Travelers from within the new Atlantic bubble faced a massive traffic jam as they tried to enter New Brunswick over the weekend. Liberal Tourism critic, Jacques LeBlanc, is calling on the Higgs government to immediately provide their plan to ensure improved traffic flow and safety at the provincial borders.

“It’s obvious that the Provincial government was not at all prepared for the increased traffic at the border,” said LeBlanc “PEI and Nova Scotia obviously both had time to elaborate a plan and put protocols in place to avoid the ridiculous wait times we saw at our borders. Why is New Brunswick so far behind?”

The Higgs government has yet to release any details but has hinted at a system that could be put in place to ease traffic flow safely.

“The sooner a proper system is put in place, the better! However, I’m worried of the impacts of last weekend’s fiasco on tourists’ willingness to visit our province,” said the MLA for Shediac-Beaubassin-Cap-Pelé. “Organizational issues of this magnitude make a very bad impression on tourists. If simply entering the province is a challenge, they may be weary to travel within the province as well.”

Tourists weren’t the only ones stuck among the hundreds of cars waiting to be allowed into the province.

“There are front-line and essential workers that need to cross this border every day! It is unacceptable that they be forced to wait hours to be granted access to New Brunswick,” said LeBlanc “We need a better plan immediately with separate lanes for preapproved essential traffic and for other vehicles such as commercial drivers and emergency vehicles.”