Tolstoi, MB & Canadian-US border

415 US miles + 1,682 Canadian km = 1,504 miles

Tolstoi Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Tolstoi is a hamlet near the Canada–United States border.  It was founded by Ukrainian immigrants in the 1890s, one of the earliest Ukrainian settlements in western Canada.  Tolstoi's population has declined dramatically in recent decades, as most young people leave for jobs in Winnipeg.  The former two-room schoolhouse has become the Tolstoi Seniors Centre.  The community includes a grocery store, Ukrainian Catholic and Ukrainian Orthodox churches, and the Ukrainian National Community Hall which is rented out for social events.

Tolstoi is the transfer point for microwave (S-band) television signals between Winnipeg and North Dakota.  The hamlet is located between cellphone tower services areas and cellphone service is unreliable.  Being near the international border offers enhanced TV reception but inferior cellphone service.

The Tolstoi border crossing is one of the busiest in Manitoba.  More than 72,000 people cross the border here each year.   It is a Class A U.S. port, which means it is a designated port for all aliens.  Foreign nationals entering the U.S. are advised to use Class A Ports of Entry.  On the Canadian side, the Tolstoi border crossing is designated to be fully bilingual while some smaller ones are not, as this one serves many French-speaking communities like Saint-Malo, St. Pierre, and Ile des Chênes.

On the American side, no images are available.  No photos of the approach or lines of cars waiting or informative signs, as can be found at other busy ports of entry.  I tried to capture a pic myself using Google Street Views, but hit a dead end.  No view is possible, coming from either direction.  So I don’t know what I would see as I approach the re-entry point to my own country.  But if I passed by the Canadian border station and turned around before I reached the US station, I would see this welcoming view back into Canada.

info: Wikipedia.com

Tolstoi Holy Ghost Ukrainian Orthodox Church:  www.mhs.mb.ca

Canadian border station info & image:  www.steinbachonline.com