Part of Canada's land border with the United States is pictured closed at the Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, B.C., Tuesday, April 28, 2020. RCMP in British Columbia say four Americans have been fined $500 for violating emergency orders under the Quarantine Act, invoked in order to limit the spread of COVID-19.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
September 05, 2020 - 2:42 PM
VANCOUVER - RCMP in British Columbia say four Americans have been fined $500 each for violating emergency orders under the Quarantine Act.
Spokeswoman Dawn Roberts says a vehicle with Alaska licence plates sparked suspicion in the Vancouver area late last month.
She says police found the vehicle and determined the driver and three passengers were in breach of restrictions in place for Americans travelling to and from Alaska through Canada.
Such travellers allowed a reasonable length of time to take the most direct route to their destination, and receive a tag for their rear-view mirror that indicates the date they must leave the country.
Roberts says it appears the four Alaskans weren't on the most direct path to Washington state, and were staying in B.C. outside the prescribed timeline.
The four travellers were escorted to the Peace Arch border crossing and Roberts says there were no indications they posed a public health risk.
She said similar situations have so far been rare.
"We believe the majority of citizens that are either travelling in B.C. because they're deemed essential service, or they're transiting through British Columbia, have been compliant," Roberts said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 5, 2020.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2020