If you’re going to go across the border for the Thanksgiving long weekend, you should make sure you have all your documents with you.
That’s according to Charles Fisher, the Chief of Operations at two border crossings for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
Moose FM spoke with Fisher to get some advice for travelers ahead of the long weekend.
“Make sure that you have whatever identification documents that you need to have with you and ready to present to an officer,” he says, “and when you’re returning to Canada, it’s really important to know what you have that you’re bringing back.”
Travelers need to declare everything they’re bringing back to Canada with them and be prepared to answer any questions officers at the border ask, Fisher adds.
If you’re buying a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner in the United States, Fisher says you need to make sure it’s properly packaged and labeled.
“You can’t bring poultry items from, say, a local farmer’s market that’s not commercially packaged, or that you got at a roadside stall or that type of thing,” he says.
If you’ll be taking a flight from the Ottawa International Airport, Fisher says you can save some time by doing your customs declarations in advance using an app.
“It’s going to produce a QR code that you’re going to scan once you actually arrive in the airport and you’re going through that process,” he says. “It’ll help speed the process up.”
Meanwhile, if you’re planning to drive along the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge or another border crossing, Fisher says you can look up wait times online.
Fisher says you can visit the CBSA website if you want to learn more.