The Atlantic Bubble Has Started & The Line Ups To Cross The Border Were Unbelievable
People really want to go to other provinces. The Atlantic bubble has opened up and the traffic line ups to cross the border on the first day were intense. Some people sat in their cars for hours just waiting to go between provinces, especially Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
On July 3, the Atlantic travel bubbled officially started on Canada's east coast and people were pretty eager to cross the border.
According to the CBC, 300 to 400 vehicles came into P.E.I. within the first 90 minutes of the bubble opening.
Cumberland Regional Emergency Management in Nova Scotia posted on Facebook when the bubble opened and told people to plan ahead.
It was recommended that people have at least a half tank of gas when attempting to cross the border because of the long lines.
Others also shared stories of when the bubble opened and someone even spent seven hours waiting to cross over.
However, for people who got an early start, there were no line ups at all.
One person tweeted that they woke up at 4:30 a.m. to cross the border into New Brunswick from Nova Scotia and they only had to wait six minutes.
"We literally handed over our completed form, and that was it. The paper wasn't looked over, and our IDs were not checked," they said.
Each province has its own rules when it comes to crossing the border.
For people going into P.E.I., they have to fill out an online self-declaration form before travelling.
Every adult going into Nova Scotia has to prove that they are a permanent resident of Atlantic Canada like with a driver's license or a health card.
For New Brunswick, people will have to show proof of where they live and answer health screening questions.
According to the CBC, people going into Newfoundland & Labrador will have to provide contact information and show two pieces of ID that prove they're residents of Atlantic Canada.
This bubble means that residents of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Newfoundland & Labrador don't have to self-isolate when they arrive in another one of the Atlantic provinces.
For anybody looking to travel within Canada now, this interactive map shows which provinces and territories are accepting visitors and if there are any restrictions in place.