After passing through US pre-clearance at YVR can you exit YVR into Canada?

Question

My wife and I went through US customs at YVR and soon realized that we couldn't get to the aquarium. Is there a way to leave once passing through customs? I have a 6 hour wait until my next flight.

Answer 1

I remember last time I went through US preclearance in Toronto, that there was a sign that said something like, if you pass through preclearance, you must proceed on a flight to the US the same day; and if you leave, you must report to the Canadian Border Services Agency. (I can't find a picture or copy of the text, unfortunately.)

So I think basically, you would have to report to CBSA and go through Canadian immigration and customs to go back to the rest of the airport, and you would have to then go through US preclearance again when you want to board your flight later.

Answer 2

I was at toronto pearson Terminal 3 waiting for my delta flight when the other delta plane crashed and flipped over on the runway. This shutdown the entire airport, both terminals for 3 hours, before reopening with only half available runways. all flights were delayed and many were canceled, includeing my flight.

I was already through US preclearance (i was going to new york), and waiting in the departure lounge when the crash happened. My flight was canceled along with 1 other delta flight, and the worker at the gate told us to go to a gate near the customs exit, and line up. This was a huge line that went around the corner and down the hall past another gate, but i was near the front. The single delta worker told us to wait and she would escort us out one by one (with a line of 200+ people) after taking 2 people, she decided to do 10 at a time, and i was in the next batch. She took us down a service corridor beside the food shops, and then to a secure door with a guard, who was very strict at the amount of people through the door at a time. We went through and it was into the exit of the domestic flights area, there was a exit back into the terminal lounge and a exit below into the baggage area to recover the bags from the flight. I had no checked bags so i just walked out. I did not go through canadian customs.

You have to be escorted out to be let out. They might have automatically canceled my entry to the US when my flight was canceled, and they were sending american citizens back in without customs either.