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SvennoJ on 22 June 2020
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Warning for tourists ignoring the border restrictions (using the loophole, traveling straight to Alaska for work/living)

https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/rcmp-issued-7-tickets-to-americans-found-in-banff-alta-over-the-past-week-1.4993704

RCMP Cpl. Deanna Fontaine told CTV News Sunday the U.S. citizens were located by police last week. Four of the $1,200 tickets were handed out on June 16 and two more on June 18. The six tickets were issued to travellers who had stopped near Lake Louise for long hikes in the park.

The border is still closed until July 21st (for now, can be extended again)

Under the rules set out by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), American citizens can travel through to Alaska provided they show they are travelling there for an essential reason, such as going home or going there for work.

According to the CBSA email, American citizens must:

  • Remain in the vehicle as much as possible
  • Avoid staying at a hotel
  • If they need gas, pay at the pump
  • If they need food, use a drive through
  • If they need to use a rest area, use a mask and to be mindful of physical distancing and good hygiene practices

They got off easy:

While violating the province's health rules and receiving a $1,200 fine may be a stiff punishment, the penalty for lying to a border agent about the nature of their visit would be much worse. "Providing false information to a border services officer (BSO) upon entry to Canada is considered misrepresentation and has consequences," Callin said. "If you provide false immigration information or false information about the purpose of your travel, you may be denied entry and/or be banned from returning to Canada."

She says that anyone caught breaking the current border restriction would be considered to be violation of the Quarantine Act. That could lead to up to $750,000 in fines or six months in prison. If the visit ends up causing a risk of imminent death or serious bodily harm to another person, they would face up to $1 million in fines and a possible three-year sentence.