U.S. border officials inspect Canada-bound traffic, lengthening waits at B.C. crossing

A U.S. police checkpoint caused long wait times for travellers entering Canada from Washington state.

Travellers bound for B.C. from Washington state reported long waits Friday, and traffic volume does not appear to be the sole reason for the delays.

Both CTV News Vancouver and KOMO News Seattle were contacted by travellers who said U.S. border officials were searching every Canada-bound vehicle before it reached the border and dealt with the Canada Border Services Agency.

The CBSA referred questions to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

In a brief statement to KOMO News, the CBP did not confirm that it was inspecting every northbound vehicle, nor did it explain what – if anything – prompted the increased scrutiny on Friday.

“As part of its national security mission, U.S. Customs and Border Protection routinely conducts inspections on outbound traffic,” the CBP said in the statement.

“These inspections are a vital tool in apprehending wanted individuals as well as in seizing a variety of contraband – which ultimately makes our communities safer.”

A Washington state Department of Transportation traffic camera showed what appeared to be a police checkpoint funnelling Canada-bound traffic into a single lane before the Peace Arch border crossing.

As of 12:15 p.m. Friday, the WSDOT was reporting a 55-minute wait for general-purpose northbound traffic crossing the border and a 75-minute wait for Nexus holders.

The CBP’s online border wait time tracker for the Peace Arch crossing, which measures wait times for those entering the U.S., showed 40-minute waits for travellers from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.

Typical wait times at 11 a.m., according to the CBP, are less than 20 minutes.

Wait times declined to more normal ranges in the 2 p.m. hour.