Canada announces permanent closure of Four Falls port of entry
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has permanently closed the Four Falls, New Brunswick, port of entry (POE). The crossing (which would previously open seasonally) has been out of service since May 2020.
The May 11 announcement formalizes a closure that began as a temporary COVID-19 measure. The CBSA extended the suspension several times over the past six years before officially making it permanent.
Travellers crossing the Canada-U.S. border in northwestern New Brunswick will need to use one of two nearby alternates.
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Alternate ports of entry
Two POEs sit within 15 km of Four Falls, and can be used by travellers instead of the now closed Four Falls POE:
| Port of entry | Location | Hours of operation |
|---|---|---|
| Andover | 6 Route 190, Carlingford, NB | 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
| Gillespie Portage | 600 Route 375, California Settlement, NB | Daily, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
Hours and contact details for these and other land crossings are available in the Directory of CBSA Offices and Services.
Regularly updated wait times for each POE are also available on the CBSA’s official webpage.
Travelers entering Canada must report to the CBSA at a designated POE. Failing to do so can result in fines, seizures, loss of trusted traveler program status, and being prosecuted under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act or the Customs Act.
Those with criminal records (including lesser offences such as DUIs) may need to take extra steps to avoid being turned away at a Canadian POE.
Why did the CBSA close Four Falls?
The Four Falls POE first closed on May 17, 2020, in response to pandemic travel restrictions. The CBSA never reopened the location.
The agency says the decision followed a review of operational needs in Atlantic Canada. Four factors drove the call:
- Seasonal operations: The crossing only ran from mid-April to mid-October.
- Low traffic: It handled about 8,000 travellers per season.
- Nearby alternates: Two other POEs sit within 15 km of Four Falls.
- No U.S. counterpart: There is no adjacent POE on the American side.
The CBSA cited that final point when claiming that the closure of the Four Falls POE aligns Canadian operations with U.S. operations on this stretch of the border.
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