Two B.C. land crossings into Washington will see fewer hours of operation as part of service reductions coming across the country.
The Canada Border Services Agency says it will be adjusting hours at 35 land ports of entry in January — a move it says will allow it to deploy officers at busier land crossings.
The Cascade crossing 24 kilometres east of Grand Forks, and the Nelway crossing 65 kilomtres south of Nelson are the two sites affected in British Columbia. Cascade will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, Nelway from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.
Only one crossing in Alberta will be affected — the facility at Del Bonita — where hours will be 9 to 5, seven days a week, beginning January 6.
Ten crossings in Quebec will be affected, and 12 in Manitoba will see hours change, along with six in Saskatchewan and four in New Brunswick.
The CBSA says in a statement on its website the decision was made in collaboration with the United States and will enhance overall security for both countries.
It says almost all of the affected ports of entry are processing an average of two or fewer cars or commercial trucks per hour during the hours that will no longer be in operation.
It also says that at the affected ports, travellers have an alternative border crossing option within a 100 km radius.
“These adjustments are based on an analysis of operational pressures, peak periods, and services required at the ports of entry, to minimize the impacts on border communities,” the agency said on its website.
The statement said the U.S. is also adjusting service hours at many of its ports of entry, and it said that alignment will allow both countries to return inadmissible travellers and goods to the other country, a process it said is more difficult when one side of the border is closed while the other remains open.
The changes take effect at 12:01 a.m. local time on January 6, 2025.
