Category: CBSA

CBSA Closes Main Border Crossing Between Montreal and New York

MONTREAL—The Canada Border Services Agency says one of the country’s busiest border crossings is closed. The CBSA said in a post on Twitter that all lanes are closed at the Saint−Bernard−de−Lacolle border crossing because of a “broken roadway.” The agency says commercial operations are continuing at the crossing. Saint−Bernard−de−Lacolle is the primary border crossing between…


Over 3,300 Foreign Nationals Flagged as Security Risks Allowed Into Canada From 2014-2019: Audit

The federal Immigration Department between 2014 and 2019 allowed entry into Canada to over 3,300 foreign nationals flagged by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) as security risks, according to an internal federal audit. During the five-year span studied in the audit, Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) gave over 7,670 migration applicants a “non-favourable” recommendation, the…


Police Arrest 45, Seize 440 Weapons in Canada-Wide Raids Targeting 3D-printed Guns

Police said Wednesday they arrested 45 people and seized 440 weapons in simultaneous raids across eight provinces, targeting manufacturers of 3D-printed or “ghost” guns, which are increasingly showing up at crime scenes in Canada. Authorities held a news conference in Montreal to announce the results of Tuesday’s operation, dubbed Reproduction, led by the Quebec provincial…


Mendicino Introduces Bill to Create Independent Review Body for RCMP and CBSA

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino unveiled legislation on Tuesday to address the issue of anti-black and anti-indigenous racism in policing and the justice system by establishing an independent review body for the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). “We know that racialized and indigenous Canadians are vastly overrepresented in prisons interact more frequently with…


Mendicino Testifies on Bill That Would Create Independent Review Body for RCMP, CBSA

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino testified Tuesday on a bill that would address anti-black and anti-indigenous racism in policing and the justice system by establishing an independent review body for the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Mendicino said Bill C-20, which was tabled in the House of Commons on June 21, 2022,…


Canada Losing Millions in Unpaid Customs Duties at Border

Canada is losing millions of dollars in uncollected customs duties, even following a 2017 report that urged a crackdown on tax evasion at the border, according to an audit. A Canada Border Services Agency report, “Evaluation of the Duties Relief and Duty Drawback Programs,” indicated that inspectors reported that importers avoiding tariffs were responsible for “significant…


Voluntary ArriveCAN Usage Low Despite Speedier Border Processing: CBSA

The number of travellers who use ArriveCAN to submit their advance customs declaration when entering Canada has dropped 50 percent since the system stopped being mandatory for COVID-19 purposes last fall, says the border agency. September was the last month ArriveCAN was mandatory to track the vaccination status and quarantine plans of travellers, with 31…


Feds Allowed Entry to Over 40% of Foreign Border-Crossers Deemed Risky: Audit

Over 40 percent of foreign border-crossers deemed by border agents to be security risks were still allowed into Canada by the Department of Immigration, according to a report. “Due to multiple factors and considerations, the Department of Immigration authorized entry or permission to stay in Canada to a significant proportion of applicants who had received…


John Robson: Federal Consultants Proliferate, but Don’t Expect More Public Sector Efficiency

Commentary Last week I said I wasn’t angling for a consulting job with the government. I have changed my mind. For a modest $250 an hour or so, plus “expenses,” I’ll advise them on how to employ fewer other consultants. It seems everyone else is a bureaucrat, public sector consultant, or consultant who used to…


Border Agency Saw Cross-Country Protests as Low Risk, but Increased Threat Language as Emergency Was Declared

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) assessed the threat posed by the cross-country protests and blockades as “low” throughout last winter’s events, its former president told the Public Order Emergency Commission on Nov. 16. But at the time the Liberal government was invoking the Emergencies Act on the afternoon of Feb. 14 to deal with…