Long weekend, long waits: Here's how long it's taking to cross the border

We can hear the whisper of summer on the wind and actually feel the warmth of the sun on our skin, so this long weekend, everyone is looking to get out and have fun.

And lots of folks are heading to the border for a little shopping and a cheeky trip to The Cheesecake Factory while in Washington State.

This Victoria Day long-weekend was expected to be busy, with Surrey RCMP urging people to plan to cross during non-peak hours and to not call 911 about how long they’ve been waiting in the car.

But how long are they waiting this weekend?

BC Ministry of Transportation

According to the official word from the BC Ministry of Transportation, wait times between 5 minutes and 90 minutes were observed on Saturday morning.

The Pacific Highway Crossing was consistently the border crossing with the longest wait time, while Peace Arch was usually 20 minutes shorter. Aldergrove and Sumas were considerably shorter most of the morning.

But keep in mind, these times are estimates and depending on how many customs officers are working, it could be a lot longer — or possibly even shorter.

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Check the reported border wait times to plan your weekend. Although the longest waits posted were 90 mins at one point, AM730Traffic reported that folks called in to say they’ve waited for up to two hours.

#BCBorders – Line ups southbound are extensive today. Not disastrous but still very busy. #PeaceArch backed up to past Beach Rd. #PacHwy heavy from almost 8th Ave. Signs say 1 hour waits but callers have already indicated they have been in the lineup for well over 2 hours. ^Rae pic.twitter.com/cNjD5K4f9N

— AM730Traffic (@AM730Traffic) May 21, 2022

Surrey RCMP reminded the public on Saturday that “911 is not an appropriate forum for complaining about wait times.”

“Police have no control over border delays.”

Stuck in a border line up this weekend? 911 is not an appropriate forum for complaining about wait times. Police have no control over border delays. Check wait times, road conditions before you travel: https://t.co/hSrQZsfbQe @DriveBC

— Surrey RCMP (@SurreyRCMP) May 21, 2022

If you’re crossing the border, hopefully you packed some patience along with your road trip snacks.