Bathurst, New Brunswick, and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island are among the offices affected.
Due to COVID-19, Canada’s border service is temporarily blocking two ports of entry in the Atlantic area.
The affected offices, according to the Canada Border Services Agency, are in Bathurst, New Brunswick, and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
Service at the offices has been suspended, according to CBSA spokesperson Judith Gadbois-St-Cyr, due to COVID-19 infections and close contact among personnel.
“They can’t work from home when they’re unwell because they have to provide service on-site,” she explained.
She went on to say that the majority of the personnel at the two small offices had either tested positive or had been compelled to isolate owing to their proximity to someone with COVID-19.
Anyone attempting to enter Canada at those two ports of entry will be directed to other CBSA offices for assistance. Those seeking assistance in Bathurst can contact the CBSA’s Moncton office and talk with an officer there.
Most services can be offered over the phone, according to the agency, while in-person services may necessitate travel to another location. If necessary, officers may be physically deployed from other locations.
“Everyone can still come to Canada,” Gadbois-St-Cyr added, “but your business will be done elsewhere.”
The closures are the first to impact Canada’s border agency since the outbreak began, and they come at a time when the country is experiencing a surge in new cases, thanks to the highly contagious Omicron variety.
Gadbois-St-Cyr said it’s unclear whether more port closures are on the way, but that the agency is keeping an eye on the situation and will keep the public informed if anything changes.
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