivers will be leaving on Friday and returning on Monday.
  • Friday vacationers will be competing for road space with commuters so make sure you avoid peak commute periods.

Increased Labor Day Police Activity

You should also be aware that there will be heightened police activity in both Canada and the U.S. with special focus around the international border.   Commercial vehicles will be subject to more stops than usual and there will be many more unmarked patrol cars and random roadside drunk driving stops.   Officers will be focusing on safety issues such as speeding, impaired driving,  texting while driving and seat-belt use.  Make sure you know if you are travelling in a province or state that requires hands-free cellphone use.

Ferry Service During the Holiday Period

Ferries will sell out their spaces on many routes during any holiday period. If you don’t have a reservation you should get to the terminals good and early and expect to wait.

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Traffic Backups at the Border on the Canadian Civic Holiday Long Weekend

The Canadian Civic Holiday long weekend is typically one of the heaviest traffic weekends of the entire year for U.S. and Canadian border crossings.     Civic Holiday is celebrated throughout Canada with the exception of Quebec. The holiday is celebrated on the first Monday in August. This holiday creates a 3 day weekend so traffic can be heavy at border crossings. Many cities hold festivals or other events as well. Celebrated on the first Monday in August.

August is the heaviest travel month along the border so you will experience increased traffic backups and border crossing delays for the entire month. However, on the Civic Holiday, traffic is at least 25 to 30% higher than normal.

Canadian Civic Holiday Border Wait Times

In general, the larger border crossings can see huge delays during this holiday period.  Border crossing in Washington such as Peace Arch and Pacific Highway, and New York ports such as the Lewiston Bridge and Peace Bridge can see up to 5 hour delays.

How to Avoid the Heaviest Civic Holiday Traffic

  • Your best chance to avoid traffic is to arrive at the border before 7 am or after 8 pm. Some ports will open additional lanes at earlier times than usual.
  • Be aware that traffic is especially heavy when it mixes with normal commuter traffic on Friday or Monday
  • If possible, use a smaller alternative port rather than the major ports.
  • Use NEXUS if everybody in the vehicle is a cardholder.
  • Make sure to get gas and a restroom stop before entering a long queue at the border.
  • Customs typically opens all available lanes and adds staff to handle the heavy traffic over the weekend. You should be prepared to move into lanes that might not normally be open.
  • You should always check our page for the specific port you are going to use to see if there are any traffic alerts or updates on wait times.
  • Visitors and returning residents should prepare for the inspection process before arriving at the inspection booth. Make sure you are prepared for your border crossing by reviewing ezbordercrossing.com pages on the border crossing experience, prohibited items, and required documentation.

Increased Civic Holiday Police Activity

Across both countries, you should expect to see an increased police presence including many more unmarked patrol cars and random roadside drunk driving stops. The bottom line: drive safely, don’t drink and drive, no texting while driving, and make sure you know if you are travelling in a province or state that requires hands-free cellphone use.

Prepare for your Border Crossing

To reduce delays, make sure you are prepared for your border crossing by reviewing ezbordercrossing.com pages on the border crossing experience, prohibited items, and required documentation.  You should also check our page for the specific port you are going to use to see if there are any traffic alerts or updates on wait times.