A brief system failure that caused a bottleneck of commercial trucks at the U.S.-Canada border Sept. 30 sparked rumors that the border would close because of the U.S. goverment shutdown. That’s not the case.
The border between the United States and Canada remains open to travel and trade. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, who facilitate security screenings at ports of entry, are considered essential employees and are required to continue working throughout the shutdown.
That means you can still plan a trip to Toronto or Niagara Falls.
What to know about U.S. border shutdown fears
Besides knowing that the U.S.-Canada border will remain open, there are a few pieces of fine print to understand:
“What we’ve seen in the past when the government shuts down is that airports slow down and our economy slows down with it,” Erik Hansen, senior vice president of government relations at the U.S. Travel Association, told USA Today.
How to check wait times at the U.S.-Canada border
So far, there are no reports of significant travel delays at the U.S.-Canada border. You may still want to check border wait times before you head out.
You can check border crossing wait times from the United States side or the Canadian side online.
— Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Instagram at @bykaylacanne. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Is the border open? How to check wait times to Canada during government shutdown
Reporting by Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
