The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is advising all travellers entering Canada by water that, as of May 20, 2022, service will resume at most small vessel reporting sites, which represents over 300 sites.
CBSA officials say these changes are part of a phased approach to gradually reopen CBSA sites still affected by the temporary measures put in place as a result of COVID-19.
Across Ontario there are 254 reporting sites now open, including the following local sites:
– Bogey’s Inn, Sombra
– Canada Club Basset Island, Walpole Island
– Chatham City Dock, Chatham
– Cove Marina Ltd., Tilbury
– Ecarte Marina, Port Lambton
– Erieau Marina, Erieau
– Lake Huron Yacht, Sarnia
– Light House Cove Marina, Tilbury
– Luken Marina Inc., Tilbury
– Mitchell’s Bay, Mitchell’s Bay
– Sarnia Yacht Club, Sarnia
– St. Clair Boating and Marina, Port Lambton
– Wallaceburg Municipal Marina, Wallaceburg
“All travellers entering Canada by water, must report their arrival to the CBSA without delay,” CBSA officials said in a media release.
“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.”
CBSA officials added: “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.”
CBSA officials say 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,” CBSA officials added.
Wallaceburg Councillor Carmen McGregor has brought the issue about the reporting sites to the Council floor earlier this month.
In a notice of motion, McGregor said the CBSA had reduced the number of small vessel reporting sites from over 400 pre-pandemic, to a new low number of 86 with the closest sites to Chatham-Kent located in Sarnia and Windsor.
McGregor said in her notice of motion that all communities’ water-related festival’s and events that attract international tourism, boaters and marinas that access the shores of the Great Lakes would be affected by a reduction in tourism dollars caused by the “unrealistic distance between reporting sites and the increased environmental impact.
“Including the cost of fuel to travel via reporting sites and destinations,” McGregor said.
The issue was recently brought up in the House of Commons by Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MP Lianne Rood:
The Liberal restrictions on Marine Points of Entry are ridiculous! Forcing people to make a 76km round trip instead of just cross an 800-meter-wide river will punish small businesses in Mitchell’s Bay, Wallaceburg, and Port Lambton.
Will the Liberals listen to #CommonSense? pic.twitter.com/r5YjFVwUkX
— Lianne Rood (@Lianne_Rood) May 6, 2022
McGregor’s motion is listed on the Monday, May 30, 2022 Council agenda.
However, it is noted on the agenda that McGregor intends to withdraw her motion.
More details about the CBSA reporting sites can be found, here.
