Motorists greeted by long lines at Quebec-Ontario border checkpoints

Drivers hoping to cross the Ontario-Quebec border this morning were met with kilometres-long lines in some places as police checkpoints to limit non-essential travel began.

Ottawa police officers are now stationed on all five bridges between Ottawa and western Quebec, plus two interprovincial ferries, as part of the province's rule changes that began at midnight.

Ontario Provincial Police are also stationed at the border in Hawkesbury, Ont., and on larger highways into Ontario, including the 401.

"This would be one [of], if not the busiest location. It is an extremely busy portion of Highway 401," said OPP Staff Sgt. Simon Hardy at the border checkpoint near Bainsville, Ont.

Hardy said the majority of the traffic at his location is from people who live in Quebec but commute to work in Ontario.

Officers from Quebec are also stopping traffic entering that province, as they did last spring. Quebec provincial police said they will be doing sporadic stops, namely during curfew hours, but aren't setting up consistent checkpoints. 

Quebec is asking that people from Ontario enter the province only for the following reasons: to access a primary or secondary residence, for humanitarian reasons, medical care, to work or go to school, to attend court, to transport goods, or to access a primary residence in another province.

People coming back to Quebec from Ontario are asked to quarantine at their home for 14 days unless they were there for work, court or medical care.

Ontario police will only be allowing people to cross for work, medical care, transporting goods and exercising Indigenous treaty rights.

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Michael O’Connor, who lives in Wakefield, Que., and Marie-Christine Bédard, who lives in Ottawa, say they’re disappointed by the checkpoints because residents cross the border so often for health-care, education, work and to see family members.

Those are some of the reasons people are allowed to be outside their homes under both province's rules.

Ottawa police say motorists, cyclists and pedestrians all will be stopped, but no written documentation of the reason for travelling will be necessary.

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Police checkpoints between Ontario and Quebec began Monday in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19, with officers stationed on all five bridges between Ottawa and western Quebec.