Canada Border Services
Agency
Transportation Border Working Group Border Infrastructure Updates
Quebec City October, 2010
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CONTENT
 Background
Current Environment
Port of Entry Projects
Challenges
Future Direction
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BACKGROUND
 The CBSA has responsibility for the entire asset life cycle
of 109 land ports of entry (6 are jointly owned by CBSA
and the US) 63 residential units at remote/isolated ports
of entry and 16 wharves;
 Over the past decade the CBSA has focused investment
on modernizing and upgrading the port infrastructure
examination facilities at the larger 7/24 ports of entry with
a focus on the designated commercial offices;
 Federal government investments made through the
Border Investment Fund (BIF) and its successor, the
Gateways and Border Crossing Fund (GCBF) have
improved significantly the transportation infrastructure in
all modes of transportation;
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BACKGROUND….cont’d
 Major investments in port of entry infrastructure have
also been funded through the BIF, the GBCF, and the
CBSA’s capital budget;
 The majority of the investment has been earmarked for
expansion of the transportation infrastructure.
 Over this period the CBSA has modernized and
expanded its commercial and travelers examination
facilities at major ports of entry at Osoyoos, Coutts,
Emmerson, Stanstead, Armstrong, Douglas, and St.
Stephen ;
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CURRENT ENVIRONMENT
 The majority of the CBSA’s large and medium sized
ports have been, or are in the process of being
redeveloped within the last ten years, are functional and
provide adequate serviceability;
 Under the Government of Canada’s Economic Action
Plan (EAP), the CBSA will further invest in the
modernization and expansion port of entry facilities, with
an emphasis on improving commercial operation:
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Kingsgate, B.C.;
Prescott, Ont.;
Pacific Highway, B.C.; and
Abbotsford-Huntingdon, B.C.
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CURRENT ENVIRONMENT….cont’d
 With the completion of the EAP projects, the CBSA will
shift focus to addressing the rust-out and serviceability
issues related to the smaller ports of entry;
 A portion of the CBSA funding under the EAP was for the
construction of required residential accommodation at 3
northern remote locations.
 50% of the CBSA inventory of smaller ports is over 35
years of age and cannot adequately support new
program initiatives such as the Doubling-Up;
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PORT OF ENTRY PROJECTS
 Modernization and replacement of the port
infrastructure at Prescott, Ont. and Kingsgate, B.C.;
 Expansion and modernization of the commercial
examination facilities at Pacific Highway and
Abbotsford-Huntingdon, B.C.;
 Replacement of the port of entry facilities at Aldergrove,
B.C. underway;
 Completion of the new residential accommodation at
Pleasant Camp, B.C. and Little Gold and Beaver Creek,
Yukon;
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PORT OF ENTRY PROJECTS….cont’d
 Replacement of 5 small ports in the Prairies
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Goodlands, MB
Coulter, MB
Lyleton, SK
Coronach, SK
West Poplar, SK .
 Replacement of Stewart Port of Entry and expansion of
commercial examination facilities at North Portal, Sk.;
 Expansion of the commercial examination facilities at
Lacolle (GBCF funded project). Project will include
realignment of the bus processing facility and increase
in the Primary Line capacity.
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CHALLENGES
 Although the CBSA and Transport Canada have made
considerable investment in expanding and modernizing
the transportation and port infrastructure there are
operational deficiencies and border wait times at
several land ports of entry that need to be addressed on
a priority basis.
 CBSA’s (and Transport Canada’s) joint challenge over
the coming years will be to address:
 Capacity, redundancy, and operational deficiencies in the
Windsor-Detroit corridor;
 Ensure that the top 20 commercial ports of entry at the land
border are effective particularly the Montreal-New York
corridors;
 Increasing trade in the marine mode on both coasts.
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CHALLENGES….cont’d
 At the CBSA’s custodial portfolio rust-out remains a
major concern:
 Facilities have not kept pace with the demands (increased
volume of international trade in all modes of transportation
coupled with the increased border security environment post911);
 Need to replace 90 smaller ports while ensuring that
those recently redeveloped remain functional and
reliable:
 Backlog is in the order of $180M at the land border;
 The replacement facilities are considerably larger than
the original to accommodate today’s program needs
creating a significant future O&M funding liability in
addition to inflation
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FUTURE DIRECTION
 Need to develop joint Transport Canada-CBSA priority
areas for investments in the national transportation
system in three broad areas:
 Major transportation and port of entry infrastructure needs in the
Windsor-Detroit and Montreal-New York trade corridors and at
the top 20 land ports of entry;
 Targeted investments to improve the efficiency of existing
infrastructure (e.g. dedicated FAST and NEXUS lanes) where
there is a high benefit to cost ratios; and
 Investments in IT that will help to optimize the use of the
existing infrastructure by providing timely information to the
users of the system
 sustain the level of recapitalization required to ensure
the maintenance of adequate border inspection facilities
while continuing to support future investments;
 Implementation of the Port Closure announcements.
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