OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 25, 2023 /CNW/ - On January 26th, the CBSA will participate in the celebration of International Customs Day alongside other customs agencies around the globe. Every year, the World Customs Organization selects a new theme. This year's theme is "to nurture the next generation by promoting a culture of knowledge-sharing and professional pride in customs", this theme is in line with the CBSA as we celebrate our 20th anniversary this year.
Our agency is renowned for promoting effective and efficient border management methods, and prides itself on the professionalism of its employees and frontline officers. The enhancements we're making will help develop the next generation of customs officers, this will help us continue to succeed in the future.
We promote a culture of knowledge and the sharing of information, and value our domestic and international partnerships highly. Ultimately, border management is a shared responsibility across international borders. The dangers and opportunities associated with migration and digitalization are most effectively addressed by working together.
Additionally, we are making significant alterations to the ports of entry, these alterations include the utilization of new technology in the form of travellers and vehicles, this technology is intended to reduce the wait time. Data-driven approaches are facilitating the flow of cross-border travel and commerce without impediments, they also intercept illegal goods.
Key highlights of CBSA enforcement that will take place between January 1 and December 31, 2022, include:
- It was responsible for possessing over 1,100 firearms as well as 24,400 prohibited weapons on our territory.
- Thwarted an estimated 409,714 kg of tobacco that would have resulted in revenue fraud.
- Taken 46,907 detentions
- 41,475.5 kilograms of illicit drugs were seized, including 3,084 kilograms of Cocaine, 398 kilograms of Heroin, and 4 kilograms of Fentanyl.
- The CBSA's CARM project offers significant benefits to the trade community. This includes the release of Release 2, which will add additional functionality to the CARM Client Portal, which was launched in May 2021. As of December 31, 2022, 24,773 Trade Chain Partners have registered with the Portal. The Agency continues to work towards fully implementing the new system.
- Six international airports currently offer travelers the option to make a customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours before their arrival in Canada. This initiative is called CBSA Advance Declaration and will be expanded to other airports in the coming months.
- In the hopes of reducing wait times, the Pearson airport implemented eGates. These conveniently located gates allow people traveling alone or in small groups to skip primary inspection and check in quickly. This useful new feature also allows travelers to declare their immigration and customs before moving through security.
- The CBSA has undertaken the largest infrastructure project in the history of the agency. Named the Land Border Crossing Project, this is a major undertaking by any measure. Over the course of seven years, this project will replace or upgrade 24 ports of entry. In addition to providing travelers with improved services, this will also improve commercial importers' working conditions and officers' access to energy-efficient and sustainable infrastructure.
- The Secure Corridor Commercial Lane Enhancement project was originally initiated as a pilot at the Ambassador Bridge. This project featured new technological advances that eliminate the need for commercial vehicles to share space with Border Services Officers.
Quick Facts
Between January 1 and December 31, 2022, the CBSA1:
Welcomed over 60 million travellers into Canada, which represents approximately four times the 2021 volume, including:
- 25,113,092 by air mode
- 33,009,180 by land mode
- 2,427,113 by marine mode
- 47,746 by rail mode
- 28,992 Afghans
- 140,117 Ukrainians
- Processed 5,292,136 commercial trucks into Canada
- Assessed over $39 billion in duties and taxes (Customs duties, Special Import Measures Act duties, GST and Excise taxes)
- Continued to protect Canadian industry from unfair trade practices by administering the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA), with over $177 million in SIMA duties assessed and approximately 30,000 Canadian jobs protected.
- Supported the negotiation of Free Trade Agreements with the United Kingdom and the European Union.
- Established mutual recognition with Peru and the European Union to recognize each others' Trusted Trader program members as low risk, and to honour similar program benefits.
