Good news for boaters in the region, just in time for the long weekend.
The Canada Border Service Agency has agreed to reopen over 300 small vessel reporting sites, effective today, which had been closed since before the pandemic.
The agency says it is taking a phased approach to gradual reopening of sites that have still been affected by measures put in place as a result of COVID-19.
Having local reporting sites closed meant boaters looking to cross into American waters had to travel to either Windsor or Sarnia to report before entering back into Canada.
A handful of small vessel reporting sites remain closed, including West Dock on Pelee Island.
Travellers are encouraged to visit Reporting requirements for private boaters for more information about entering Canada by boat.
Key travel tips
- All travellers entering Canada by water, must report their arrival to the CBSA without delay. All travellers, including those with a right of entry (Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act), must submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN before, or when, entering Canada at a marine port of entry.
- When entering travel details in ArriveCAN, travellers will be prompted to select the port of entry at which they are planning to enter Canada. If the port of entry that a traveller intends to enter at is not available in the drop-down list, users are asked to select any alternative port of entry that is listed. By selecting an available port of entry, travellers will be able to progress to the next screen and successfully complete their ArriveCAN submission. This is a temporary situation until ArriveCAN is updated with the list of all small vessel reporting sites, and it will not stop travellers from entering through any marine reporting sites that have reopened.
- Travellers should check if they are eligible to enter Canada and if they meet all entry requirements before heading to the border.