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57-463: W.H. Vanetta provided the initial customs function from his home about 6 kilometres (4 mi) north of the boundary. Under the administrative oversight of the Port of New Westminster, the opening date of the post could have been as early as 1886, but was definitely by 1889. In 1899, Vanetta was promoted to a sub-collector when the official status of the location was elevated. When A.C. Salt took charge in 1911,

114-524: A work-to-rule strike, just days before COVID-19 restrictions on crossing the Canada–United States border were due to be eased. Having been without a collective bargaining agreement since 2018, the demands of the strike were an increase in salaries to reach equality with other law enforcement officials in Canada, increased protections against harassment and discrimination, as well as the implementation of

171-575: A new NEXUS lane opened. The NEXUS lane was later extended by 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) in 2021–2023 to reduce travel times and increase safety. Officially called "Abbotsford–Huntingdon", the CBSA office is open 24 hours per day. During the goldrush, a pack-trail through the tall timber was known as the Whatcom Road or Whatcom Trail. In 1891, the Bellingham Bay and British Columbia Railroad reached

228-419: A new border station on the east side of Cherry Street in 1914, and rented part of it out as an automotive repair shop. In 1932, as traffic continued to grow, and in response to smuggling during Prohibition , the border station was again upgraded. In 1949, the operating hours at Sumas were expanded to 24 hours. The building was large and ornate, but when it became inadequate in 1988, a fourth Sumas border station

285-507: A new commercial facility, reducing delays at border crossings as well as building a new two lane east–west connection at 3B Avenue from Highway 13 to 264th Street. Work officially started in summer 2018 with the south section completed in December 2019. The remaining highway work was completed in April 2020. The CBSA office is open 8am to midnight. Early history of the crossing is unclear. Built in

342-540: A policy to allow non-uniformed officials to work from home. An agreement was reached between the workers and the Canadian government in the evening of the same day, ending the strike after one day. A report ordered by the federal government in 2017 urged for the creation of a new independent oversight committee to monitor, address, and investigate complaints against the CBSA. Currently, CBSA has no independent civilian oversight. It

399-651: A questionnaire detailing port demographics, traffic volume, enforcement, and intelligence information. The 2006 risk assessment ranked 23 ports as high-risk and included information on suspected criminal and national security risks, as well as the risk of irregular or illegal migration of people. In addition to the border and port risk assessment processes, the intelligence directorate provides daily, weekly, and monthly updates on specific threats and trends in unlawful activities. Intelligence officers and analysts frequently participate in tactical and operational law enforcement activities such as search warrants, arrests, surveillance,

456-469: A recommendation to parliament to have the border agency's guidelines for examination of digital devices written into the Customs Act and says the threshold to trigger a search should be defined in law as "reasonable grounds to suspect" a crime or customs infraction. In response to Therrien's comments, CBSA released a press statement announcing statistics on device searches. Legal analysts have speculated that

513-650: A singular organization, titled the Canada Border Services Agency, with Alain Jolicoeur appointed as its inaugural president. Originally, under CCRA, Canada Customs was joined with the country's revenue service, though the agency would primarily give its focus to tax collection. With the establishment of Border Services, CCRA's taxation responsibilities would break off into the Canada Revenue Agency , while its customs function would be absorbed entirely by

570-556: Is a federal law enforcement agency that is responsible for border control (i.e. protection and surveillance), immigration enforcement, and customs services in Canada . The CBSA is responsible to Parliament through Dominic Leblanc who is the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs of Canada, which is under the direction of Erin O’Gorman who is also

627-543: Is assessed and ranked by commodity and by mode of transport. The agency will include the risks of irregular or illegal migration of people, and the movement of food, plants, and animals, now under the agency's broader mandate, in the next version of its border risk assessment. The agency also prepares a national port risk assessment every two years. The agency assessed the relative risk to 168 ports of entry in 2006 and 220 in 2004. Regional intelligence analysts, in consultation with other sources and port operational staff, complete

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684-478: Is considered an unusual situation by many provincial law associations as nearly every policing agency in Canada has some form of independent oversight body. The Liberal government announced in 2019 a budget allocating $ 24 million over five years, to expand the mandate of the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission . The commission will provide service to both RCMP and CBSA. The proposed legislation ( Bill C-98 )

741-456: Is designed to focus directly on border-related intelligence. Detector dogs begin training between the ages of 11 and 16 months and work for an average of 8 to 10 years. Several different breeds are used, but the CBSA primarily uses Labrador Retriever for firearm, drug, and currency detection, while using the Beagle for plant, food, and animal detection. Dogs live with their handler full-time. While

798-405: Is tasked with investigating and pursuing prosecution of those who commit criminal offences against Canada's border legislation. CBSA investigators are responsible for operational activities including: The CBSA maintains a robust and comprehensive Intelligence program, which is mandated to provide timely, accurate, and relevant intelligence support to operational decision-makers at all levels within

855-529: Is the Beretta Px4 Storm . In August 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that arming BSOs would begin in early 2007 and would continue through 2016, marking the 10-year strategy. The arming of officers at Ports of Entry (POEs) across Canada was conducted systematically, with ports that were considered the busiest and/or most dangerous to be completed first. Some of the first officers to be armed were those working at Ontario's Windsor-Detroit POE ,

912-442: Is trained to detect specific commodities, and is generally trained to fit into one of four profiles: Detector dogs provide BSOs with one of the most effective tools in the detection of contraband. Although other tools are available to BSOs, detector dogs are highly efficient in their ability to accurately locate the source of a scent and thus can save time in labour-intensive examinations of vehicles, luggage, and cargo. This speeds up

969-509: The Criminal Code . The agency will also seize items it labels obscene , as it did in February 2009 when it detained and banned two films by the adult film director Michael Lucas . CBSA's Policy On The Classification Of Obscene Material states that the "ingestion of someone else's urine... with a sexual purpose" makes a film obscene. In 2000, after a ten-year-long controversy over items

1026-584: The Criminal Code . However, they can only make arrests for offences under the Criminal Code if they are appointed as "designated officers" by the minister of public safety under the Customs Act (section 163.4) and are at customs offices performing the normal duties of an officer or by Section 99.1 of the Customs Act . Currently, BSOs are equipped with handcuffs , pepper spray , batons , and Beretta PX4 Storm pistols. The arming initiative began in 2007 and officially concluded in 2016. BSOs are trained at

1083-772: The Smart Border Accord , was signed in 2001 and is an initiative of the Government of Canada —specifically the CBSA, RCMP , and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade— and the United States Government —particularly the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), CBP , and the U.S. Coast Guard . The two major signatories to the Declaration were Canadian Deputy Prime Minister John Manley and then- US Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge . The accord

1140-552: The Canada–US border . Washington State Route 9 on the American side joins British Columbia Highway 11 on the Canadian side. The crossing has been important since this part of the border was delineated in 1846, but it would be several more decades before settlements were established on both sides of the border. The level terrain made an ideal crossing for both roadways and railroads. The flat land has been prone to frequent flooding. In

1197-510: The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada . There are very few illegal immigrants who enter the country without first being examined by the CBSA. The reason for this is that Canada is physically very difficult to get to, except crossing the Canada/U.S. border. As the U.S. is itself a prime destination for illegal immigrants, not many illegal immigrants then attempt to cross the border into Canada in

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1254-399: The "Cone of Scent;" odour particles always disperse in the shape of a cone: more concentrated at the source, and less concentrated farther away. After the initial training, the handler must keep up a training regimen to ensure their dog remains in top form. Only about 1 in 10 dogs who begin the training eventually become detector dogs. While there is no specific description for a detector dog,

1311-666: The 1920s, the US operated from a small brick border station. The current 16,421-square-foot (1,526 m) facility was built by the General Services Administration in 1986, and was named for Inspector Kenneth Ward, who was shot and killed while conducting an inspection at this crossing in 1979. Funding issues cancelled a 2003 rebuilding plan. The crossing operates 8am to midnight. Sumas%E2%80%93Huntingdon Border Crossing The Sumas–Huntingdon Border Crossing connects Sumas, Washington and Abbotsford, British Columbia on

1368-499: The 1940s, Canada built a white two-story border inspection facility that had inspection canopies on both the northbound and southbound lanes. In 1972, it was replaced with a small 41-square-metre (437 sq ft) border inspection facility, which was replaced with a 109-square-metre (1,168 sq ft) facility in 2015. In August 2016, the federal and provincial governments announced a $ 25.5 million widening of Highway 13 (from two to five lanes) from 8th to 0 avenues to accommodate

1425-540: The Abbotsford office closed, and the Huntingdon outpost transferred to New Westminster oversight. In 1948, the status was elevated to Port of Huntingdon. Canada built a concrete border station at Huntingdon in the 1930s, and replaced it with a brick facade structure in a style similar to the current facility at Carway, Alberta in the mid-1950s. This structure was replaced by the current twin-wing facility in 1992. In 2012,

1482-506: The Agency. Information is lawfully collected from a variety of sources, including open and closed source materials, domestic and international intelligence partners, joint operations with other law enforcement agencies, sophisticated technical means, covert surveillance, and informants/human intelligence. Intelligence officers and analysts are deployed within Canada—along the borders and throughout

1539-603: The CBSA College, located in Rigaud, Quebec . The training begins with a 4-week online program called the "Pre-OITP," followed by an 18-week program called the CBSA Officer Induction Training Program (OITP) which covers a range of topics from law (such as criminal law , immigration, and customs legislation) to control and defensive tactics. The CBSA plays a key role in immigration to Canada , as it has assumed

1596-466: The CBSA looks for certain characteristics that make a better potential detector dog, including: One of the central purposes for the CBSA's creation was to address heightened security concerns 9/11 and to respond to criticisms that Canada was not doing enough to ensure the security of North America, especially from the United States, which had begun substantial changes years before the 2001 attacks. In

1653-637: The CBSA. The agency has since undergone significant changes to its overall structure, as well as to its range of duties and institutional priorities. During its initial years, CBSA officers, just as their CCRA predecessors, were not equipped with firearms. This would be the case until 2006, when the Government of Canada would approve of the CBSA Arming Initiative , a 10-year strategy to arm and train Border Services Officers (BSOs). One of

1710-664: The Canada Border Services Agency. While "Border Services Officer" is the overarching term for the CBSA's front-line personnel, it is not a title derived from legislation. Rather, BSOs receive multiple legislative designations such as " Customs Officer " under the Customs Act ; " Immigration Officer " under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act ; and "Screening Officer" under the Quarantine Act . When enforcing customs- or immigration-related legislation, BSOs are Peace Officers under

1767-585: The agency labelled obscene, the case reached the British Columbia Supreme Court . One judge in the case concluded not only that Border officials had wrongly delayed, confiscated, destroyed, damaged, prohibited, or misclassified materials imported by the appellant on numerous occasions, but that these errors were caused "by the systemic targeting of Little Sisters' importations in the Vancouver Customs. The Criminal Investigations unit of CBSA

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1824-437: The border and connected with CP. The crossing quickly became a popular smuggling route, especially for Chinese wishing to illegally enter the US, and contraband, such as opium and diamonds. That year, J.F. Flanagan became the inaugural customs officer at Sumas. From 1907, the US rented a building for customs purposes. The road through Huntingdon was relocated in 1913, leaving the customs office poorly positioned. US Customs built

1881-528: The busiest highway port of entry in Canada. As of 2019, Border Services Officers at all POEs are issued duty firearms. However, BSOs working within major airport terminals are not authorized to be armed and must instead store and lock their firearms. In August 2021, around 8,500 employees of the Agency represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Customs and Immigration Union went on

1938-426: The country—as well as overseas. The agency turns the information it collects into intelligence by using automated risk analysis, analytical tools, and risk management. This allows it to work toward its objective of balancing security concerns with the need to facilitate the flow of people and goods. The agency seeks to manage risks through several means; including the collection and analysis of intelligence information;

1995-470: The dog is at work, it is transported in air-conditioned vehicles that act as a mobile kennel. The AMPS program, implemented in December 2005, is a system that encourages compliance with customs legislation through the tendering of monetary penalties. It is used mainly as an enforcement tool on technical infractions, where the subject did not necessarily intend to breach the legislation, but failed to comply in some way. For more serious or deliberate infractions,

2052-532: The expensive airfare has made the relatively short 5.5-nautical-mile (10 km; 6 mi) boat ride to the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador more attractive for destitute economic migrants. All persons and goods entering Canada are subject to examination by CBSA officers. An examination can be as simple as a few questions, but can also include an examination of the subject's vehicle and/or luggage, electronic devices, more intensive questioning, or strip-searches . The intensity of an examination depends on

2109-629: The first significant policy changes to come to the agency was allowing CBSA officers to arrest and detain individuals at the border for non-customs related violations of Canadian law. These responsibilities would eventually lead to the implementation of use of force policies, after which BSOs across Canada began to carry collapsible batons , pepper spray , and handcuffs , though it would take several years before they could be equipped with firearms. The 2006 Canadian federal budget introduced CA$ 101 million to equip BSOs with side arms and to eliminate single-person border crossings . The sidearm of choice

2166-591: The goods in question may be seized or subject to forfeiture. AMPS penalties are imposed depending on the severity and frequency of the infraction. Multiple infractions will result in higher penalties under the AMPS system. The CBSA's use of detector dogs began with three canine units at the Windsor port of entry in 1978. The program has since expanded to include 69 detector dog teams located at ports across Canada. Detector dogs work in mail, air, land, and marine facilities. Each dog

2223-557: The late 1850s, the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush drew numerous prospectors from south of the border. The police reported that goods were freely entering BC without any means to collect the respective duties. John Musselwhite, the first customs officer, served at Upper Sumas from around 1890. Based about 20 kilometres (12 mi) northeast of the present crossing, he operated from his private dwelling. T. Fraser York, his successor in 1893, assumed this part-time position. In 1912, York

2280-459: The numbers released may be inaccurate. (usually referred to as Officer) (commanding officer of a point of entry, either land or airport) (commanding officer of a district: multiple land borders or an airport) (commanding officer of a region, e.g. Pacific Region, Prairie Region) (head of the CBSA) A Border Services Officer (BSO) is a federal law enforcement officer employed by

2337-423: The office had moved to the border. The next year, the Port of Abbotsford assumed oversight. In 1911/12, a customhouse, stable and warehouse were erected at the corner of Jackman (272 St) and Boundary (0 Ave) roads. In 1919, the crossing name changed from "Alder Grove" to "Aldergrove". With the closure of the Port of Abbotsford in 1932, oversight returned to New Westminster. In 1948, Huntingdon assumed oversight. In

Lynden–Aldergrove Border Crossing - Misplaced Pages Continue

2394-561: The officer to circulate among passengers more peacefully and are considered by the Agency to be more effective in the course of their work. The Passive Dog training was implemented in 1993 and is now the Agency's preference. Detector Dog teams (consisting of a dog and a single handler) undergo a 10-week training course at the CBSA Learning Centre. The handlers are Border Services Officers and are trained on how to care for, maintain, and train their dogs. They are also trained to understand

2451-454: The port-of-entry and enforcement mandates formerly held by Citizenship and Immigration Canada . CBSA officers work on the front lines, screening persons entering the country and removing those who are unlawfully in Canada. As of the end of 2003, there were up to 200,000 illegal immigrants in Canada (most residing in Ontario). Most are refugee claimants whose refugee applications were rejected by

2508-523: The president of Canada Border Services Agency. The Agency was created on 12 December 2003, by an order-in-council that amalgamated the customs function of the now-defunct Canada Customs and Revenue Agency , the enforcement function of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (now known as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada), and the port-of-entry examination function of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The CBSA's creation

2565-411: The process for BSOs as well as for the travelling public. The CBSA uses passive detector dogs, unlike some other law enforcement agencies, which use active dogs. When a passive dog detects a scent that it has been trained to recognize, it sits beside the source of the smell. While active dogs, which bark, scratch, dig, or bite at the source of the scent, were used initially by the CBSA, passive dogs allow

2622-533: The reasonable suspicion that the officer has to escalate the intensiveness of a search. CBSA Officers must adhere to strict search protocols, guidelines, and procedures during the examination process. Examinations are performed to ensure compliance with customs and immigration legislation. CBSA officers are given their authority by the Customs Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). In addition, BSOs are also able to enforce other Acts of Parliament as they are designated as Peace Officers under

2679-475: The recruitment and retention of confidential informers, interviews of detainees, and the analysis of seized goods and evidence. The CBSA Border Watch toll-free info line offers citizens the opportunity to report suspicious cross-border activity directly to the agency directly and confidentially. The Border Watch line differs from other phone lines for the public, such as CrimeStoppers or the RCMP info line in that it

2736-621: The removal of inadmissible individuals from the country and assisting local police in the investigation of violations of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act . CBSA's Inland Enforcement branch tracks down and removes foreign nationals who are in Canada illegally. The Agency oversees operations at three major sea ports and three CBSA mail centres (CMC), and operates detention facilities, known as immigration holding centres (IHC), in Laval , Quebec ; Toronto , Ontario ; and Surrey , British Columbia . Before 2004, border security in Canada

2793-523: The use of detection tools; the analysis of indicators and judgment of front-line officers; and random checks. Threat and risk assessments are widely recognized as valuable decision-making tools when setting examination priorities. The agency's intelligence directorate conducts a border risk assessment of its border operations every 2–3 years. Under this process, the agency assesses the risks of smuggling contraband, such as drugs, firearms, proceeds of crime, child pornography, illicit tobacco, etc. The information

2850-655: The wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States, Canada's border operations had to place enhanced emphasis on national security and public safety . As a result, the United States established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) led by Secretary Tom Ridge , who would partner with Canada's Deputy Prime Minister at the time, John Manley , to create the bi-national Smart Border Declaration in December 2001. The declaration would provide objectives for cooperation between Canadian-American border operations. The Smart Border Declaration and Action Plan, also known as

2907-475: The wild. There has been a recent increase in the number of illegal entrants from St. Pierre & Miquelon who travel in makeshift boats. High unemployment in the French colony has spurred this increase, which has been acknowledged by the Government of France. The CBSA and Royal Canadian Navy are considering increased marine patrols to intercept the illegal migrants. While residents could lawfully travel to France,

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2964-550: Was formalized by the Canada Border Services Agency Act , which received Royal Assent on 3 November 2005. The CBSA oversees approximately 1,200 service locations across Canada and 39 in other countries. It employs over 14,000 public servants and offers 24-hour service at 117 of its land border crossings and 10 of the 13 international airports it serves. It works closely with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to enforce immigration laws by facilitating

3021-420: Was handled by three legacy agencies that performed individual functions: The auditor general identified the issues in having the responsibility of border security be divided, such as the inability of individual agencies to share certain security information, as well as ineffective inter-agency communication. Thus, in 2003, the border enforcement functions taken on by the separate agencies would consolidate into

3078-508: Was pending enactment, but did not clear the senate before the end of the parliamentary session in June 2019. CBSA policy and protocols for searching electronic devices have changed significantly in recent years. New and updated examination protocols now include: On 7 January 2020, Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien announced that the Agency had violated the law by carrying out unduly invasive searches of personal digital devices. Therrien filed

3135-427: Was planned. Rather than demolishing the historic building, the 714-ton brick building was moved intact to 131 Harrison Street, where it stands today. Construction on the current US border station was completed in February 1990. The crossing remains open 24 hours per day. Canada Border Services Agency The Canada Border Services Agency ( CBSA ; French : Agence des services frontaliers du Canada , ASFC )

3192-477: Was set up to facilitate the cross-border flow of travelers and goods, consisting of 30 points of common interest to improve both security and trade between the two countries. Included in the plan are initiatives to improve the biometric features of Permanent Resident Cards in both Canada and the US , sharing Advanced Passenger Information and creating compatible immigration databases. There are four main pillars to

3249-490: Was transferred to the Port of Abbotsford, established that year. The Port of New Westminster administered Upper Sumas until the latter closed in 1918. Canada established a border station at Huntingdon in 1896, also administered by New Westminster. In 1912, Huntingdon closed as an office but became an outpost for Abbotsford, which itself was housed in a room of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) station. In 1932,

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