Best time to cross Canada-US border and other holiday shopping tips

TORONTO – There’s no worse way to delay a day of shopping than in a line up of hundreds of cars at the Canada-U.S. border. As Black Friday kicks off the holiday shopping season this week,  the U.S. Customs and Border Protection is offering some helpful tips to maximize your time.

• Check the border wait times and conditions at border crossings so you can choose the least congested route – You can check border wait times on the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) website here or follow its Twitter account for updates.
• Try to go outside peak times – Though CBSA said peak times depend on the region in which you travel, the U.S. agency suggested peak times are typically between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. It suggests leaving the night before your trip to avoid delays. The CBSA has taken data from past travel days and holidays to provide forecasted border wait times at the 26 busiest crossings. Check out the forecasts here and the example for Ontario’s Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge below:

View image in full screen

• Make sure you bring the right travel documents – This includes a passport, a NEXUS card (low-risk travelers can apply for this card for pre-approved travel into Canada and the U.S.) and an enhanced driver’s licence. Children under 16 can also use an original copy of their birth certificate; any children traveling without parents should bring a letter of permission with parental contact information.
• Be ready for inspection – Holding your travel documents in hand, rolling down the window and taking off hats and sunglasses can be done before you get to the window. Don’t forget to check about restrictions on food and plants, which will be confiscated if they are prohibited. You can check the U.S. guidelines here.
• Declare your purchases and have receipts handy – Canadian residents can bring back, tax and duty free, goods valued at CAN$200 after being away for 24 hours, and goods valued at CAN$800 after 48 hours, according to the CBSA website. There are no personal exemptions for same-day cross-border shopping trips so be prepared to pay tax on those purchases and possibly duty.

Of course, if you’re not willing to brave the anticipated increase in traffic this weekend, there’s always Cyber Monday.