B.C.'s Peace Arch Park remains closed even though COVID-19 border restrictions have ended
Although the COVID-19 border restrictions that prompted its closure have been lifted, B.C.'s Peace Arch Park has not yet been reopened.
Situated on the Canada-U.S. border, the park closed in June of 2020 due to concerns over an influx of visitors gathering there amid a ban on non-essential cross-border travel. In August of 2021, that ban was lifted but travellers had to show proof of vaccination and use the ArriveCAN app.
On Saturday, those remaining requirements were lifted. A spokesperson for the province said reopening the park is a "top priority," but stopped short of providing a date when this will occur.
"BC Parks is having conversations with the Semiahmoo Nation and other stakeholders on a reopening plan. The park was closed in line with federal border entry requirements for travellers, which have only recently changed," an emailed statement to CTV News said.
"The open nature of Peace Arch Provincial Park has made it challenging to ensure visitors were meeting border entry requirements, which is why the park remained closed. We will continue to engage with key stakeholders to ensure the park reopens as soon as possible."
The American side of the park, however, was never closed, which allowed people to continue to meet by hopping a small ditch at Zero Avenue in Surrey and entering Washington state.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark #MeToo trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Metro Vancouver mayors call for serial killer Robert Pickton to be denied parole
A dozen mayors from around Metro Vancouver say federal Attorney General and Justice Minister Arif Virani should deny parole for notorious B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, and reassess the parole and sentencing system for 'prolific offenders and mass murderers.'
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.