The winter holiday break is upon us.
With that in mind, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) anticipates an increase in cross-border travel over the next two weeks, as people take trips to the U.S. to shop and visit family and friends during the holidays.
"As you prepare for holiday travels, knowing what you need to enter Canada will help ensure a smoother border crossing experience while also giving CBSA officers more time to continue focusing on stopping dangerous goods and inadmissible people from entering the country," read a release from the CBSA.
In southwestern Ontario, the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel and Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, as well as the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia, are expected to be busy during the holidays.
The CBSA recommends travelling during non-peak times, such as early morning or late at night. Windsor-Essex and Sarnia-Lambton residents also have the luxury of multiple crossing options. The CBSA has a real-time webpage showing wait times.
Have your travel documents and paperwork ready before arriving at the window, including passports, permanent residency cards, and any other documents.
CBSA agents will be watchful for children who may be travelling to see other family members over the holidays. If you are travelling with children who aren't yours or for whom you do not have legal custody, be sure to bring a letter from the custodial parent authorizing travel.
If you're planning to go to the U.S. for holiday shopping, have all receipts ready upon return and be ready to declare any items you purchased outside of Canada. If you aren't sure what's allowed and what's not, ask.
The CBSA also urges shoppers to be aware of exemptions.
Prohibited weapons or firearms are not permitted at the border. The same goes for cannabis products with or without the THC ingredient.
If you must have cannabis for medical purposes, a valid permit or exemption issued by Health Canada is required. The CBSA does not accept prescriptions from a doctor. Penalties for bringing cannabis over the border are severe and may include a ban against crossing.
Information on what cross-border travellers must know can be found on the official CBSA website.
