Awaiting at the Frontier
Quebecers planning a trip to the United States may find it useful to know the current and past wait times at the border crossings. Here's a rundown of the situation based on recent data and historical records.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) provides a webpage for real-time monitoring of Canada-US border wait times, covering 28 of the most frequently used land entry points between our two countries. This resource can be invaluable for travellers looking to plan their journey efficiently.
In 2025, Quebec border crossings experienced a surge in asylum claimants, particularly at the St-Bernard-de-Lacolle crossing on Highway 15. This surge can cause local delays unpredictably, but it is not directly tied to the usual construction holiday weekend patterns.
Despite this, current wait times at Quebec border crossings with the United States on Sundays during construction holidays in 2025 do not appear explicitly detailed in available sources. However, recent official data for key crossings like Champlain, Quebec, show minimal to zero wait times during early morning hours on August 4, 2025, suggesting typically low delays at least during off-peak times. There are no specific mentions of extended waits due to construction holidays.
Last year, on the last day of the construction holidays, the wait times at the St-Armand and Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle border crossings were relatively short. At the St-Armand crossing, the wait time was around 14:00 was 20 minutes, while at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, the wait time was 10 minutes at the same time. However, this year, significant wait times were reported at these crossings on Sunday afternoon.
For the most updated and detailed wait times, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website provides real-time wait times for many ports, including Champlain. These typically reflect wait times in minutes and are updated continuously.
In summary, normal Sunday wait times at Quebec crossings like Champlain are often short or zero minutes during early hours, with no official reports of construction holiday delays this year. However, local delays unrelated to construction holidays may occur due to the surge in asylum seekers, particularly at the St-Bernard-de-Lacolle crossing. The CBSA's webpage for Canada-US border wait times is a useful resource for monitoring border wait times in real-time. Travellers are advised to check these resources before setting out on their journey.
Travelers planning a French lifestyle immersion trip in the United States might find it beneficial to check the real-time wait times at Quebec border crossings, especially when traveling in early hours of Sundays to avoid delays. This is particularly important due to the possible local delays at the St-Bernard-de-Lacolle crossing in Quebec, which can occur due to a surge in asylum seekers, unrelated to usual construction holiday weekend patterns.
