I just got a change notification from Air Canada yesterday. My flight in June is leaving PVG 1 hour and 15 mins later, causing me to miss the connection. That leaves me now with 6.5 hours in YVR.

My question is this - if I want to leave the airport and go to the waterfront, can I just go through Canadian customs/passport control, then catch the Canada Line? Or does my checked bag get sent to preclearance and I am forced to then go through into the US customs where I will then be stuck in the terminal?

If I am able to leave the airport, when I return, do I then proceed through security and on to US Customs pre-clearance? How much time should I allow? Thanks in advance!