Travelers departing on Friday may face various delays as the province enters its first long weekend following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.
BC Ferries said voyages from Tsawwassen to the Southern Gulf Islands had already been fully booked on Friday morning, with large volumes and limited capacity on other major routes.
On Thursday, ferry passengers faced major delays after the company had to decommission one of the ships due to hydraulic failure. The Queen of Oak Bay was back in service on Friday.
Read more: BC Ferries suffers from hydraulic damage before a busy weekend trip
The ferry company has added additional voyages and by the middle of the day on Friday all voyages are on schedule. However, passengers are advised to book their seats, travel during off-peak hours if possible, and check the BC Ferries website before leaving. You can see the current conditions here.
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Travelers also reported long delays at U.S. border crossings on Friday, with some spending two to three hours in line to enter Washington state.
Surrey RCMP said waiting time at the border around midday ranges from 90 minutes to two hours and urged people not to block local intersections or alleys.
Lori Troutman, director of border policy research at the University of Western Washington, said an increase in borders is expected, given that this is the first holiday weekend since PCR testing requirements were lifted.
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But she said she was surprised to see how long they had been waiting, given that border traffic had recovered to only about 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, even during peak periods.
“The volume is still smaller and the waiting time is longer, and I think that’s worrying,” she said.
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Trautman said Canadians returning home on Sunday may want to plan their trip to avoid a busy afternoon.
“If you can start your trip earlier or postpone your return for later, you will probably face less waiting time,” she said.
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“Another thing is to submit your submission to ArriveCAN in advance. You can do this up to 72 hours before your arrival. “
Land and sea travelers were not the only ones facing delays on Friday.
Vancouver International Airport said it was celebrating its highest number of passengers in more than two years.
“There may be long queues,” the airport warned.
“Travelers must arrive at the airport very early and be prepared as they go through the travel process.”
YVR also provides online air travel refresh to help passengers get through the process as quickly as possible.
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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