Fort Smith checkpoint near Alberta border is back in effect, territory says

A checkpoint is going back up at the Northwest Territories — Alberta border at Fort Smith effective as of Friday, says the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The move is in response to concerns over COVID-19 and increased travel on the waterways that lead from northern Alberta into the territory.

The checkpoint will be set up along the southern highway going out of Fort Smith and into Alberta. There's only one road that goes south of the community, into Smith's Landing First Nation and Fort Fitzgerald.

Public health officers will be there to monitor anyone entering at the border. According to the government, there's generally increased traffic in that area, especially in waterways at this time of year, when waters are more navigable. 

The territory said travel may sometimes originate from places experiencing "significant" outbreaks of COVID-19 outside that corridor and that it helps enforce the isolation and travel restriction protocols.

Travel between Smith's Landing, Fort Fitzgerald, Pine Lake and Fort Smith will remain unrestricted, provided those traveling to Fort Smith have not visited communities outside of this immediate region of northern Alberta within the last 14 days.

Checkpoints had been set up in March in all the N.W.T. border towns, which included Fort Smith. Only that checkpoint was taken down on March 30, according to an earlier release from the N.W.T. government. All the other checkpoints are still in effect.