Fraser border changes may be security concern: union

The union that represents Canadian border guards has security concerns about the reduction in service at Fraser, B.C.

The border into Canada, on the South Klondike Highway, is now closed between midnight and 8 a.m., year-round.

Dan Robinson, executive steward of the Customs and Immigration Union for the Whitehorse area operations, says the change is not expected to affect staffing, but he says the reduced hours could affect security.

"I'm sure you can imagine if someone crosses the border between midnight and 8 a.m., illicitly, they could be halfway to Fort St. John by the time the staff come in at 8 in the morning and check the cameras to see who may have snuck across," he says. 

Yukon MP Ryan Leef has suggested self declaration might be an option for the overnight hours at Fraser but Robinson says replacing border guards with machines is not a good idea.

An American customs official says no decision has been made yet about whether the United States border into Alaska will also close overnight. For now it's open 24 hours.