B.C. residents will no longer be exempt from pandemic-related border crossing rules: Health Canada

Closed lanes at the Peace Arch Border crossing are seen in this undated file photo.

Exemptions put in place to help those impacted by the flooding in British Columbia late last year to get home or access supplies will end soon, the federal government says.

Flooding caused by a series of mid-November storms washed out major highways, and at one point, the only way to get out of B.C.'s Lower Mainland by car was through the U.S.

Additionally, highway closures caused supply chain issues. Gas was rationed, and there were concerns about running out of essential supplies.

Because of the impacts, certain rules surrounding the crossing into and out of the U.S. by land were waived for those impacted by the flooding.

Residents of British Columbia could cross into the States to get home or pick up what they needed, and then were exempt from pre-entry, arrival and Day 8 testing and quarantine requirements, provided their trips were no longer than 24 hours.

The exemptions did not apply to non-essential travel, such as taking a vacation, going shopping for items other than the basics, or visiting family.

But many of the damaged highways have since been repaired, or at least fixed in a way to allow traffic to pass through for now.

Because of this, the border exemption will end on Jan. 31 at 8:59 p.m. PT, or one minute before midnight in Eastern Time.