Get the Facts: Border Security

While Canada and the United States share an expansive border, both countries cooperate on a daily basis to ensure that the border is secured, effective and protected. With more than $1.6 billion worth of trade flowing across the border each day, keeping the border open and secure is a national priority for both countries.

Quick Border Facts
  • 1.6 billion dollars in trade per day
  • Canada-U.S. trade directly supports 5.2 million U.S. jobs
  • Canada is the number one export destination for 38 U.S. states (2005)
  • Total bilateral trade is worth more than $500 billion a year
Canadian Agencies Securing the Border CO-OPERATING TO SECURE OUR COMMON BORDER

LAND
Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBETs)
IBETs are a prime example of Canada-U.S. law enforcement agencies working together to protect our common border. There are five key agencies involved in each IBET: the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection/Border Patrol, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

These teams are strategically placed along the border and combine their efforts in gathering and sharing critical information to maintain a safe border. We now have 23 teams in 15 regions covering the entire border across the country, working with partners at the federal, provincial/state, and local levels to ensure border security.

The mission of IBETs is to:
enhance border integrity and security by identifying, investigating, and interdicting persons and organizations that pose a threat to national security or are engaged in other organized criminal activity.

SEA
Container Security Initiative
Canada is a full partner in the Container Security Initiative (CSI). The primary goal of CSI is to protect the global trading system and to keep the trade lanes open between foreign ports and North America by targeting and interdicting potential terrorism threats before these threats reach our shores. CSI works to:
  • Identify high-risk containers
  • Pre-screen and evaluate containers before they are shipped
  • Use technology to pre-screen high-risk containers (including large-scale X-ray and gamma ray machines and radiation detection devices)
  • Use smarter, more secure containers, which will allow customs officers at ports of arrival to identify containers that have been tampered with during transit.

Canada and the United States are cooperating closely to accomplish these goals. Canadian and U.S. customs officials are jointly deployed in support of the CSI at the ports of Newark/New York, Seattle, Vancouver, Halifax and Montreal. Canada is one of only two countries to have customs personnel based at US ports to assist in the CSI.

AIR
NORAD
Since 1958 Canada and the United States have worked together to secure the air approaches to North America. Following the events of 9/11, NORAD was also tasked with monitoring domestic North American aerospace. Under bi-national command and staffed by military personnel from both countries, NORAD stands ready to defend North America’s skies.

Canadian Contribution to NORAD
  • 1 Canadian Air Division composed of four fighter squadrons flying CF-18’s
  • Underground complex at Canadian Forces Base North Bay
  • NORAD Region Headquarters at CFB Winnipeg
  • NORAD Deputy Commander
SECURE FLOW OF PEOPLE AND GOODS
NEXUS
NEXUS is a jointly administered, bi-national customs and immigration program for frequent travellers between Canada and the United States. The NEXUS program is designed to simplify border crossings for pre-approved, low-risk travellers and allows officers at the border to focus on higher risk persons.
  • NEXUS Highway : Available at 11 land border crossings. The program commenced June 2002 and as of January 2006, there were over 90,000 people enrolled in the NEXUS Highway program.
  • NEXUS Air: This pilot project was implemented at Vancouver International Airport in November 2004 and as of January 2006, there were more than 5,000 active members. Program participants use iris recognition technology to clear customs and immigration quickly and securely.
  • Nexus Marine : NEXUS Marine will provide Canadian and American recreational boaters the opportunity to clear customs and immigration of either country by contacting the Telephone Reporting Centre (TRC) 30 minutes (minimum) and 4 hours (maximum) prior to arrival. As of January 2006, there were approximately 700 members enrolled in the NEXUS Marine program.
FAST
The Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program is a joint Canada–United States initiative involving the Canada Border Services Agency and the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The program supports the movement of pre-approved eligible goods across the border quickly and the verification of trade compliance away from the border.

It is a commercial process offered to pre-approved importers, carriers, and registered drivers. Shipments for approved companies, transported by approved carriers using registered drivers, will be cleared into either country with greater speed and certainty, and at a reduced cost of compliance.

FAST participants must meet the requirements of Canada's Partners In Protection (PIP) program or the United States Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program. Participating companies must adopt and implement security procedures to be compatible with guidelines set by both the CBSA and CBP.

To review all of Canada's border security initiatives click here

Resources for further information: