EMERSON, Manitoba -- Canadian border officials anticipate a large flow of soccer fans entering the country from North Dakota for several of the FIFA Women's World Cup games in Winnipeg on Monday through June 16.
Authorities in the Canada Border Services Agency and their counterparts in the United States Custom and Border Protection Field Operations division aren't sure what to expect but say they're ready and travelers should follow their suggestions to avoid long wait times.
"Usually we have an operational plan, so we'll have additional staff to address the influx of extra traffic," said CBSA spokeswoman Jacqueline Callin. "We always encourage people to use Emerson Border Crossing if they can."
She said the Emerson crossing, which Americans enter from Pembina, N.D., is the most equipped to handle travelers 24 hours a day.
Border authorities are unsure how many will cross the border into Canada. There haven't been many events on the same scale as the World Cup in Winnipeg, they said.
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"It is a larger-scale event, so we're going to try our best to be prepared to handle the extra travelers," Callin said.
American border authorities expect higher-than-usual traffic, but they have an advantage.
"We'll be in communication with CBSA and see what kind of traffic they have go into Canada, so that'll give us an idea what to prepare for," said Chris Misson, public affairs Liaison for Customs and Border Protection.
The Pembina crossing into the U.S. has four lanes and agents can open two additional lanes if necessary, Misson said. Callin said the Emerson crossing into Canada can have up to five lanes open for regular travel.
On the busiest days, the Pembina crossing can see 2,500 cars per day, usually during Canadian holidays. Misson didn't have an estimate for what they anticipate after the games.
Misson said security protocols and procedures won't be ignored because of the expected increase in traffic.
"Obviously, that's what we're here for. We're trying to intercept that," Misson said. "We're definitely going to treat it just like we would any other time and make sure we're on the top of our game, making sure that we're not forgetting about that aspect of the job."
No one knows how many Americans and other visitors will travel to Winnipeg for the World Cup, but hotel occupancy rates are a good indication.
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Winnipeg hotels are 100 percent full and campgrounds are expected to be bustling, said Loren Remillard, executive vice president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. He said Grand Forks hotels have also reported an increase in occupancy.
