Fact sheets: Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security: Foreign Nationals (April 30, 2026)

CBSA stats and facts

2025 Stats and Figures January 1 to December 31, 2025

Budget – A and B base (source of info: 2026–2027 Main Estimates)

FTEs – uniformed, operational and support

Approximately 17,000 employees
over 8,500 front line
1,200 ports of entry and in 36 countries.

Ports of entry – air, land, marine

• 117 land-border crossings – 61 on a 24/7 basis
• 13 international airports – 10 on a 24/7 basis
• 27 rail sites
• 3 Major Ports (Halifax, Montréal and Vancouver) numerous marinas and reporting stations

IT Contracts – number and amount and decrease over past years (source of info: Q1 report to TBS)

36 IT consultants as of August 15, 2025, compared to 250 in June 2023.

The reduction in consultants reflects the CBSA's steady decline in overall contract use. The amount of active contracts has reduced by 55% between April 1st 2023 and April 1st 2025 from 2275 to 1027.

Executives

• 44% of VPs/RDGs have served on the frontline (8 out of 18)
• 35.7% of the Executive cadre (at all levels) worked on the frontline directly supporting the CBSA mandate at some point in their career (91 out of 255)
• 48.2% of the Executive cadre (at all levels) have either worked directly on the frontline and/or occupied a role that required supervision of frontline employees (123 out of 255)
• 66% of VPs and RDGs are women (12 out of 18)

Travellers in 2025 (to December 31, 2025)

• 82,300,378 travellers:
  • Air: 36,678,160
  • Highway: 42,019,470
    • including 5,536,892 truck drivers
  • Marine: 3,357,015
  • Rail: 245,701
• 34,227,852 travellers used Primary inspection kiosks
• 4,115,070 travellers used Advanced Declaration
• 17 additional primary inspection kiosks across Canada
• 2.1 million NEXUS members

Commercial goods imports in 2025 (to December 31, 2025)

• 30.7 million releases of goods into the commerce of Canada
• 149 million courier shipments
• $265.8 billion Trusted Trader value for duty imported
• $47.5 billion total duties and taxes assessed (customs duties, Special Import Measures Act [SIMA] duties, surtaxes, GST and excise taxes)
• Commercial by the numbers:
  • Highway: 5,038,595 trucks
  • Air: 3,817,803 shipments
  • Marine: 2,012,946 containers
  • Rail: 1,815,786 cars

Food, plant and animal 2025 (to December 31, 2025)

A total of 3,668 Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties (AAAMP) issued for food, plant and animal import violations totaling $2,830,200 in penalties.

Enforcement in 2025 (to December 31, 2025)

A total of 52,238 seizures, coming in to Canada (from US and other countries), including:

• 659 seizures for a total of 833 firearms seized
• 8,263 seizures for a total of 17,771 weapons seized
• 31,688 illegal drugs seizures
  • Cocaine (including coca leaves, coca paste, cocaine and cocaine crack): 4,725 kilograms
  • Heroin: 128 kilograms
  • Fentanyl: 2.8 kilograms
  • Methamphetamines: 2,397 kilograms
  • Other opioids (including opium, methadone, morphine and morphine base): 1,144 kilograms
  • Other drugs, narcotics and chemicals: 28,206 kilograms (this number excludes cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, other opioids and cannabis)
• 16,029 cannabis seizures totaling 46,608 kilograms
• 3,457 tobacco seizures totaling 803,652 kilograms
• 99 child pornography seizures

Firearm seizures in 2025 (to December 31, 2025)

• Total firearms seized: 833
• Total firearms seizures: 659

Weapons seizures in 2025 (to December 31, 2025)

• Total weapons seized: 17,771
• Total weapon seizures: 8,263

Breakdown of LO-Intervened off-boards (to December 31, 2025)

Alternatives to Detention (ATDs) Statistics

Allowed to Leaves issued at POEs

• If an officer at a port of entry examines a foreign national and the person is believed to be inadmissible, the officer may in some circumstances allow the person to voluntarily withdraw their application to enter Canada and allow them to depart
• Each case will be assessed individually and a decision will be based on the specific facts of the case and whether the objectives of the IRPA would be best achieved without seeking a formal removal order

Inadmissibility (A44) Reports (serious inadmissibility grounds)

• The above represents A44 reports for the following IRPA inadmissibility grounds: security, human rights violations, serious criminality, criminality, organized crime, sanctions and transborder criminality
• A finding of inadmissibility begins with the officer making an allegation by preparing an inadmissibility (A44) report which is supported by evidence
• A44 is then reviewed by another official (Minister's Delegate) who may issue a prescribed removal order if the inadmissibility allegation is within their jurisdiction or refer the A44 report to the Immigration and Refugee Board for an admissibility hearing

Stolen vehicles

Anti-dumping (As of December 31, 2025)

As of December 31, 2025, the CBSA has conducted 33 anti-dumping and countervailing investigations across nine product groups, spanning the mineral oil, paper, plastic, and predominantly steel industries, involving 15 countries, primarily China. Of the 33 investigations, 24 are ongoing.

Active Investigations:

1. Thermoformed Molded Fibre Tableware
   • Plates, bowls, and take-out containers made from recycled paper pulp. They're pressed into shape (molded) and often used as eco-friendly disposable tableware
2. Oil Country Tubular Goods
   • Steel pipes used in the oil and gas industry to drill wells and bring resources to the surface. This includes casing, tubing, and drill pipe that must withstand extreme underground pressure
3. Cast Iron Soil Pipe
   • Heavy, durable iron pipes used to carry waste and water in buildings and underground systems. They're common in older plumbing and commercial construction because they reduce noise and last a long time
4. Thermal Paper Rolls
   • Paper used in cash register receipts and credit card machines that darkens when heated by the printer head
5. Steel Strapping
   • Strong, flat steel bands used to bundle and secure heavy products—like lumber, steel coils, or bricks—during shipping or storage
6. Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire
   • Long, thin strands of steel made by drawing carbon or alloy steel through dies. Used for making nails, fencing, springs, cables, and many industrial products
7. Polyethylene Terephthalate Resin
   • A type of plastic resin used to make clear beverage bottles, food containers, and synthetic fibres like polyester clothing. It's lightweight and recyclable
8. Renewable Diesel
   • A fuel made from animal fats, vegetable oils, or other organic materials. It's chemically similar to regular diesel and can be used in diesel engines without blending, but it produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions
9. Truck Bodies
   • Rigid structures mounted onto truck chassis that are designed to contain or support goods during on-road transportation. These include box-type truck bodies (insulated or non-insulated), refrigerated bodies, and truck body kits or assemblies

Enforcement statistics

Drugs

Key Takeaways (Overall Quantities in grams)

• The 2025 seizure total (83,210,800g) exceeds the total reported for all of 2024 (52,056,505g). This represents a 60% increase
• Compared with 2023 (79,352,888g), seizure numbers in 2024 (52,056,505g) were lower, reflecting a downward trend. This is a decrease of about 34%
• 2020 recorded the lowest amount of seizures (30,150,272g). This is likely due to low traveller volumes during the COVID-19 Pandemic
• In 2022, 55,618,092g of seizures were recorded. This then surged to 79,352,888g seized in 2023. This represents approximately a 43% increase

Key Takeaways (Overall - Count of Seizure Actions)

• 2023 recorded the highest amount of seizure actions (39,057)
• Seizure activity decreased in 2024 (28,339), compared to the 2023 count (39,057). This is a decrease of about 27%
• 2024 recoded 28,339 seizure actions. This number then increased to 31,680 in 2025, representing a 12% increase

The most drug seizures were made in X Region, the least in X Region

• From January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2025. GTAR recorded the highest amount of drug seizures (154,752,088g)
• From January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2025, NOR recorded the least amount of seizures (744,502g)

Specific commodities where import seizures are up are/Specific commodities where import seizures are down:

Specific commodities where export seizures are up/ Specific commodities where export seizures are down:

The five year trend for drug seizures is:

The five year trend for precursor seizures is:

Firearms

CBSA Criminal Investigation Prosecution Outcomes:

Charge/Prosecution Acceptance Rate:

From April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025, over 95% of the charge recommendations made by the CSBA to the Crown following firearms and weapons investigations undertaken by the CBSA, have resulted in charges approved.

Results of CBSA search warrants away from the border (as part of criminal investigations):

Stolen vehicles

Stolen vehicle trend

Undeclared currency

Currency and Suspected Proceeds of Crime Seizures

Total value of currency and suspected of proceeds of crime seizures from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2025

Asylum Statistics

Number of recommended offboards by CBSA ILOs

The number of asylum claims in the last 10 years are:

Percentage increase 2016–2025: The percentage difference for both agencies combined between 2016 and 2025 is an increase of 380%)

Percentage increase 2022–2025: The percentage difference for both agencies combined between 2022 and 2025 is an increase of 24%)

The number of asylum claims at Lacolle are:

Number of IRB asylum hearings with CBSA representation

CBSA's annual removals:

CBSA's removal inventory (defined as removals in progress and wanted) is:

Projected removal inventory (including wanted and in progress) assuming at least 25,000 removals per year

Assumptions:

1. IRB maintains calendar year 2024 decision volume (approximately 73,000 decisions) and acceptance rate (63%). Although the new Asylum target for RPD is 80,000 to 85,000
2. The CBSA enforces 25,000 removals per year (Note that the CBSA is currently funded for 20,000 in fiscal year 2026–2027, and 16,000 for future years)
3. Impact of other inadmissibility cases (for example, overstays) is not included
4. The CBSA will enforce 20,000 removals in 2025
5. Bill C-12 impact on inventory is not included

Current top 5 recalcitrant countries:

CBSA's security screening inventory vs completed screens per year:

Intake:

Results:

CBSA's Detention Capacity is:

CBSA's detention rates:

CBSA's detention rate as a percentage of asylum claims

Trade Statistics

Anti dumping and subsidy investigations – opened and concluded

Sanctions Implementation – number of sanctions in place being enforced by CBSA

There are currently 12 countries against which there are import sanctions and 22 countries against which there are export sanctions. In recent years, the Government of Canada has increased its use of sanctions, currently imposing sanctions on 355 Harmonized System (HS) codes, as well as all goods being imported from North Korea and Syria. The CBSA's responsibility for exports is broader and requires ensuring compliance for all exports to North Korea, a wide range of industrial goods to Iran, and all exports to specific entities (people and businesses) in 19 other countries (for example, Myanmar, Sudan, Iraq). The current sanctions against Russia are the most extensive with 935 different HS codes covering industrial and luxury goods.

Duties and Taxes Compliance Statistics

Duties and taxes collected

Number of Compliance Verification Audits Concluded and Amounts Assessed

Additional Information:

Number of Compliance Interventions and Amount Assessed:

Strategic Export Enforcement - Sanctions and Counter-Proliferation Referrals for Enforcement by Counter-Proliferation Operations Section (CPOS), CBSA

Asylum seekers

How many asylum seekers have come to Canada through ports of entry in 2025?

• Asylum claims in air: 11,734
• Asylum claims in land: 21,441
• Asylum claims between the ports of entry (based on people brought to CBSA by PoJ): 1,839
• This represents a 43% decrease in overall claims since last year
• The most claims were at the Lacolle port of entry with 15,369 claimants (an increase of 89% over last year)

All data is as of January 28, 2026

CBSA land border refugee claims: 2020-2026

• In 2020-2021, land border refugee claims were low due to the effects of the Covid Pandemic
• In 2022 and the early part of 2023, as Covid restrictions eased the number of land border claimsincreased sharply
  • A significant number of these claims were irregular between the Port of Entry claims
• The implementation of the STCA-AP on March 25, 2023 caused the number of irregular claims to be greatly reduced
  • However regular claims started to show an increase after the STCA-AP implementation
• Regular Claims has been around the 15,000 mark since the implementation
  • However in 2025, the number increased to almost 20,000
    • This was mostly due to two periods of increased claims due to an influx of Haitian Nationals specifically at the Saint-Bernard-de Lacolle POE
      • The influx was mostly due to the expiration of the Cuba Haiti Nicaragua Venezuela Parole program in the United States

Iranian regime designation

Question Period Note – CBSA – March 20, 2026

Key messages

• Let me be clear, CBSA officers are investigating Iranian nationals who are in Canada and who served in the IRGC or were senior members of the regime
• Once evidence is gathered, they are referring the cases to the Immigration and Refugee Board and seeking a removal order

If pressed

Q1 – On the 700 put forward by StopIRGC:

• This number cannot be validated
• A couple years ago, a group of lawyers made this claim and CBSA followed up directly with them
• Only a few names were provided and the CBSA has followed up on all of them
• We encourage the public to send any tips to the CBSA Border Watch Line

Background

Information to support key messages

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) works in an operating environment that changes on a daily basis and we are ready to respond and adapt as needed. Our strong response to suspected senior officials in the Iranian regime remains in place and the CBSA continues to take action to stop them from seeking or finding safe haven in Canada.

The CBSA takes its border protection responsibilities very seriously and works closely with domestic and international partners by regularly sharing relevant information on border and national security issues. This includes our support to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) which makes decisions on citizenship and immigration applications, including visas. Iranian nationals must apply for a visa to come to Canada and visa applicants are carefully assessed by IRCC. For more information on visa issuance please contact IRCC directly.

In November 2022, Canada designated the leadership of the Iranian government – including senior officials of the government, security, and intelligence agencies – as inadmissible to Canada for their engagement in terrorism and systemic and gross human rights violations. This designation, which was expanded in September 2024, is pursued under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). It is a broadly applied mechanism aimed at ensuring that senior government officials who served from June 23, 2003 onward do not benefit from access to Canada. Additionally, it enables the CBSA to take immigration enforcement action against any regime member who may have already been in Canada prior to or since the designation. Members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are also inadmissible to Canada under an additional provision of the IRPA. Following the regime designation and IRGC listing, visas have been cancelled, investigations launched, and admissibility hearings completed.

Additionally, Canada has taken domestic legislative action to criminalize support to terrorist entities, including those who are supported by Iran. In 2024, Canada listed the IRGC as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code, in response to its terrorist acts both on its own and in knowing association with listed terrorist entities, such as Hizballah and Hamas. Canada remains gravely concerned by the Islamic Republic of Iran's actions and condemns their efforts to further destabilize peace and security across the Middle East. The Criminal Code terrorist listing regime is an important tool for countering terrorism in Canada and globally, and listing the IRGC reflects the government's commitment to keep people in Canada safe.

When the CBSA becomes aware of cases where a temporary or permanent resident inside Canada may be inadmissible as a senior official of the Iranian regime, the CBSA completes a thorough investigation. If after investigation the concern is well-founded, the CBSA will report the individual and refer the case to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) as the decision-maker in these types of cases. If the IRB determines at the end of a hearing that the person is inadmissible, they will issue a removal order against them and the CBSA will then work to enforce their removal from Canada.

There are a number of factors that affect the ability to remove a person from Canada, including availability of subsequent applications that they can make, such as pre-removal risk assessment applications, and all persons are afforded due process against any decision made against them which can include seeking judicial review of those decisions. The CBSA only actions a removal order once a person has waived or exhausted all legal avenues of recourse that can stay the removal.

As of March 5, 2026, under the designation of the Iranian regime:

• approximately 17,800 applications were reviewed for potential inadmissibility
• 239 visas have been cancelled by IRCC
• 174 investigations have been opened by the CBSA
  • Additional investigations will be opened as new information becomes available
• 79 investigations have been concluded by the CBSA, which means that the individuals in question were either not in Canada or determined not to be a senior official in the Iranian regime and therefore not inadmissible for this reason
  • The remaining cases are subject to ongoing investigations or enforcement action
• 32 persons have been reported inadmissible by the CBSA for being a senior official in the Iranian regime
  • 23 cases involving individuals in Canada have been or will be sent to the Immigration Division (ID) of the IRB for an admissibility hearing
    • [Redacted] referrals were withdrawn by the CBSA before the case proceeded any further
  • The CBSA has requested the scheduling of 17 of these cases, while the rest continue to undergo preparations prior to being sent for scheduling. Of these 17 cases:
    • 8 admissibility hearings have been concluded, resulting in decisions by the ID:
      • [Redacted] individuals were found inadmissible for being prescribed senior officials and issued deportation orders. [Redacted] has been removed from Canada
      • [Redacted] individuals were found not inadmissible by the ID; CBSA has filed their appeal to the Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) in [Redacted] of these cases
    • In [Redacted] of these cases, the appeal was dismissed by the IAD which the CBSA has filed for judicial review of the decision
    • [Redacted] case has been subsequently withdrawn by the CBSA
    • 8 cases are ongoing

Traveller Modernization – Progress to date

Background

Traveller Modernization is a set of projects to implement new tools, processes and technology to allow more efficient processing of low-risk travellers.

Budget 2021 provided the CBSA with $337.6 million and $26.6 million ongoing for this initiative.

It is composed the following components.

Completed

• Legislative Changes: Will allow for greater use of digital reporting tools earlier in the travel continuum once regulatory amendments are in place – Delivered June 2023
• Advance Declaration: Allows travellers arriving at 10 international airports the ability to submit their declaration in advance – Delivered December 2023
• Traveller Compliance Indicator: Provides officers data-analytics driven information to help them make decisions – Delivered March 2024

In progress

• Free Flow International to International Transit: Will enable travellers transiting through Canada to another country to do so without reporting to the CBSA – By June 2026
• Biometrics Program and Framework: Will deliver a framework to guide the use of biometrics at the CBSA; will deliver a technical environment to conduct facial recognition research and evaluation – By March 2027
• Digital Traveller Experience: Will deliver an app that allows travellers to submit their biometric identity information in advance(in other words, passport photo), declaration and select forms – By March 2029
• Officer Experience: Will deliver a new system for officers that has all the information they need to process travellers in one place, replacing five 20+ old systems – By March 2029

Project benefits

• Increase in overall efficiency in traveller processing
• Increase overall effectiveness of traveller processing
• Reduced transactional cost associated to traveller processing will result in cost avoidance
• Improved business intelligence for effective and efficient program monitoring and delivery
• Reduce fraud

Progress to date and near-term deliverables

What have we delivered thus far?

• Legislative changes to allow greater use of digital reporting tools – June 2023
• Implemented Advanced Declaration in ArriveCAN at 10 airports that allows travellers to submit their customs declaration electronically – December 2023
• Developed a data-analytics driven "Compliance Indicator" that will help officers process compliant travellers more quickly – March 2024
• Drafted a biometric program framework to guide the use of biometrics at the CBSA – September 2025

What are the near-term deliverables?

• Regulatory and technical changes to allow international travellers transiting through Canada to another international destination to do so without reporting to the CBSA, a long-standing request from the air industry – June 2026
• Soft launch of the new "Traveller Processing System" for officers – beginning in July 2026 with national implementation occurring through to 2027
• A framework and lab to conduct biometric research, testing and evaluation on facial recognition technologies – March 2027

Officer Experience

What will new system give officers?

• All the information they need to process travellers in one place vs. toggling between 5 systems
• Ability to view Advance Declarations submitted by travellers through the border app
• Access to additional, AI-driven information to help them make release or refer decisions
• Ability to digitally refer travellers, allowing primary officers to provide additional details to officers in secondary electronically

When will officers see these changes?

There are two phases of this project:

Phase 1 – Highway and Ferry:

• Delivers 80% of the functionality required in the new officer system
• Where? 117 highway and 9 ferry ports of entry
• When? Execution has been underway since March 2025
• Implementation is on track to begin in Summer 2026

Phase 2 – Commercial Air, Remote, Cruise and Rail:

• Enhances the new officer system for use in remaining modes
• Where? 54 airports, 12 cruise ship sites, 4 passenger rail sites
• When? Execution is expected to begin in Fall 2027
• Implementation is expected to begin in Early 2028

Roll-out of the new system is low risk.

• It has been developed through extensive engagement of frontline officers and will be supported through extensive change management
• It will begin with a few lanes at a few ports for a few months before national roll-out
• If glitches arise during implementation, officers will be able to revert back to using the old systems

Digital Traveller Experience

What will the border app give travellers?

• Ability to store their Digital Travel Credential, a digital version of a passport that contains their photo, and submit an advanced customs declaration using it
• Ability to fill out select forms (for example, to declare currency)
• Ability to estimate duties and taxes
• Ability to access border crossing information

When will travellers see these changes?

This project has two phases, aligned to the Officer Experience project:

Phase 1 – Highway and Ferry:

• Allows travellers to submit Advance Declaration, including biometrics (in other words, photo in their passport in advance of arrival)
• Digitizes the Cross Border Currency Reporting form
• Where? 117 highway, 9 ferry ports of entry, 10 airports that have AD
• When? Execution is expected to begin in Fall 2026
• Implementation is expected to begin in Early 2028

Phase 2 – Commercial Air, Remote, Cruise and Rail:

• Allows travellers to submit Advance Declarations and biometrics in all modes
• Enables integration with industry applications (for example, Air Canada app) for maximum uptake
• Where? 33 airports, 12 cruise ship sites, 4 passenger rail sites
• When? Execution is expected to begin in Fall 2027
• Implementation is expected to begin in Early 2028

The CBSA has been in the planning stages for Phase 1 since February 2024. Given the CBSA's history with mobile applications, it is important that this project is planned carefully. As a result, the Agency has taken longer than expected to complete detailed planning.

Planning for Phase 1 is near completion. Phase 2 planning will begin in spring 2026, once new Treasury Board authorities are in place.

Strategic benefits

Enhance border security: By having travellers submit their Digital Travel Credential in advance of arrival, it allows for systematic document verification. Once travellers arrive, officers can focus their time on interviews and examinations rather than scanning passports. Officers will be able to review pre-arrival information for travellers who completed Advance Declaration in land mode, where no such information is available currently – unlike in air where advanced passenger information is run through the National Targeting Centre, officers currently have no visibility on who will be presenting themselves at the land border.

Meet air industry and traveller needs: Travellers who submit their declaration in advance are seeing up to 50% faster processing at customs on arrival. This will allow CBSA to manage expected travel volumes without requiring additional officers.

Keep pace with international partners: Canada's B5 and G7 partners have already deployed biometric and digital entry systems to streamline checks.

• United States: Biometric border automation is resulting in a 25% reduction in wait times
• Asia-Pacific hubs: End-to-end biometric journeys have resulted in a 30% reduction in wait times
• United Kingdom: Biometric facial recognition eGates process travellers 27% faster than traditional eGates

Enable Indigenous mobility: In line with Canada's efforts to facilitate cross border mobility for Indigenous peoples, remote areas that are critical to Indigenous mobility will also benefit from digitally reporting to the CBSA, particularly in geographical areas that cannot easily access full-service ports of entry for clearance.

Create efficiencies: Officers are currently required to use multiple, segmented systems to process travellers. This creates inefficiencies at the border as officers need to login and out of multiple systems to access and input the required data throughout their shift.

Improve business intelligence: The multitude of data sources makes program reporting challenging since there are different systems in place in land and air, for conventional travellers and for trusted travellers, for primary inspection and for secondary examination.

Overview and funding

• Traveller Modernization (TM) is a multi-year initiative that will result in reduced manual transactions, the retirement of legacy IT infrastructure, and improvements to the border experience, not only for frontline officers, but also for Canadians and visitors to Canada
• Budget 2021 included $337.6 million one-time funding and $26.6 million in ongoing funds for TM
• TM is composed of 4 projects and 4 enabling components as described below

  Projects

  Traveller Compliance Indicator

  • A data analytics-driven Compliance Indicator that provides BSOs a traveller's history, assisting them in determining whether to release or refer the traveller based on passage and enforcement data
  • Delivered: March 2024

  Digital Traveller Experience

  • A single application that enables travellers to voluntarily submit digital identity information (incl. biometrics), their declaration and other information (for example, forms) in all modes.
  • By March 2029

  Officer Experience

  • A new centralized processing platform that consolidates all the information and processes required to process a traveller regardless of mode while leveraging biometrics and data analytics to allow for a more efficient processing.
  • By March 2029

  NEXUS eGate Highway

  • Equipping 18 NEXUS highway lanes with special gates, cameras and an intercom so that travellers can be processed from a command centre within the port
  • Cancelled due to audio issues and increased costs with limited benefits to be realized

  Advance Declaration

  • A feature in ArriveCAN that allows air travellers at large international airports the option to submit their customs and immigration declaration electronically, up to 72 hours before they arrive in Canada
  • Delivered: December 2023

  Free Flow International to International Transit

  • Put in place infrastructure and system adjustments in targeted airports to enable free flow transit for international air travellers who are not entering Canada
  • By March 2026

  Biometrics Program and Framework

  • A program framework, standards, processes and tools to guide the use of biometrics at the CBSA; A technical environment to conduct research, testing and evaluation.
  • By October 2026

  Legislative and Regulatory Change

  • Modernizing CBSA's legislative and regulatory framework to enable greater use of digital tools earlier in the traveller continuum to support a right-touch experience at the border.
  • Legislation: June 2023
    Regulations: By March 2027
• Officer Experience: CBSA officers are currently required to use multiple, segmented systems to process travellers. This creates inefficiencies at the border as officers need to login and out of multiple systems to access and input the required data. The multitude of data sources makes program reporting challenging. The systems currently used to process travellers are 20+ years old. The CBSA would have difficulties delivering timely and effective border services if these systems were to fail
  • TM will deliver a new system that will be used to process travellers in all modes that leverages data-analytics and displays comprehensive traveller information to officers in a single interface
• Digital Traveller Experience: Travellers expect a digital, user-centric experience when interacting with commercial airlines and border services. The CBSA only receives pre-arrival information for travellers arriving via commercial airlines, limiting CBSA's ability to complete risk assessments in advance of arrival. Paper-based forms are susceptible to errors and take longer to process, impacting the CBSA and Government of Canada (GOC)'s timely access to information to deliver their mandate (for example, the Cross Border Currency Reporting form will be digitized to strengthen the Canada's commitment to the Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Terrorist Financing regime)
  • TM will deliver a mobile application that enables travellers to voluntarily submit digital identity information (including biometrics) and their customs declaration in all modes in advance of arrival to enable officers to focus on high value tasks instead of administrative data collection. It will also provide the ability for travellers to electronically submit select paper-based forms in advance of their arrival to Canada, enabling timely access to information for the CBSA and GOC partners

Current status and timelines

• Development of the Officer Experience Solution (OES) is well underway. A limited, "Early Access Deployment" to 4 highway ports of entry is planned for summer 2026 while the national deployment to all 117 highway and ferry sites will begin in early 2027
• CBSA is finalizing its plans for the Digital Traveller Experience (DTE) project and plans to begin execution of the redesigned mobile solution for travellers in Fall 2026

Funding History of the Traveller Modernization Initiative

Following approval of the Submission for Digital Traveller Experience in March 2026, there will be $93.8 million in one-time project funding and $19.3 million ongoing left to draw down from the fiscal framework. This submission will also serve to bring the scope of the Cross Border Currency Reporting (CBCR) project into the DTE project.

History

1,000 officers

• As of April 2, 2026, the CBSA has hired 68 new CBSA officers, of the 1,000
  • This includes 42 Border Services Officers (BSO), 20 Trade Officers, 4 Chemists and 2 Detection Technology Engineers
• By June, CBSA will have hired approximately 100 officers and will have 180 in training at the college in Rigaud
• A new cohort of BSO trainees will start at the College every 5 weeks until we deliver on our commitment to hire 1,000 new officers by 2028-29 (see Annex 1). A cohort may include up to 72 BSO trainees
• A portion of the officer trainees in each cohort will be dedicated to fulfilling the commitment to hire 1,000 new officers, while the others will be used to account for the attrition (retirement, departures) of existing officers

Border Plan

What is the status of implementation of the border plan?

• We have hired 30 Enforcement Case Officers to support removals
• The Border Action Plan includes 75 frontline resources:
  • 33 frontline Border Services Officers (BSOs)
  • 3 Detector Dog Services teams
  • 12 regional laboratory Chemists
  • 7 Intelligence Officers
  • 7 Criminal Investigators
  • 6 Targeting Officers
  • 7 Engineers
• 33 Border Services Officers began their in-house training at the CBSA College in Rigaud on November 6, 2025. Twenty-four of these Border Services Officers completed and graduated in February 2026; 9 backfills are being re-trained currently and are anticipated to be fully retrained by mid-October 2026. The 3 dog handlers graduated on April 3, 2026
• 2 Engineers were hired this fiscal year and are currently supporting operations. The other 3 Engineers, for a total of 5, will be hired in 2026–2027
• There are also 2 engineering support personnel (1 for electronics and 1 for engineering and scientific support) that will be hired in 2026–2027
• 4 Chemists were hired this fiscal year and are currently supporting operations. The other 8 Chemists, for a total of 12, will be hired in 2026–2027
• The remaining frontline resources will be deployed in future years as follows:
  • 2026–2027:
    • 7 Intelligence Officers
    • 7 Criminal Investigators
    • 6 Targeting Officers
  • 2027–2028:
    • 3 Detector Dog Handlers
  • 2028–2029:
    • 3 Detector Dog Handlers

Investment Plan

The investment plan has five pillars for specific action

All Border Action Plan commitments with respect to CTB

• In 2025–2026, the CBSA has deployed or is in the process of deploying:
  • 18 Raman devices
  • 3 Mobile Large-Scale Imaging devices
  • 2 Pallet Large-Scale Imaging device
  • 1 Fixed Large-Scale Imaging device
  • 1 Small-Scale Imaging X-ray
  • 33 Border Services Officers
• In 2026–2027, the CBSA plans to deploy:
  • 30 Raman devices
  • 3 Regional Satellite Laboratories
  • 25 Ion Mobility Spectrometers
  • 6 Mobile Large-Scale Imaging devices
  • 2 Pallet Large-Scale Imaging devices
  • Up to 6 Mobile Backscatter Imaging devices
  • 10 Small-Scale Imaging X-rays
  • 9 Computed Tomography Scans
  • 13 Ducted Fume Hoods
  • 3 Detector Dog Services teams
  • 12 Chemists
  • 14 Intelligence resources
  • 6 Targeting Officers
• In fiscal year 2027–2028, the CBSA plans to deploy:
  • 30 Raman devices
  • 25 Ion Mobility Spectrometers
  • 4 Computed Tomography Scans
  • 2 Pallet Large-Scale Imaging devices
  • 3 Detector Dog Services teams
• In fiscal year 2028–2029, the CBSA plans to deploy:
  • 25 Raman devices
  • 3 Detector Dog Services teams

Planned Detection Technology deployments (all sources of funds) – multi-year table

Implementation dashboard

Deployment timeline

Comprehensive Expenditures Review

[Redacted]

IT outages

• Beginning on September 28, 2025, the CBSA experienced multiple outages to major IT systems that resulted in delays in travellers and commercial processing
• We recognize the impacts felt by travellers and traders when IT systems are down, which is why the CBSA has been working hard on a plan to better address outages when they occur and to prevent them from happening in the first place
• Since the major outage last fall, a joint report by the CBSA and SSC has identified key causes and measures to better-prevent and mitigate outages. CBSA has been engaging air travel and commercial and trade stakeholders throughout the fall and winter to keep them updated on progress, and this will continue going forward
• Budget 2025 has committed to reducing the cost of using and maintaining CBSA equipment and IT assets by decommissioning legacy software applications
• In the event of an outage, the CBSA makes every effort to ensure an adequate number of primary inspection lines are open, while at the same time maintaining normal operations such as customs and immigration services, secondary examinations, enforcement activities, and commercial processing
• Throughout an outage, the CBSA collaborates closely with airport and bridge authorities to facilitate the flow of travellers and commercial goods
• Safety and security standards are upheld at all times, with border services officers working to verify travellers' identities, receive their declarations, and conduct any additional screening warranted by each traveller's individual circumstances. The CBSA works closely with airport and airline management to expedite traveller processing, minimize delays, and complete verifications as required
• The CBSA has a System Outage Contingency Plan for Commercial processes that was developed in partnership with industry. The plan outlines requirements for reporting commercial transactions during an outage. It also provides guidance on the electronic submission of data once the system is back online. The CBSA accepts paper documentation during an outage and waives Administrative Monetary Penalties for Advance Commercial Information related infractions resulting from the outage
• In the event of an outage of airport Primary Inspection Kiosks, travellers are re-directed to the primary inspection lines for manual processing. Outage protocols have been reviewed and re-iterated with CBSA operations and air industry partners to support business continuity at the border
• As requested by the Minister of Public Safety, the CBSA and SSC provided a report on the September/October outages to their respective Ministers on October 31, 2025. The CBSA and SSC closely examined the key causes of the outages and have developed a plan to prevent and mitigate future outages. The report was posted on the CBSA website on December 19, 2025
• CBSA/SSC Plan includes:
  • quality controls related to key IT changes
  • collaboration between CBSA, SSC and air industry and trade chain partners in planning IT changes
  • communications with industry partners
  • awareness of real world business impacts resulting from an outage of CBSA systems
  • integration of IT change and incident management among government and industry partners
  • revised outage protocols and business continuity plans to better prepare for digital disruption Progress to-date on the communication front includes strengthening the quality of existing messages to industry partners and expanding live communications to ensure operational effectiveness during incidents
  • SSC and the CBSA have integrated IT change and incident management processes and are continuing to collaboratively work together to execute the action plan
• On January 28, 2026, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, joined by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) President, Erin O'Gorman, and Shared Services Canada (SSC) President, Scott Jones, hosted a virtual roundtable with industry partners to discuss recent CBSA information technology (IT) system outages
  • During the meeting, Minister Anandasangaree and our President expressed their personal commitment in working with partners to find solutions to disruptive system outages
  • During the open forum, partners voiced strong engagement and a willingness to continue working jointly with the Agency and SSC to address issues

10 point plan (System outage)

1. Complete root cause analyses of all three incidents and apply recommendations and lessons learned
   • SSC and the CBSA have completed a joint investigation
2. Establish joint IT change management committee with CBSA, SSC and air industry partners
   • Launch weekly change planning meetings with industry partners, starting the week of Oct. 20 with all airport authority CIO teams. Expand subsequently to domestic airlines, and then establish same with trade chain partners
   • Publish weekly forward schedule of changes to our industry partners
   • Strengthen existing CIO-level engagement with air industry partners
   • Establish CIO-level engagement with commercial and trade partners
3. Improve CBSA and SSC change and incident management
   • Integrate incident change and management processes between the CBSA and SSC (immediately)
   • Establish CIO approval of all changes impacting the CBSA (immediately) and inform CBSA President and Shared Services Canada Deputy Head in advance of all changes
   • Ensure that all CBSA services, systems and applications, and their infrastructure dependencies are well-documented and understood (including certificate expiry dates)
4. Conduct joint audit of IT Change Management and Incident Management by CBSA and SSC Chief Audit Executives, to evaluate effectiveness and make recommendations for improvement
5. Improve industry partner communications and engagement channels and protocols
   • Document and enhance all industry partner communication processes and protocols regarding IT changes and incidents within the CBSA and between the CBSA and its industry partners
   • Review and strengthen the quality of messages to industry partners
   • Review and adjust active (live) communications tools such as MS Teams to ensure operational effectiveness during incidents
6. Review and bolster the CBSA's IT systems and IT infrastructure hosted by SSC
   • SSC with CBSA to review the IT infrastructure that supports the CBSA's systems and applications and develop a plan to strengthen it, improve resiliency to changes and incidents
   • SSC and CBSA to improve automated monitoring of key systems and alerting of issues
   • CBSA and SSC to thoroughly review the CBSA's IT systems and applications that underpin key services and inter-operations with industry partners to determine ways to improve resiliency to changes and incidents
7. Adjust the Agency's Investment Plan to prioritise technical debt reduction
   • Ensure that areas of aging systems and technologies are clearly identified for renewal in the CBSA's IT Investment Plan
8. Adjust the Agency's crisis/emergency management plan and procedures based on recent events
   • Review CBSA and IT branch crisis management plans and procedures to ensure that experiences and lessons from these incidents are incorporated
   • Conduct table-top exercises to test the Agency's readiness for future major IT outages
9. Improve the Agency's outage protocols and business continuity plans to better prepare for digital disruption
   • Review Travellers program outage protocols to:
     • Reinforce best practices for CBSA operations and airports to manage during PIK outages and ensure consistency across regions, airlines to manage during Interactive Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Protect Program outages
     • Revisit and update outage protocols procedures to continue traveller processing during IT outages
     • Revisit and update airport/airline procedures for to ensure alignment with CBSA processes/requirements
     • Ensure that all BCP documentation is up-to-date and available
   • Review Commercial program outage protocols and business continuity plans to incorporate best practices and innovations found during these incidents and harmonise across regions
   • Review intelligence business continuity plans and adjust for any gaps found related to IT system outages, if required
10. Review federal government stakeholder communication protocols to increase broad awareness
    • Building on recent updates to the communication protocols, examine means of engaging and updating GC partners regarding significant CBSA incidents, outages and events, and revise or strengthen where required

10 point plan – Joint progress report

Annexe A

*3.3 This will be achieved with information from the latest Application Portfolio Management (APM) review exercise and the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) exercise as part of the Business Continuity Management Program. Both of these exercises were completed with business owners so their input will drive the technical mapping. Early indication is this will require more time but priority will be given to critical business applications that support PIK, IAPI, PPP, and ACROSS.

The scope of this sub-item will encompass the CBSA Critical Business Applications and Services (CBAS) that enable CBSA critical services, and which are operationally supported by the SSC. More specifically, business applications owned by the CBSA, business applications owned by 3rd parties that support CBSA critical services and the SSC infrastructure services that CBAS depend on to deliver a critical service.

For this sub-item, IT infrastructure dependencies will be mapped in alignment with the Application to Server Mapping Initiative launched by SSC for a sub-set of partner departments. This first-level mapping will be defined as the infrastructure CIs including the network and transport layers, including Windows, Linux and mainframe. The first-level of mapping will encompass:

• Application to server
• Application to application dependencies

For this sub-item, certificate management improvement will be achieved with the development of an integrated list of certificates that CBSA has visibility on and processes to maintain the data and integrate as part of broader change management practices.

**4.1 Developed through collaboration between the CBSA and SSC teams:

Audit Objective:
The audit's objective is to provide assurance that the CBSA and SSC have governance, coordination mechanisms, and key control activities in place to manage changes to IT systems supporting CBSA operations.

Audit Scope:
The period under review will span January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. The scope of work will include an examination of IT change management governance, communications and collaboration mechanisms, and key control activities affecting CBSA systems and services.

Scope exclusions

• IT change management activities performed within CBSA that do not relate to SSC's activities
• IT change management activities performed by SSC that do not relate to CBSA's activities
• Assessments of operational processes related to IT change management, such as, IT project management, IT asset management, configuration management, business continuity management, access management, data and information management, and IT security
• A root-cause analysis of the incidents from September 2025

Fentanyl

What is CBSA doing about fentanyl

Over a year ago, I appointed a senior operational executive charged with coordinating our activities relating to opioids – from targeting to information sharing to collaboration with allies and Canadian police forces.

The CBSA is participating in the Joint Operations Intelligence Centre (JOIC) led by the RCMP, in response to the PM's Directive to establish a JOIC to increase intelligence production and enhance information sharing and cooperation among security intelligence and law enforcement. The JOIC provides a consolidated all-source intelligence threat picture and increase intelligence production that can be shared with domestic and ally partners, with a view to reduce and disrupt transnational criminal activities in North America, especially in relations to drugs and precursors.

We continue this work in force, through focused efforts, such as Operation Blizzard, where we dedicated resources over a four (4) week period and looked at 691,000 packages in air, postal, marine and land modes.

The results were: 67.5% of all seizures made were of illegal narcotics coming to Canada from the United States, while 17.5% were of narcotics going to the United States. These included:

• 116 fentanyl seizures (1.73 kg), intercepted in British Columbia, Québec and Alberta. Of these seizures, 1.44 kg were on route to the United States and 0.26 kg were destined to other countries
• 17 meth seizures (5.38 kg and 89 pills)
• 24 cocaine seizures (13 kg)
• 26 heroin seizures (0.19 kg)
• 17 opium seizures (38.84 kg and 11 bottles)
• 48 MDMA seizures (2.32 kg and 82 pills)
• 249 cannabis and cannabis related product seizures

The United States was the country of destination or origin for over 85% of all seizures made during the Operation.

Operations on fentanyl, narcotics and precursor chemicals are still planned and will take place throughout the year. As such, an Enforcement Operations Council was established to improve coordination and oversight of enforcement operations. The Council focuses on current and future enforcement operations, examine results and trends stemming from significant seizures, customs related enforcement activities, and update enforcement and interdiction priorities. It functions as a national forum to set enforcement priorities, direct enforcement efforts, and ensure a cohesive enforcement approach across intelligence, enforcement, and operational domains.

Firearms

What is CBSA doing about firearms

The CBSA's firearms strategy is focused on the identification, interdiction, and regulatory enforcement of firearms. This includes denying entry of illegal firearms or firearm parts into Canada. The CBSA also criminally prosecutes firearms smugglers and where they are not Canadian, denies them entry to or removes them from Canada.

Over a year ago, I appointed a senior operational official responsible for firearms. Her mandate is to make sure our many activities in CBSA were linked up, that we were engaging with police forces and that police forces were aware of CBSA's considerable authorities in this space and actively engages with US counterparts to improve timely information sharing. She also works with other federal agencies (RCMP and PS) to advance efforts to strengthen policy and legislation impacting enforcement at and beyond the border.

The CBSA has established three Integrated Firearms Enforcement Teams (the Ontario Firearms smuggling Enforcement Team (OFSET), the Prairie Integrated Firearms Enforcement Team (IFET) and the Québec Weapons Smuggling Integrated Enforcement Team (WSIET). The teams are composed of criminal investigators, intelligence officers, and firearms intelligence analysts. These cross-functional teams investigate, arrest and prosecute firearms smugglers.

Recognizing the threat of privately manufactured firearms (aka PMF's or ghost guns), the CBSA has also bolstered efforts to target and interdict firearm parts arriving at the border by:

• Coordinating national intelligence through the National Targeting Centre, the Firearms Intelligence Desk and Regional Intelligence field offices
• Increasing the number of search warrants executed by our criminal investigators across the country to stop the proliferation of PMFs in Canadian communities
• Educating frontline officers on concealment trends and risk indicators of both firearms and the parts that are used to manufacture firearms
• Utilizing and continuing to invest in detection technologies capacity (such as handheld devices, small scale and large-scale X-ray machines, and detector dogs)

In addition to CBSA independent efforts, we work alongside domestic and international law enforcement partners, such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), other Canadian police agencies, and the U.S government (U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) in joint efforts to prevent and prohibit those who engage in criminal activity from entering Canada.

• An example of these efforts includes: tracing all eligible firearms seized through an information sharing Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This allows the CBSA and our US counterparts to investigate those engaging in firearms smuggling
• Sharing near-real time information on border seizures with the RCMP and US to support the identification of trends and persons engaged in firearm smuggling activities
• In 2025, the CBSA seized over 830 firearms and 17,700 prohibited weapons at our ports of entry. Over 90 percent of all firearms seized at our border coming into Canada came from the US and less than 1 percent were seized on export
• Between 2020 and 2025, over 4000 firearms seized at our border came from the U.S.

Spring economic statement

On Tuesday, April 28, 2026, the Honourable François‑Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, tabled the Spring Economic Update 2026. The Government outlined its plan to build the strongest economy in the G7 and committed to additional actions to drive prosperity, play to Canada's strengths, and support Canadians where and when they need it most.

Border and immigration integrity, trade facilitation, and national security are featured in the update as part of the government's economic and sovereignty agenda. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is identified as a primary delivery agent in several major initiatives already announced, and confirms funding for two initiatives related to CBSA's administration of Immigration Holding Centres.

All figures are presented on an accrual basis.

Direct Action Items

Expansion of CBSA Workforce (already announced)
Hiring of 1,000 new CBSA officers to expand frontline capacity. (Delivering for Canadians (Timeline), p. 3)

• Significant operational increases to support enforcement, traveller processing, and trade facilitation
• Align staffing with expanded trade infrastructure and new operational sites

CBSA Services at the Port of Québec (already announced)
$23 million over 5 years (total cost of $36.2 million offset by $11.1 million) to establish CBSA services at the federally owned Port of Québec. (Chapter 1 Fiscal Table, p. 87)

• Ensures border security at a strategic maritime gateway while supporting trade
• Introduces a new, permanent CBSA operational presence

Enhancing Integrity of Immigration Holding Centres (IHCs) (New)
$238 million total, with $153 million sourced from existing resources, to strengthen detention integrity. (Chapter 1 Fiscal Table, p. 87)

• Funding for contracting guards with higher security training
• Directly supports immigration system integrity and safety standards

Enhancing Safety in Federal Secure Facilities (CBSA and Correctional Services Canada (CSC)) (New)
[Redacted] over 2026–31 for a coordinated CBSA/CSC initiative, where CSC will run the pilot project, to deploy technologies across correctional facilities and immigration holding centres to prevent unauthorized communications and contraband delivery. (Chapter 1 Fiscal Table, p. 86)

Indirect Action Items already underway

Border Security and Enforcement Capacity
$1.3 billion Border Plan (multi‑year, total envelope) to enhance border security and the safety of Canadians through enforcement, detection, and interdiction activities. (Chapter 1.6 Defending Our Sovereignty, p. 80)

• The CBSA is identified as a primary delivery organization for frontline border enforcement
• Border security is positioned as a core element of sovereignty and defence

Financial Crime, Fentanyl, and Organized Crime at the Border
Included within the $1.3 billion Border Plan, with relevance to (Chapter 1.6, p. 80):

• fentanyl trafficking
• precursor chemicals
• transnational organized crime networks
• Reinforces CBSA's role in:
  • examination
  • targeting
  • intelligence‑led interdiction

National Security Reviews (CBSA; CSIS; Public Safety; RCMP; and Justice Canada)
$52 million over 5 years for whole‑of‑government national security reviews involving (Annex 1, Table A1.15 Policy Actions Taken Since Budget 2025, p. 137:

• CBSA participation relates to border, intelligence, and enforcement equities
• No new authorities; continuation of an established coordination role

Combatting Drug‑Impaired Driving (CBSA / RCMP)
[Redacted] for one year (2026–27) to extend support for initiatives combatting drug‑impaired driving, delivered jointly by the RCMP and the CBSA. (Chapter 1 Fiscal Table, p. 86)

Other Government Departments Initiatives Already Underway Impacting CBSA

Extending Support for African Swine Fever Preparedness and Disease Prevention (Canadian Food Inspection Agency / CBSA)
[Redacted] over three years (2026–27 to 2028–29) to extend federal preparedness and disease‑prevention measures related to African Swine Fever. (Annex 1, Table A1.15 Policy Actions Taken Since Budget 2025, p. 139)

Trade Infrastructure Strategy
$6 billion Trade Infrastructure Strategy, including a $5 billion Trade Diversification Corridors Fund and $1 billion Arctic Infrastructure Fund, to modernize ports, airports, railways, bridges, highways, and northern transportation networks in support of doubling non‑U.S. exports and strengthening sovereignty. (Chapter 1.4, p. 75)

• Investments support higher‑capacity trade corridors, Arctic and northern access (for example, Rankin Inlet and Inuvik airports), supply‑chain resilience, and improved corridor governance, with dual economic and security objectives
• No direct funding is identified for the CBSA, however, expanded and faster trade corridors are expected to increase volumes and throughput at ports of entry, reinforcing the need for aligned border staffing, inspection capacity, modernized processes, and interdepartmental coordination

Legislative Measures (New)

• No legislative amendments are included to create new CBSA programs, authorities, or funding
• Measures with direct or indirect relevance include:
  • Amendments to the Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Financing Act to introduce new government powers and authorities to protect money services businesses from illicit activity
  • Amendments to the Canada Transportation Act to compel airport operators and associated third parties to provide information necessary for transportation policy development and administration
  • Amendments enabling lawful search and seizure of mail
  • Amendments incorporating food security considerations into CFIA mandates (potential downstream border policy considerations)
  • Amendments to the Red Tape Reduction Act to add the Official Languages Act to the list of exempted statutes for regulatory sandboxes