2020 to 2021 Departmental Results Report: Canada Border Services Agency

About this publication

Publication author: Canada Border Services Agency

Catalogue No. PS35-9E-PDF
ISSN 2560-9998

From the Minister

As Minister of Public Safety, I am pleased to present to Parliament the Canada Border Services Agency's (CBSA) Departmental Results Report for the 2020 to 2021 fiscal year.

As stated in the CBSA's mandate, the Agency provides integrated border services that support national security and public safety priorities, while facilitating the free flow of legitimate trade and travel. The Agency is committed to protecting the safety and security of Canadians, as well as the stability and prosperity of our economy.

The CBSA's mandate has never been more critical than during the COVID-19 pandemic, which posed unprecedented challenges throughout 2020 to 2021 and continues to have profound impacts on the daily lives of Canadians. Since the onset of the pandemic shortly before the start of 2020 to 2021, the CBSA has been instrumental in Canada's COVID-19 response. Through whole-of-government coordination and cooperation, the Agency has helped reduce the potential for further introduction of the virus and its variants into Canada, while protecting critical supply chains, ensuring the availability of essential goods and services, and taking steps to ensure the safety of the Agency's workforce and the public.

Together with domestic and international partners, the Agency has been in the vanguard of the fight gainst COVID-19 by rapidly implementing new border measures and screening requirements, facilitating repatriation flights, expediting shipments of vaccines and personal protective equipment, maintaining necessary border services at ports of entry, and collecting mandatory traveller information upon entry into Canada to support monitoring and quarantine requirements. Moreover, the Agency has actively engaged with other government departments and trade chain partners to mitigate disruption to the Canadian economy, including enforcement measures against unfair trade practices as well as relief measures associated with the collection of duties and taxes, in order to help alleviate financial hardships during the pandemic.

As we continue to work towards recovery from the pandemic, the CBSA will remain adaptive in dealing with ongoing impacts, such as reduced volumes of international travel and increased volumes of e-commerce. In line with the CBSA's transformation agenda, the Agency will continue to advance its vision for the border of the future, centred on a more touchless border experience that leverages innovative solutions to streamline border processing and minimize physical interactions. The Agency will also take stock of impacts to its internal practices, such as the expansion of teleworking capabilities and the heightened emphasis on physical and mental health, in order to capitalize on improved ways of working in the future. Additionally, to strengthen law enforcement accountability, transparency and public trust, the Government will advance its pledge to establish through legislation an independent review body for the CBSA.

In parallel with the COVID-19 response, the CBSA delivered on many key priorities in 2020 to 2021. To support the Government's commitments on firearms, the Agency implemented a Firearms Strategy and a Firearms Interdiction Team, along with border-related guidance to enforce the Government's ban on assault-style firearms that came into force on May 1, 2020. Additionally, in collaboration with federal law enforcement partners, the CBSA continued to implement immigration processing efficiencies in the National Security Screening Program to identify inadmissible persons seeking entry into Canada, as well as ongoing improvements to Canada's immigration system in line with the National Immigration Detention Framework and the Agency's commitment to ensure that detention is used as a measure of last resort and that alternatives to detention are always considered.

The CBSA advanced efforts to strengthen detection and interdiction capabilities for illicit drugs, guns and contaminated goods, including additional detector dog teams, X-ray devices, and designated areas for safe examinations across the country. The Agency also continued to enhance intelligence capabilities with a focus on fraudulent immigration consultants, human trafficking, and trade-based money laundering. To support streamlined border processing for trusted travellers and traders, the Agency continued to modernize the NEXUS program by deploying enhanced devices for biometric verification of air travellers, while continuing to operate the Secure Corridor Pilot for expedited border passage of trusted commercial entities in the highway mode.

As part of the CBSA's ongoing efforts to improve its relationship with Indigenous Peoples, the Agency continued to implement its Indigenous Framework and Strategy, which guides the Agency on its Reconciliation pathway. In particular, the Agency implemented a policy to support historically and culturally sensitive interactions with Indigenous Peoples, while also advancing the Border Collaboration Initiative in partnership with the Mohawks of Akwesasne First Nation to address longstanding border crossing issues for Indigenous travellers.

From an organizational perspective, the Agency reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a healthy, diverse and respectful workplace free of harassment and discrimination, including a wide array of initiatives under its Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, Culture Transformation Strategy, Respectful Workplace Framework, and Anti-racism Strategy, in order to build a workforce reflective of Canada's population and foster a climate of equality, dignity and belonging for all employees.

Over the past year, the CBSA has demonstrated its tireless dedication to serving Canadians. I invite all Canadians to read this report to better understand how the Agency is working to safeguard our borders and communities.

The Honourable Marco E. L. Mendicino, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety

Results at a glance

The CBSA operates in a complex and dynamic environment where it must respond to emerging threats and global trends, while remaining steadfast and vigilant in its commitment to protect the security of Canada's people, economy and infrastructure.

Throughout the 2020 to 2021 fiscal year, the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the CBSA's vital role in protecting national security and public safety, while maintaining strong and adaptive border management to support trade and commerce. The Agency has been instrumental in the Government's efforts to reduce the potential for further introduction of the virus and its variants into Canada, while ensuring the continued availability of essential goods and services, protecting critical supply chains, and facilitating the importation of personal protective equipment (PPE), medicines and vaccines.

Since the onset of the pandemic shortly before the start of the 2020 to 2021 fiscal year, the Agency has been working closely with federal partners at the forefront of the Government's COVID-19 response, including joint efforts with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Heath Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and Transport Canada, as well as the United States (US) and other Border Five partners (namely Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom). Through extensive collaboration with domestic and international partners, the Agency was able to rapidly implement new border measures and screening requirements, facilitate repatriation flights, expedite shipments of vaccines and PPE, and collect mandatory traveller information upon entry into Canada to support compliance with COVID-19 reporting and quarantine requirements. These efforts were enabled by the development and approval of over 60 Orders in Council under the Quarantine Act and related legislative amendments, along with real-time adjustments to the Agency's operational procedures.

In support of Canada's economy, the Agency has maintained necessary border services during the pandemic through the dedication of its border services officers (BSOs) at ports of entry (POEs) and its liaison officers abroad, as well as joint efforts with federal partners such as Finance Canada, GAC, Natural Resources Canada, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to mitigate disruptions to trade chains and keep the border open for commerce. Recognizing the financial hardships faced by Canadian businesses early in the pandemic, the Agency prioritized the processing of refunds associated with the overpayment of duty and taxes, while administering the Government's decision to defer customs duty payments owed for imports, which eased cash-flow challenges across the country and helped businesses to continue paying their employees and overhead costs.

Additionally, through its administration of the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA), the Agency conducted anti-dumping and countervailing investigations to address unfair trade practices during the pandemic, particularly in the steel and aluminum sectors, which defended domestic producers, protected jobs, and provided market predictability in uncertain times. These investigations are conducted in parallel with the Canadian International Trade Tribunal's (CITT) investigations into injury to Canadian industry caused by dumping and subsidizing. The Agency also implemented pandemic-related prohibitions in the immigration context, shifted the focus of its intelligence apparatus to assess new and emerging border threats stemming from the pandemic, and ensured that enforcement measures were in place to mitigate threats, including measures to prevent the entry of substandard or counterfeit PPE into the country, as well as measures to validate COVID-19 testing certificates and identify cases of fraudulent documentation from travellers.

In response to decreased traveller volumes and increased e-commerce volumes early in the pandemic, the Agency mobilized its frontline workforce by redeploying BSOs to support increased workload in high-priority areas such as commercial processing and postal operations, as well as general aviation and marine activities, thereby ensuring the continued movement of commercial goods in all modes and mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic. To ensure the safety of its workforce as well as the public, the CBSA implemented frontline precautions across the country and, in cases where BSOs or their families had an elevated vulnerability to COVID-19, the Agency further mobilized staff and supported program delivery through adaptive work within the regions and at headquarters.

In line with the CBSA's transformation agenda, the Agency has continued to advance its vision for the Border of the Future geared towards a more touchless border experience that leverages innovative solutions for border processing, reduces the need for physical interactions, facilitates the cross-border flow of legitimate travel and trade, and better enables the Agency to identify and focus on cases of higher or unknown risk. For example, immediately following the onset of the pandemic, the CBSA developed and launched the ArriveCAN app through joint efforts with PHAC, allowing travellers to quickly and securely provide basic information such as biographical, flight and contact information, while respecting the privacy rights of travellers in accordance with established legislation. The Agency also leveraged its partnerships through the Border Five and Migration Five forums to ensure a coordinated international approach to border transformation, and engaged extensively with US counterparts on implications for our shared border to support business resumption plans and prepare for the gradual easing of border restrictions based on the evolving circumstances of the pandemic.

From a workforce perspective, the physical and mental wellbeing of CBSA employees has remained paramount. The Agency has implemented strategies to care for employees during the pandemic and ensure a safe return to the workplace, along with a suite of initiatives to promote resilience among employees and further strengthen workplace culture, such as offering engagement sessions with senior leaders, conducting frequent pulse checks to assess how employees are coping, and responding to employee feedback so that the Agency can continue performing at its best. The Agency has also taken stock of impacts to its internal practices, such as the augmentation of teleworking capabilities, in order to capitalize on improved ways of working during the pandemic and into the future.

Alongside the COVID-19 response, the Agency has continued to deliver results for Canadians on a wide array of priorities under its core responsibilities of Border Management and Border Enforcement, while also continuing to refine its Internal Services. An overview of the Agency's results achieved in 2020 to 2021 is provided below:

Border management

• Identified and interdicted border threats through effective targeting and risk assessment activities, including approximately $60 million in opium seizures, $73 million in tobacco seizures, and $17.5 million in cocaine seizures, as well as over 700 inadmissible persons prevented from entering Canada in 2020 to 2021
• Combatted gun and gang violence by deploying X-ray devices for enhanced detection capabilities, with approximately 300 gun seizures in 2020 to 2021
• Combatted opioid smuggling through training and enforcement activities, including operationalizing and equipping designated areas for safe examinations and sampling
• Addressed the threat of African swine fever in collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), including additional detector dog teams and an ongoing public awareness campaign
• Combatted the illegal importation of firearms through the development of a Firearms Strategy as well as the establishment of a Firearms Interdiction Team to ensure the legitimacy of commercially imported firearms
• Expanded designations for Customs Controlled Areas to include 10 marine sites in addition to the 15 air sites already designated, thereby strengthening enforcement authorities to detect and disrupt criminal activities at POEs
• Implemented processing efficiencies in the National Security Screening Program to identify inadmissible persons seeking entry into Canada
• Enhanced intelligence capabilities for the purposes of identifying vulnerable persons and leads for criminal investigations, with a focus on immigration consultants, human trafficking, and trade-based money laundering (TBML)
• Continued the deployment of Primary Inspection Kiosks (PIK) and PIK-enabled traveller verification to enhance the Agency's processing capacity in the air mode
• Continued developing proofs-of-concept for US-based Canadian preclearance operations in both the traveller and commercial streams
• Expanded e-Longroom services to 35 commercial offices, allowing clients to submit certain commercial documentation via email and minimizing in-person interactions
• Developed an E-Commerce Customs Strategy to manage rising volumes of e-commerce shipments in the postal and courier low-value shipment (CLVS) streams
• Completed the Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS) project, with successful onboarding of clients to the new system for electronic transmission of export information
• Implemented the first two releases of functionality for the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) project, while advancing work on subsequent releases and undertaking business readiness activities
• Continued to protect Canadian industry from unfair trade practices by administering the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA), with over $25.6 million in SIMA duties assessed and approximately 34,810 Canadian jobs protected
• Advanced plans for a new Marine Container Examination Facility (MCEF) to be located in Burrard Inlet, British Columbia, along with plans to equip the two MCEFs in Vancouver with enhanced X-ray technology for rapid imaging of containers
• Supported facilitative border processes for trusted travellers and traders through the NEXUS modernization initiative and the Secure Corridor Pilot
• Trained and graduated over 200 officer recruits at the CBSA College, and inducted over 300 officer trainees, through the Officer Induction Development Program
• Continued working on the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project to optimize the design of the Canadian POE, as well as the Land Border Crossing Project to complete schematic designs for over 20 land POEs to be rebuilt within the next ten years
• Acquired 113 new fleet vehicles to support CBSA operations, including hybrid and electric vehicles to further support the greening of the Agency's fleet
• Collaborated with US Customs and Border Protection to assist with the identification of goods produced by forced labour entering Canada, in support of the related prohibitions under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)
• Advanced efforts to improve relationships with Indigenous Peoples through the Agency's Indigenous Framework and Strategy as well as the Border Collaboration Initiative with the Mohawks of Akwesasne First Nation

Border enforcement

• Advanced a suite of initiatives on facilitated immigration enforcement under the Agency's strategic policy agenda to streamline processes for inadmissibility determination and removal
• Advanced commitments under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking in order to identify opportunities for refinement of existing frameworks and ensure that sufficient protections are in place for victims
• Concluded 70,176 immigration investigations in 2020 to 2021, with 89% of persons identified as inadmissible to Canada
• Advanced efforts under the National Immigration Detention Framework to ensure that detention is used as a measure of last resort and that alternatives to detention (ATD) are always considered, with 66% of detainees released on ATD in 2020 to 2021, representing an increase of 133% in ATD releases compared to last fiscal year
• Piloted the Integrated Claims Analysis Centre in the Greater Toronto Area to support efficient processing of asylum cases and improved communication channels with IRCC and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB)
• Enforced the removal of 11,229 inadmissible persons in 2020 to 2021, including a focus on administrative removals to close outstanding removal cases for which there is sufficient evidence that the persons have already left Canada, and representing a decline of less than 1% in removals compared to last fiscal year
• Focused on improving the Removals Program based on the recommendations of the Auditor General's Spring 2020 Report on Immigration Removals, while continuing to lead a whole-of-government strategy to address challenges in obtaining required travel documents from countries that may be uncooperative with removal operations
• Advanced efforts to protect people from unscrupulous or fraudulent immigration consultants, including collaborations with IRCC and the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants to strengthen the governance and enforcement framework applicable to those who offer consultant services to persons seeking to enter or remain in Canada

Internal services

• Continued the implementation of the Agency's Mental Health Strategy, Physical Wellness Program, Respectful Workplace Framework, and Organizational Culture and Change Management Framework, along with efforts to ensure a safe and respectful workplace free of harassment and discrimination, thereby supporting the wellbeing of the Agency's workforce and enhancing its capacity to serve Canadians throughout the pandemic
• Improved results in the 2020 Public Service Employee Survey (PSES), with better results on 91% of common questions from 2019, outpacing the Public Service average and including a decline in reported instances of harassment among employees for the fourth consecutive reporting period
• Advanced the Agency's Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, Officer Recruitment and Outreach Strategy, and Official Languages Action Plan, while also implementing an Anti-racism Strategy to support a climate of equality, dignity and human rights
• Advanced the Agency's Leadership Development Strategy, including the adoption of character-based leadership practices at all levels of the organization
• Completed the nationalization of internal services and refined governance processes and accountability structures to support the Agency's Functional Management Model
• Developed a plan for the rationalization and optimization of the Agency's information technology (IT) systems and applications, while advancing the Agency's Cloud Strategy to modernize the handling of information assets
• Refined the Agency's Real Property Portfolio by aligning with program requirements, prioritizing operational health and safety issues, and modernizing office space on a national basis
• Kept employees, stakeholders and the general public well-informed throughout the evolving circumstances of the pandemic
• Augmented teleworking capabilities and successfully transitioned the majority of the Agency's non-frontline workforce to the digital workplace

For more information on the CBSA's plans, priorities and results achieved, see the "Results: What we achieved" section of this report.

Results: What we achieved

Border management

Description

The CBSA assesses risk to identify threats, manages the free flow of admissible travellers and commercial goods into, through and out of Canada, and manages non-compliance.

Results

In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA achieved the following results under its core responsibility of Border Management:

• The CBSA's intelligence, threat and risk assessment activities support CBSA programs in the identification and interception of high-risk people, goods and conveyances that pose a threat to the security of Canadians

  Identifying and interdicting threats through effective risk assessment

  In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA's risk assessment and targeting activities resulted in:

  • Seizures of opium (valued at over $60 million), phenacetin (valued at over $2 million), khat (valued at over $850,000), and narcotics (valued at over $600,000) in the air and marine cargo modes
  • Seizures of tobacco (valued at roughly $73 million) and cocaine (valued at roughly $17.5 million) at land border crossings
  • Identification of 38 persons subject to an enforced removal order, as well as 406 persons due to other inadmissibility concerns, who were prevented from boarding flights destined for Canada
  • Enforcement of 193 resultant immigration targets whereby individuals were denied entry to Canada at ports of entry
  • Enforcement of marine crew targets whereby 8 deserters, 11 stowaways, and 61 inadmissible crew were prevented from entering Canada

  The Agency shifted focus quickly and effectively to produce intelligence on new and emerging border threats stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, while also advancing initiatives to address existing threats to the security of Canadians.

  The Agency continued implementing its commitments under the federal opioids initiative through training, intelligence, targeting and enforcement activities to interdict the movement of illicit drugs into Canada. The Agency met its commitment to equip 50 Designated Safe Examination Areas, while also completing the construction of one Designated Safe Sampling Area and operationalizing two additional sites, with all three sites on track to be fully operational in 2021 to 2022.

  To address the threat of African swine fever, the CBSA continued working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to maintain vigilance in preventing the importation of high-risk food, plant and animal products from overseas. These efforts included the deployment of three additional detector dog teams, improvements to the reporting of pork-based interceptions, and an ongoing public awareness campaign aimed at travellers and stakeholders in Canada and abroad.

  The Agency continued taking action against gun and gang violence by enhancing detection technology capabilities, including the deployment of handheld X-ray devices at POEs in the air, land and marine modes, as well as fixed X-ray devices in the postal stream. The Agency also deployed specialized vehicles called Contraband Outfitted Mobile Examination Trucks to increase capacity for non-intrusive cargo examinations in the air mode. Additionally, the Agency initiated the construction of an all-weather facility at the CBSA College, Main Campus to improve its ability to train detector dogs.

  The Agency continued to combat the illegal importation of firearms through the development of a Firearms Strategy, supported by the completion of a national intelligence assessment on firearms smuggling as well as the establishment of a Firearms Interdiction Team. The Agency also developed and implemented border-related guidance to enforce the Government's ban on assault-style firearms, which came into force on May 1, 2020.

  To strengthen targeting capacity in the air mode, the Agency continued working towards the conclusion of a legally and operationally acceptable Passenger Name Record (PNR) agreement between Canada and the European Union (EU), which will ensure that commercial air carriers flying from the EU continue to provide PNR data to the CBSA. The Agency co-led a PNR Working Group with US counterparts to build international consensus on PNR best practices in line with International Civil Aviation Organization standards and recommendations.

  To further enhance security and manage risks at POEs, the Agency expanded its designations for Customs Controlled Areas to include 10 marine sites in addition to the 15 air sites already designated, thereby strengthening enforcement authorities to detect and disrupt criminal activities at POEs, while ensuring that legitimate individuals are able to carry out their business.

  In partnership with Public Safety Canada and Transport Canada, the CBSA launched a centralized screening solution for air passengers under the Passenger Protect Program, transforming the delivery of the national aviation security program. The Agency engaged with foreign and domestic air carriers for testing, with successful onboarding of the first air carrier in January 2021. Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding and a Privacy Impact Assessment were completed to safeguard the sharing of information between the CBSA, Public Safety Canada, and Transport Canada. Further work is being undertaken to strengthen aviation security through the development of compliance monitoring tools and reports.

  The CBSA made significant enhancements to its Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) Wants and Warrants Program, which allows the Agency to be notified when a person who is wanted by police seeks entry into Canada. Program enhancements include refined capabilities for warrant alerts at primary inspection as well as more focused data capture and reporting, which will better enable the Agency to prioritize its enforcement efforts at POEs and focus its operational resources on persons of interest.

  In partnership with IRCC, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the CBSA continued to implement processing efficiencies in the National Security Screening Program to identify inadmissible persons seeking entry into Canada, resulting in a reduction of the national inventory to its lowest level in over five years. The Agency also continued to enhance its intelligence capabilities for the purposes of identifying vulnerable persons and leads for criminal investigations, with a focus on immigration consultants, human trafficking, and TBML.

  To combat trade fraud and TBML, the Agency established a centre of expertise comprising over 20 employees across the Agency to improve its ability to identify, investigate and interdict customs offences involving trade fraud, as well as to identify TBML leads for referral to the RCMP. Key accomplishments in 2020 to 2021 include:

  • Publishing operational intelligence assessments and briefings on trade fraud and TBML that have been shared throughout the domestic and international law enforcement communities
  • Generating tactical intelligence leads on trade fraud and TBML activity in Canada, resulting in several referrals for criminal investigation
  • Contributing to joint assessments on TBML with domestic and international law enforcement partners, including the multi-national Financial Action Task Force

• Admissible travellers are processed in an efficient manner

  To further enhance the Agency's capacity for traveller processing in the air mode, the Agency continued the deployment of Primary Inspection Kiosks (PIK) at remaining sites, as well as the introduction of PIK-enabled automated fingerprint verification. The Agency also implemented and regularly updated COVID-19 screening questions within PIK.

  In collaboration with PHAC, the CBSA rapidly developed and launched the ArriveCAN app to streamline the arrival process for air travellers, minimize wait times and points of contact with border services and public health officers, and facilitate the collection of mandatory information for entry into Canada, while respecting the privacy rights of travellers in accordance with established legislation. ArriveCAN functionality continues to evolve in accordance with border measures and will support the gradual re-opening of the border.

• Travellers and their goods are compliant with applicable legislation

  The impact of COVID-19 has required the CBSA to reassess the delivery of border services in order to better align resources and volumes, allowing BSOs to maintain the flow of travel and trade while focusing on more complex and high-priority activities. The Agency's Border Task Force and Border Operations Centre have provided centralized coordination of operational activities and have engaged regularly with federal partners to ensure timely awareness of events and proactive direction to the front line. In particular, the Agency has worked closely with PHAC to support traveller compliance with COVID-19 testing and quarantine requirements, including pre-arrival and on-arrival testing protocols in the air and land modes, with thousands of test kits distributed to POEs and millions of files transferred to PHAC.

  Alongside the COVID-19 response, the CBSA also supported traveller compliance with regard to the illegal cross-border movement of cannabis, including the ongoing implementation of public awareness materials, traveller questioning at POEs, and a regime for personal Administrative Monetary Penalties to address cannabis-related contraventions of the Customs Act. Moreover, the Agency remained vigilant in detecting signs of drug-impaired driving (DID) at land POEs, with 87 DID arrests made in 2020 to 2021. Funding under the federal DID initiative is being re-profiled to next fiscal year in order to continue BSO training on the Standardized Field Sobriety Test, as well as the procurement and deployment of approved drug screening equipment to land border POEs.

  Through engagement with the air industry, the Agency advanced the implementation of core functionality for the Air Exit Program and the related onboarding of air carriers in order to enable the systematic collection of exit data on outbound air travellers upon the coming into force of the enabling regulations. By the end of 2020 to 2021, 145 air carriers were providing exit data to the CBSA, representing 64% of the projected air passenger volume. The collection of exit data is limited by law to basic biographic information that is already routinely collected from all travellers entering Canada, and privacy protections are built into the core of entry and exit information sharing with federal partners and US counterparts.

  In furtherance of traveller preclearance operations, the Agency continued developing a proof-of-concept for the establishment of Canadian land border operations in a co-located facility in the US. This will provide an opportunity to test the feasibility of Canadian preclearance in the US and reduce future demands on the Agency's land border infrastructure, while ultimately supporting facilitative border processes for legitimate travellers and preventing the entry of inadmissible persons into Canada as early as possible in the travel continuum.

• Admissible commercial goods and conveyances are processed (including the collection of revenues) in an efficient manner

  Facilitating essential shipments in response to COVID-19

  In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA facilitated the entry into Canada of approximately 7.3 million doses of vaccine and 1.3 billion units of PPE, with many more shipments arriving in 2021 to 2022.

  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agency worked closely with partners, both in Canada and abroad, to implement new import requirements and expedite the clearance of essential shipments such as vaccines and PPE, including collaboration with Transport Canada to accelerate port processing and inland routing of shipments. In addition, the Agency actively communicated with other government departments and trade chain partners to support the Canadian economy and minimize trade disruption, including providing relief measures, such as deferred payment of duties and taxes, while also prioritizing the processing of refunds for overpayments, in order to mitigate financial hardships during the pandemic.

  To streamline commercial processing and minimize in-person interactions, the Agency accelerated the implementation of the e‑Longroom initiative that allows clients to submit certain commercial documentation via email. A total of 35 commercial offices now offer the e‑Longroom service, with efforts underway to onboard 65 more sites next fiscal year.

  To address the substantial rise in e-commerce volumes, an E-Commerce Customs Strategy has been put in place to guide work on developing legislative and regulatory instruments, leveraging relationships with key partners, and advancing capacity building and enabled operations. For example, the Agency has implemented a Courier Analytics Portal as an interim solution to automate the processing of courier low-value shipment (CLVS) data through the participation of industry volunteers. This interim solution will inform the development of a long-term, cloud-based solution to enhance risk assessment capabilities. Concurrently, in collaboration with the Canada Post Corporation (CPC), the CBSA continued to strengthen its operations at international mail centres by managing postal volumes on a daily basis and during peak periods, while also remaining engaged on postal modernization efforts continuing into next fiscal year.

  In furtherance of cargo preclearance operations, the CBSA advanced the development of proofs-of-concept in the air and rail modes to inform the potential future expansion of Canadian preclearance operations in the US. Cargo preclearance operations remain a priority for the Agency in order to facilitate the cross-border flow of legitimate cargo as early as possible in the trade chain.

  The CBSA completed the Canadian Export Reporting System (CERS) project in 2020 to 2021, with successful onboarding of clients to the new system for electronic transmission of export information. Closure of the project was achieved through effective practices for change management and client support, including a centre of expertise, multiple stakeholder engagement sessions, internal and external messaging, and collaborations with Statistics Canada.

• Trade partners are compliant with applicable legislation, requirements and measures

  In 2020 to 2021, the Agency successfully implemented the first two releases of functionality for the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) project, while advancing work on subsequent releases and undertaking business readiness activities. Once fully implemented, CARM will automate the processes required to assess, collect, manage and report on revenue, and will further enable importers to self-assess and comply with Canada's trade requirements.

  Guarding against unfair trade practices

  In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA assessed over $25.6 million in SIMA duties, with 127 SIMA measures in force (including those on steel, copper, aluminum, food and agricultural products, construction materials, and consumer goods), supporting the protection of approximately 34,810 Canadian jobs and $9.6 billion in Canadian production.

  The Agency continued to protect Canadian industry from unfair trade practices by administering the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA), while also administering trade requirements arising from free trade agreements. Additionally, the Agency advanced work to formalize its Trade Culpability Framework, which guides operational efforts to encourage or enforce compliance based on the relative level of risk posed by importers and their transactions.

  To further improve commercial examination capacity in the marine mode, the Agency advanced plans for a new MCEF to be located in Burrard Inlet, British Columbia, along with plans to equip the two MCEFs in Vancouver with enhanced technology enabling rapid X-ray imaging of containers. The Agency also continued to work with Transport Canada on the Marine Port Modernization review to further support security and facilitation priorities at Canada's marine ports.

• Trusted Traveller and Trader programs increase processing efficiency of low-risk, pre-approved travellers and trade partners

  From a Trusted Traveller perspective, the CBSA continued the NEXUS modernization initiative by leveraging facial biometric technology and deploying new devices for traveller verification at nine NEXUS airports. This initiative better aligns the NEXUS program with global trends and simplifies the reporting process for trusted travellers in the air mode.

  From a Trusted Trader perspective, the CBSA continued the Secure Corridor Pilot at the Ambassador Bridge to expedite border passage for trusted commercial entities in the highway mode. The Agency deployed additional technologies to streamline passage through Secure Corridor lanes, while laying the foundation for the potential future expansion of the pilot.

• Travellers and the business community have access to timely redress mechanisms

  The Recourse Program provides travellers and businesses with an accessible mechanism to seek an impartial review of CBSA decisions, as well as to voice any feedback or complaints, in accordance with legislation and policies administered by the Agency. In 2020 to 2021, the Agency continued to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its Recourse Program by:

  • Amending policies and procedures in support of continued service delivery to travellers and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Providing travellers with the option to correspond electronically with the Recourse Program
  • Improving information management and reporting capabilities by successfully transitioning to a new Recourse Information Management System

• Additional border management initiatives

  As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen its workforce, the Agency continued to improve its Force Generation Program, which consolidates BSO recruitment, training and development functions. In 2020 to 2021, the Agency trained and graduated over 200 officer recruits at the CBSA College, and inducted over 300 officer trainees through the Officer Induction Development Program. The Agency also developed a comprehensive, multi-pronged Recruitment and Outreach Strategy, explored options for focused hiring to feed into specialized officer communities, and continued its Indigenous Candidate Mentorship initiative.

  To ensure the continued effectiveness of the Force Generation Program during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agency shifted officer recruitment efforts onto virtual platforms, increased flexibility for candidates by harnessing virtual assessment methods, and implemented procedural efficiencies, such as allowing exemptions or accepting equivalencies for trainee prerequisites. Additionally, the Agency redesigned program curriculums to incorporate online learning components, while implementing safety measures in situations where in-person training was necessary.

  The Agency continued working with the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) on the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project to optimize the design of the Canadian POE, including updates to the resource requirements in line with future business needs based on forecasted traffic volumes identified by the WDBA. The Agency also advanced the Land Border Crossing Project by completing schematic designs for over 20 land POEs to be rebuilt within the next ten years, as well as national design standards to guide the rebuilding of POE infrastructure under the project.

  Ensuring a modern and sustainable fleet

  In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA acquired 113 new fleet vehicles, including hybrid and electric vehicles to further support the greening of its fleet, as well as a new marine vessel to support commercial operations in the Pacific region.

  Through its Buildings and Equipment Program, the Agency advanced several projects in 2020 to 2021 to strengthen its border management assets. For example, the Agency upgraded the POE in North Portal, Saskatchewan with a new processing booth and commercial warehouse facility, and commissioned a new POE in Fraser, British Columbia. Additionally, the Agency completed over 30 projects to upgrade surveillance capabilities, while also implementing energy performance contracts at the CBSA College, Main Campus to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

  Following the coming into force of the CUSMA in Canada on July 1, 2020, which includes a new prohibition on the importation of goods that have been mined, manufactured or produced by forced labour, the CBSA amended the Customs Tariff to reflect this new prohibition and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to administer it in collaboration with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Finance Canada. To that end, the CBSA collaborated with US Customs and Border Protection to assist with the identification of goods produced by forced labour entering Canada.

  As part of the CBSA's ongoing efforts to improve its relationship with Indigenous Peoples, the Agency continued the implementation of its Indigenous Framework and Strategy, which guides the Agency on its Reconciliation pathway. Key accomplishments in 2020 to 2021 include:

  • Implementing the Policy on the Agency's Relationship with Indigenous Peoples, which is grounded in the Department of Justice's Principles Respecting the Government of Canada's Relationship with Indigenous Peoples, to complement the CBSA Code of Conduct by providing guidance on historically and culturally sensitive interactions with Indigenous Peoples
  • Advancing the Border Collaboration Initiative in partnership with the Mohawks of Akwesasne First Nation to address long-standing border crossing issues for Indigenous travellers, including the launch of a co-developed pilot project for a domestic lane at the Cornwall POE, with positive results achieved to date as noted in the survey results published by the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne

• 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

  In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA advanced efforts to ensure economic, social and environmental sustainability through its Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS), which supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the following:

  • Greening Government, supporting SDGs such as Affordable Clean Energy; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Procurement; and Climate Action
  • Healthy Wildlife Populations and Sustainable Food, supporting SDGs such as Zero Hunger; Life Below Water; and Life on Land
  • Safe and Healthy Communities, supporting SDGs such as Good Health and Well Being; and Responsible Consumption and Production

  For details on the results achieved with respect to the Agency's DSDS commitments, please consult the DSDS report on the Agency's website.

• Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) in Border Management

  The Agency continued to refine its GBA+ governance and data collection practices, applying the GBA+ lens where feasible, to inform policy and program decisions impacting service delivery, along with ongoing efforts to mature organizational data literacy in order to facilitate improved GBA+ going forward. The Agency also continued to implement the Policy Direction to Modernize the Government of Canada's Sex and Gender Information Practices to ensure that its services are designed and delivered to be inclusive of all genders.

  In addition, the Agency continued to enhance organizational understanding of GBA+ and engrain it within business processes, with a focus on processes for the recruitment and development of its frontline workforce. Focused efforts throughout the Officer Induction Model allowed the Agency to identify and address barriers affecting individuals of different backgrounds through strategies for building a strong and inclusive workforce. To diversify its pool of candidates, the Agency continued to utilize a focused recruitment approach, including:

  • Refining strategies and action plans to recruit and retain talent
  • Participating in recruitment events tailored towards historically underrepresented groups
  • Developing selection process tools applying a GBA+ lens
  • Gaining a better understanding of historical and cultural perspectives
  • Nurturing relationships to support a consistent and culturally sensitive approach

  For more information on the Agency's GBA+ activities, please consult the supplementary information table on the Agency's website.

• Innovation and Experimentation in Border Management

  Under its core responsibility of Border Management, the CBSA pursued an array of solutions involving innovation and experimentation that support the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) Policy on Service and Digital. Some examples include:

  • ArriveCAN: The CBSA developed and launched the ArriveCAN app in collaboration with PHAC, allowing for electronic submission of traveller information to support COVID-19 compliance and monitoring efforts
  • COVID-19 Support Line: The CBSA launched a 24/7 phone line for frontline personnel to obtain up-to-date guidance on the COVID-19 response, supporting the consistent application of border measures across the country
  • NEXUS Modernization: The CBSA deployed modernized devices utilizing facial biometric verification technology at NEXUS airports
  • Mobile Border: The CBSA continued working to develop a Mobile Border application as a low-touch solution for border crossing at small and remote POEs through digital transmission of travel documentation and videoconferencing with a BSO
  • Next Generation Handhelds: The CBSA continued working to deploy wireless handheld devices to support BSO processing activities, including features such as travel document readers and optical character recognition for low-touch/no-touch processing
  • Chain of Trust: The CBSA launched the initial phase of a Chain of Trust pilot project at Toronto Pearson International Airport in order to explore options for a more touchless and streamlined traveller experience
  • Right Touch Air: In consultation with airport authorities, the CBSA continued to develop web and mobile applications allowing travellers to submit advance declarations that can be confirmed upon arrival in Canada, thereby streamlining processing and reducing touch-points at air POEs
  • e-Longroom: To reduce in-person interactions at POEs, the CBSA expanded the option for clients to submit certain documentation for commercial release and cargo reporting via email. A total of 35 commercial offices now offer this service, with efforts underway to onboard additional sites next fiscal year
  • Dynamic Risking: The CBSA continued the development of a solution utilizing data analytics to identify low-risk travellers based on their compliance history, thereby allowing the Agency to focus resources on travellers of higher or unknown risk
  • Security Screening Automation: The CBSA initiated the planning phase of the Security Screening Automation Project, which aims to streamline the processing of low‑risk asylum claimants and enable the Agency to focus resources on higher-risk cases
  • Small Package Inspection: Leveraging the Innovative Solutions Canada program, the CBSA continued to experiment with options for improved processing in the postal stream, including a proof of concept that demonstrated a potential solution for the passage of small packages through X-ray systems without being impeded on a conveyor belt. Building on the success of the proof of concept, the Agency will pursue the development of a prototype in 2021 to 2022

Results achieved

Border enforcement

Description

The CBSA contributes to Canada's security by supporting the immigration and refugee system when determining a person's admissibility to Canada, taking the appropriate immigration enforcement actions when necessary, and supporting the prosecution of persons who violate our laws.

Results

In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA continued to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and integrity of its activities throughout the immigration enforcement continuum. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Agency swiftly implemented prohibitions in the immigration context, strengthening its ability to enforce border restrictions in accordance with public health requirements.

Concurrently, as part of its strategic policy agenda, the Agency advanced a suite of initiatives on facilitated immigration enforcement in order to streamline and improve processes for inadmissibility determination and removal, including:

• Modernizing the framework for recovery of removal costs
• Strengthening the framework for transborder criminal inadmissibility
• Streamlining the cancellation of certain immigration documents in cases where a removal order has been issued
• Expanding the authority of BSOs to issue removal orders, both at POEs and within Canada, for straightforward inadmissibility grounds that do not require an admissibility hearings process
• Streamlining and simplifying processes related to seized items, such as travel documents, required to support removal operations
• Leveraging Canadian court rulings in inadmissibility determinations regarding organized criminality in order to generate efficiencies in securing related removal orders
• Strengthening the application process pertaining to Declaration of Relief under subsection 42.1(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA)

The CBSA will continue to advance these initiatives and further develop legislative, regulatory and policy updates in support of public safety and program integrity objectives, including the timely removal of inadmissible persons.

The Agency also advanced its commitments under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking by undertaking a review of existing legislative and regulatory frameworks to identify opportunities for refinement, with a view to ensuring that sufficient protections are in place for victims.

In addition to this suite of reforms in the immigration context, the CBSA achieved the following results in 2020 to 2021 under its core responsibility of Border Enforcement:

• Immigration investigations identify persons inadmissible to Canada

  Investigating and identifying inadmissible persons

  In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA concluded 70,176 immigration investigations, with 89% of persons identified as inadmissible to Canada.

  The Agency secured an additional $298 million in incremental funding to extend Budget 2019 funding through the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year in order to further enhance border integrity and strengthen the in-Canada asylum system.

  In 2020 to 2021, the Agency continued to focus inland investigative resources on high-risk cases, with criminality and national security being the highest priorities, while also conducting investigatory activities and ongoing work with IRCC and the RCMP to improve operational coordination with regard to irregular migration and the in-Canada refugee determination system. The Agency also took steps to improve the management of immigration warrants in line with the Auditor General's Spring 2020 Report on Immigration Removals. The Agency conducted a comprehensive review of its immigration warrant inventory with a focus on administrative removals, while also developing an improved warrant management strategy to support removal operations going forward.

• CBSA detention decisions are risk-based and detention is used as a measure of last resort

  Expanding alternatives to detention

  In 2020 to 2021, of the total 1,590 persons detained, the CBSA released 1,042 (66%) individuals on ATD, representing an increase of 133% in ATD releases compared to last fiscal year.

  The Agency advanced efforts to improve Canada's immigration detention system in line with the National Immigration Detention Framework, with a focus on ensuring that detention is used as a measure of last resort and that alternatives to detention (ATD) are always considered. These efforts included:

  • Implementing a suite of COVID-19 response measures to protect the health of detainees, including national guidelines and case reviews to determine suitability for release
  • Further leveraging ATD to reduce the population of detainees during the pandemic by reaffirming the careful consideration of ATD in detention decisions and by expanding the Electronic Monitoring pilot in the Quebec region
  • Enhancing the National Detention Standards for the Agency's three Immigration Holding Centres, as well as for the use of provincial facilities in a limited context
  • Renegotiating a contract with the Canadian Red Cross to provide continued detention monitoring services, ensuring that detainees are treated in accordance with applicable domestic standards as well as Canada's international obligations

• CBSA admissibility recommendations and appeals are upheld at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

  The Agency continued to improve the management of its hearings-related activities in collaboration with the IRB, including the use of digital hearings prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the implementation of updated guidelines for conducting detention reviews in respect of the IRPA and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

  Additionally, the Agency piloted the Integrated Claims Analysis Centre in the Greater Toronto Area to support efficient processing of asylum cases and improved communication channels with IRCC and the IRB.

• Inadmissible persons subject to removal depart from Canada (i.e., escorted or unescorted)

  Ensuring the removal of inadmissible persons

  In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA enforced the removal of 11,229 inadmissible persons, including a focus on administrative removals to close outstanding removal cases for which there is sufficient evidence that the persons have already left Canada.

  To ensure the departure from Canada of inadmissible persons subject to removal, such as foreign national criminals, failed refugee claimants, and other inadmissible persons, the Agency continued enhancing its capacity to conduct more effective removals. For example, the Agency kept working to achieve greater national coordination of removal activities and leading a whole-of-government strategy to address challenges in obtaining required travel documents from countries that may be uncooperative with removal operations.

  To address the Auditor General's Spring 2020 Report on Immigration Removals, the Agency focused on improving the overall number and timeliness of removals by encouraging more voluntary removals, improving data quality, and leveraging technology and partnerships in support of more effective removals. In 2020 to 2021, the Agency implemented a Removals Help Line to assist the voluntary departure from Canada of persons subject to an enforceable removal order, while also advancing plans for an Assisted Voluntary Returns Pilot Project to be launched next fiscal year. The Agency also developed tools and training materials for data literacy and analytics, as well as an enhanced triage model and data quality assurance process, to better support the identification of removal-ready cases as early as possible in the enforcement process.

• People and businesses that are referred to Crown counsel for prosecution are convicted

  Prosecution for violating border legislation

  In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA supported the prosecution of multiple cases involving violations of border legislation, with convictions secured in:

  • 17 cases involving human smuggling
  • 15 cases involving firearms and weapons smuggling
  • 9 cases involving trade fraud
  • 6 cases involving fraudulent activities by immigration consultants
  • 2 cases involving immigration employment fraud

  Note that a case usually entails multiple charges and may involve more than one type of misconduct.

  The Agency continued to build capacity to investigate and prosecute people and business entities that violate Canada's border-related legislation, with a focus on complex cases of fraud involving individuals and organizations posing a threat to Canada's immigration system, economy, and the safety and security of Canadians. Operational priorities are primarily focused on cases of fraudulent activity by organizers and facilitators, including immigration consultants.

  In collaboration with IRCC and the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, the Agency continued to strengthen the governance and enforcement framework applicable to those who offer consultant services to persons seeking to enter or remain in Canada. To better protect applicants and newcomers from fraudulent consultants, the Agency is working to augment its criminal investigative capacity, while also implementing enhanced compliance, enforcement and disciplinary measures within the revised framework.

• Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) in Border Enforcement

  The Agency continued to refine its GBA+ governance and data collection practices, applying the GBA+ lens where feasible to inform policy and program decisions impacting service delivery, along with ongoing efforts to mature organizational data literacy in order to facilitate improved GBA+ going forward. The Agency also continued to implement the Policy Direction to Modernize the Government of Canada's Sex and Gender Information Practices to ensure that its services are designed and delivered to be inclusive of all genders.

  For more information on the Agency's GBA+ activities, please consult the supplementary information table on the Agency's website.

• Innovation and Experimentation in Border Enforcement

  Under its core responsibility of Border Enforcement, the CBSA pursued an array of solutions involving innovation and experimentation, including:

  • Facilitated Removals: The CBSA implemented a Removals Help Line to support voluntary departures from Canada among persons subject to removal, while advancing plans for an Assisted Voluntary Returns Pilot Project to be launched next fiscal year
  • Alternatives to Detention: The CBSA expanded the Electronic Monitoring Pilot and explored options for potential expansion of the Voice Reporting Pilot, enabling the release of individuals in cases where detention may be mitigated through effective community support and innovative solutions for monitoring and reporting
  • Asylum Modernization: The CBSA piloted the Integrated Claims Analysis Centre in the Greater Toronto Area to support efficient processing of asylum cases and improved communication channels with IRCC and the IRB
  • Virtual Immigration Hearings: The CBSA enabled virtual immigration hearings using videoconferencing technology, enhancing the efficiency of program delivery on a national basis

Results achieved

Internal services

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refer to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the delivery model in the organization. The 10 service categories are:

• Acquisition Management Services
• Communication Services
• Financial Management Services
• Human Resources (HR) Management Services
• Information Management Services
• Information Technology Services
• Legal Services
• Material Management Services
• Management and Oversight Services
• Real Property Management Services

Results

Supporting a healthy and diverse workforce

To ensure the continued health and productivity of its workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, the CBSA swiftly established an Internal Task Force to coordinate all internal matters related to the COVID-19 response, including the distribution of over 100 information capsules to employees in both official languages, the acquisition of over 6,000 pieces of teleworking equipment, and the procurement of approximately 1 million items of PPE, 10,000 personal care kits, 2,000 plexiglass installations, and 100 sanitization cabinets to ensure physical safety in the workplace. In addition, a National Workforce Committee was created to maintain oversight of workforce capacity and pandemic-related leave usage in order to realign resources as needed and support high-priority work across the Agency.

The CBSA worked closely with Health Canada and PHAC to implement a strategy for safely returning to the workplace in accordance with public health guidelines, including safety measures for essential employees who continued to work at the frontline and in office settings, while also establishing a Responsible Building Authority Network to oversee workplace readiness in accordance with Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements. The Agency also implemented a Caring for Employees during COVID-19 Strategy to promote resilience among its workforce and further strengthen its workplace culture, including conducting employee pulse checks on a regular basis, offering engagement sessions with senior leaders, and addressing employee feedback to ensure a well-supported and high-performing workforce.

Alongside the COVID-19 response, the CBSA advanced ongoing efforts to build a healthy, respectful and inclusive workforce, including the implementation of its Mental Health Strategy, Physical Wellness Program, and Respectful Workplace Framework. These efforts included the establishment of a centralized resource hub providing access to a wide array of resources, as well as a Physical Ambassadors Network to promote physical wellness activities. Additionally, virtual counselling services were offered to employees and their families through the Employee Assistance Program, as well as virtual training sessions on various topics, such as mental wellness, stress management, grief, work-life balance, resiliency, and coping techniques.

To ensure a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects Canada's population, the CBSA advanced its Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, Officer Recruitment and Outreach Strategy, and Official Languages Action Plan, while also implementing an Anti-racism Strategy to support a climate of understanding and respect for equality, dignity and human rights. As part of its Anti-racism Strategy, the Agency delivered unconscious bias training to executives and collaborated with the Customs and Immigration Union on the development of anti-racism training for frontline staff. Additionally, the Agency's Visible Minority Advisory Committee continued its mentorship program to support learning and development opportunities among the Agency's visible minority community.

To further support a safe and respectful workplace free of harassment, violence and discrimination, the CBSA successfully implemented the requirements of the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations, which came into effect in January 2021, including measures to address the behaviour of Agency employees as well as members of the public with whom our employees interact in the course of their duties. The collaborative efforts with bargaining agents resulted in an agreement being reached prior to January 2021, placing the Agency at the forefront of government departments in compliance with the regulations.

The CBSA also advanced its Organizational Culture and Change Management Framework in 2020 to 2021 to support the shift in mindsets and behaviours necessary to promote transformative change and a healthy workplace culture, while also investing in its people through training on change management techniques. Change management techniques are being utilized to support key modernization initiatives, with a national network of nearly 400 Change Agents established to facilitate engagement with staff, as well as a series of plain language workshops underway to improve communication techniques across the Agency.

Stemming from the CBSA's Culture Diagnostic, which was conducted last fiscal year, the Agency advanced its Culture Transformation Strategy in 2020 to 2021 through actions to ensure shared purpose and belonging for all employees, and to foster an environment in which all employees feel safe and valued. A network of Culture Ambassadors was established to build the desired culture across the Agency, representing a significant milestone and a major step forward in the Agency's efforts to strengthen its culture in a meaningful way. Additionally, the Agency continued to advance its Leadership Development Strategy through the ongoing adoption of character-based leadership practices across the Agency. The results of the 2020 PSES demonstrate increased confidence in leadership among employees, highlighting the Agency's progress on this front.

Advancing the CBSA's transformation agenda

In 2020 to 2021, the CBSA continued to advance its modernization agenda to ensure a strong and sustainable foundation, while building its vision for the Border of the Future. More than ever, the forward momentum of the Agency's modernization activities is essential to keep pace with the rapid evolution of its operating environment, global trends in travel and trade, and public health requirements coming out of the pandemic.

To this end, the CBSA continued to pursue a suite of initiatives geared towards improving compliance, optimizing operational support, leveraging technological solutions, fostering employee engagement, positively impacting the economy, and strengthening stakeholder relationships. In doing so, the Agency leveraged its partnerships through the Border Five and Migration Five forums to ensure a more coordinated international approach to transformation, while also leveraging the Innovative Solutions Canada program and investing in business processes and technological solutions to gain efficiencies. The Agency also continued to improve workplace communication and connectedness through the use of videoconferencing tools, such as Microsoft Teams, thereby helping employees to remain productive and feel less isolated in the teleworking environment.

In furtherance of the CBSA's efforts to build a modern and sustainable organization, the Agency developed a Human Resources Plan for 2020 to 2023 to ensure an agile, inclusive and high-performing workforce through five key areas of focus going forward:

• Strengthening Workforce Planning by leveraging data analytics and predictive analysis, enabling managers to better anticipate future business needs while keeping pace with the shifting demands of the present
• Redesigning Work by rethinking how we organize ourselves to deliver on our mandate, including modernizing job functions and classification alignment, in light of the proliferation of technological solutions and the reduction of human involvement in low-value work
• Closing Gaps in Capabilities by maintaining a line of sight on future skill needs and investing in the development of key competencies, including greater utilization of talent management and on-the-job experience to accelerate learning and development
• Shifting Culture by advancing the Agency's Respectful Workplace Framework and efforts to foster character-based leadership through recruitment and development in order to build an organization that supports diversity and inclusion
• Modernizing HR Management by investing in technology to support the growing complexity and scale of work, continuing to realize efficiencies in HR processes, and strengthening the Agency's Force Generation Program to ensure sufficient capacity to meet the needs of the future

Also in 2020 to 2021, the CBSA completed the nationalization of its internal services and refined its governance processes and accountability structures to support its Functional Management Model. The Agency continued to strengthen financial stewardship and results-based program management through the ongoing implementation of integrated business plans and enhanced budgetary monitoring. Moreover, the Agency continued to refine its Real Property Portfolio and Investment Strategy by aligning with program requirements, prioritizing operational health and safety issues, modernizing office space on a national basis, and delivering several projects such as the opening of a new office in Calgary and the modernization of office space in the National Capital Region in line with GC Workplace standards.

From an information, science and technology perspective, the Agency made great strides in 2020 to 2021 by successfully transitioning to a digital workplace. In partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency and Shared Services Canada, the CBSA increased bandwidth capacity for users by more than 500% to support increased teleworking. The Agency also deployed thousands of mobile phones and laptops to enable remote working on a national basis, while providing all employees with access to Microsoft Teams. These actions minimized enterprise risks related to the potential for reduced productivity in the digital workplace. Additional accomplishments in 2020 to 2021 include:

• Developing a plan for the rationalization and optimization of the Agency's IT systems and applications
• Completing an Enterprise Case Management Solution Project
• Advancing the Agency's Cloud Strategy to modernize the handling of information assets
• Collaborating with the Communications Security Establishment and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security to strengthen the Agency's cyber security defence mechanisms

The CBSA continued to mature its vision and strategy for enterprise data analytics by further integrating business intelligence functions with analytics, developing tools and techniques, and promoting data fluency and evidence-based decision-making at all levels of the organization, including:

• Establishing a centre of expertise for data science within the Agency's Chief Data Office
• Implementing data principles on an Agency-wide basis in line with the TBS Policy on Service and Digital, ensuring that the use of data is ethical and value-driven, and that security and privacy protections are in place
• Advancing a suite of products to strengthen data governance and stewardship, while advancing a cloud-first approach to analytics through the creation of a data lake and related tools

Ensuring effective communications to support the CBSA's activities

The CBSA's communications team was vital in keeping employees, stakeholders and the general public well-informed during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the early days of the pandemic, CBSA Communications was instrumental in filling the online information gap with clear and accurate content explaining the latest border measures and public health guidelines, while also promoting the launch of the ArriveCAN app for travellers to submit mandatory information prior to arrival in Canada. The CBSA also provided engaging digital content to educate the public on what to expect upon arrival at POEs.

Continuing throughout 2020 to 2021, CBSA Communications effectively leveraged social media to generate public awareness of COVID-19 updates, with a significant increase in the Agency's following on all its social media channels, as well as widespread recognition of its #NowIsNotTheTime social media campaign to discourage non-essential travel and promote compliance with public health guidelines. In addition, video footage and still photos of the CBSA's role in facilitating vaccine shipments were widely used by media to illustrate key milestones in the fight against COVID-19.

Concurrently, CBSA Communications managed an increase of over 150% in media queries and an increase of nearly 50% in ministerial and parliamentary correspondence in 2020 to 2021, mostly related to the circumstances of the pandemic. The Agency proactively issued more than 70 public statements and news releases, including 27 news releases pertaining to COVID-19 and 33 news releases on major enforcement activities.

Over the past fiscal year, CBSA Communications was instrumental in celebrating the Agency's work ethic and team spirit. For example, the People of the CBSA social media campaign featured video testimonials of employees on the job and showcased the various roles and responsibilities of our diverse workforce. Moreover, the Agency's communications activities were essential in helping employees adjust to changing work conditions, remain connected with one another, and deal with other professional and personal challenges resulting from the pandemic.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the CBSA's Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Analysis of trends in spending and human resources

Actual expenditures

Departmental spending trend graph

The following graph shows trends in the CBSA's actual spending (2018 to 2019 through 2020 to 2021) and planned spending (2021 to 2022 through 2023 to 2024).

In 2020 to 2021, the Agency's appropriation increased by $380.4 million. Of this amount, $17.9 million increased by way of the Supplementary Estimates, which is mainly attributable to the following initiatives:

• Enhancing Integrity of Canada's Borders and Asylum System, specifically the IT Systems Interoperability and Security Screening Automation projects
• Protecting People from Unscrupulous and Fraudulent Immigration and Citizenship Consultants
• Supporting the 2020 to 2022 Immigration Levels Plan

In addition to this increase, the Agency received transfers of $74 million from TBS central votes for the reimbursement of costs related to severance payments, parental benefits, vacation credits and collective agreements, as well as $288.5 million of the previous year's unused authorities for projects as per the Agency's two-year appropriation. Over the next three years, the Agency's spending will fluctuate due to the realignment of funding to meet revised project timelines, as well as changes in funding for government-wide initiatives.

In 2020 to 2021, actual spending was $417.4 million less than the total authorities available, of which $71.9 million is deemed lapsed and the remaining $345.5 million is available for use in 2021 to 2022:

• Of the $71.9 million lapsed amount:
  • $65.9 million has been re-profiled into future fiscal years
  • $6.0 million is permanently frozen to account for conversion costs, special purposes initiatives, and funding for which release conditions have passed
• Of the $345.5 million carry-forward amount:
  • $187.1 million has been provisioned in 2020 to 2021 through the Agency's financial governance
  • $151.8 million is encumbered for projects as a result of revisions to their implementation timelines
  • $5.0 million is available for in-year priorities
  • $1.6 million is frozen pending release conditions
• The vote breakdown of the $345.5 million carry-forward amount is:
  • $247.7 million in operating expenditures (Vote 1)
  • $97.8 million in capital expenditures (Vote 5)

Actual human resources

Looking at the trend in human resources over the last two fiscal years, the Agency took on new initiatives in 2018 to 2019 through the Supplementary Estimates and Budget 2018 process, which prompted an increase in actual and planned FTEs due to staffing requirements in support of following initiatives:

• Managing irregular migration at the Canada-US border, supporting decision-making capacity at the IRB, and supporting the strategy to deter irregular migration
• Supporting activities related to Division 9 of the IRPA
• Supporting the 2018 Immigration Levels Plan
• Enhancing the Passenger Protect Program
• Implementing improvements to the Steel Import Monitoring Program as well as investigative and compliance activities
• Implementing additional measures to help reduce opioid-related harms
• Taking action against gun and gang violence

Likewise, the Agency took on new initiatives in 2019 to 2020 through the Supplementary Estimates and Budget 2019 process, which prompted another increase in actual and planned FTEs due to staffing requirements in support of following initiatives:

• Helping travellers visit Canada
• Addressing the challenges of African swine fever
• Implementing the CARM project
• Enhancing the Passenger Protect Program
• Enhancing the Duties Relief Program and Duty Drawback Program
• Supporting the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking
• Supporting the 2019 to 2021 Immigration Levels Plan
• Enhancing the integrity of Canada's borders and asylum system

In 2020 to 2021, actual FTEs were lower than planned FTEs mainly due to the shifting of priorities and resources in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the Supplementary Estimates and Budget 2020 process, the Agency expects to increase its FTEs over the next few years to support initiatives such as:

• Enhancing Integrity of Canada's Borders and Asylum System, specifically the IT Systems Interoperability and Security Screening Automation projects
• Protecting People from Unscrupulous and Fraudulent Immigration and Citizenship Consultants
• Supporting the 2020 to 2022 Immigration Levels Plan

Expenditures by vote

For information on the CBSA's organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada.

Government of Canada spending and activities

Information on the alignment of the CBSA's spending with the Government of Canada's spending and activities is available in the GC InfoBase.

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

The CBSA's financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2021 are available on the Agency's website. For financial reporting purposes, the Agency's activities have been divided into two sets of financial statements:

• Agency Activities, comprising the operational revenues and expenses that are managed by the CBSA and utilized in operating the organization
• Administered Activities, comprising tax and non-tax revenues, assets and liabilities administered on behalf of the federal, provincial and territorial governments

One reason for the distinction between Agency Activities and Administered Activities is to facilitate the assessment of the CBSA's administrative efficiency in delivering on its mandate.

Financial statements highlights

The Departmental Financial Statements are prepared on an accrual accounting basis in accordance with the Treasury Board Directive on Accounting Standards: GC 4500 Departmental Financial Statements, and include non-cash transactions. Financial information provided in other sections of this report is cash-based (planned and actual spending) and is tied to annual parliamentary appropriations (authorities).

Total expenses in 2020 to 2021 were $152.9 million (6.8%) more than in 2019 to 2020 as salaries and employee future benefits increased by $93.5 million, and amortization increased by $67.6 million.

Salaries and employee future benefits increased mainly due to a greater number of indeterminate employees, along with increases in general wages, retro pay, and collective agreement settlements. Amortization for informatics software increased by $63.7 million due to assets under construction that were put in service in 2020 to 2021 rather than in prior fiscal years.

Total revenues in 2020 to 2021 were $5.4 million (25.6%) lower than planned due to COVID-19, and were $12.3 million (44.0%) lower than in 2019 to 2020. The decrease in total revenues compared to the previous fiscal year is mainly attributable to a $7.7 million decrease in NEXUS program revenue as well as a $2.6 million decrease in food inspection fees.

The decrease of $41.5 million (18.5%) in total net financial assets is attributable to a decrease of $37.1 million due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) which, in turn, is attributable to timing differences between the charging of authorities and the actual cash payments for employee salaries and other payables.

The increase of $45.8 million in the departmental net debt is aligned with the $45.3 million decrease in the departmental net financial position.

It should be noted that, unlike the Condensed Statement of Operations for Agency Activities, the Condensed Statement of Administered Revenues for Administered Activities does not include planned results as it is not subject to the Treasury Board Directive on Accounting Standards: GC 4500 Departmental Financial Statements.

Tax revenues in 2020 to 2021 amounted to $28.2 billion, representing a decrease of $4.2 billion (12.9%) compared to 2019 to 2020, which is mainly attributable to the decline in Canadian importations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Total administered assets in 2020 to 2021 have decreased by 4.3% compared to 2019 to 2020, which is attributable to a combination of decreased economic activities and the timing of the collection of accounts receivable from external parties and related deposits to the CRF.

Total administered liabilities in 2020 to 2021 have increased by 31.4% compared to 2019 to 2020, which is attributable to an increase in the accounts payable to other government departments and agencies.

Corporate information

Organizational profile

• Appropriate minister: The Honourable William Sterling Blair, P.C., C.O.M., M.P.
• Institutional head: John Ossowski
• Ministerial portfolio: Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
• Enabling instruments:
  • Canada Border Services Agency Act
  • Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act
• Year of incorporation/commencement: 2003

Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

The CBSA's raison d'être, mandate and role are available on its website. For more information on the Agency's organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister's mandate letter.

Operating context

For details on the CBSA's operating context, see the "Results at a glance" section of this report.

Reporting framework

The CBSA's Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2020 to 2021 are shown below.

Core responsibility: Border management

Departmental results framework

Result: The CBSA's intelligence, threat and risk assessment activities support CBSA programs in the identification and interception of high-risk people, goods, and conveyances that pose a threat to the security of Canadians

Indicators:

• Percentage of air travellers targeted for examination that led to an intended result
• Percentage of marine and air cargo targeted for examination that led to an intended result

Result: Admissible travellers are processed in an efficient manner

Indicators:

• Percentage of time the CBSA is meeting the Highway Border Wait Times (BWT) Service Standard
• Percentage of travellers using Primary Inspection Kiosks (PIK) at PIK-enabled airports
• Actual availability of Primary Inspection Kiosks as a percentage of planned availability

Result: Travellers and their goods are compliant with applicable legislation

Indicators:

• Percentage of traveller examinations that produced a result (enforcement or facilitation action)
• Traveller goods selective examination resultant rate is X times higher than random examination resultant rate in the air mode

Result: Admissible commercial goods and conveyances are processed (including the collection of revenues) in an efficient manner

Indicators:

• Percentage of time the CBSA met the commercial Highway Border Wait Time Service Standard
• Percentage of eligible release decisions provided within established timeframes
• Actual availability of Single Windows as a percentage of planned availability

Result: Trade partners are compliant with applicable legislation, requirements and measures

Indicators:

• Percentage of random commercial examinations that produced a result
• Percentage of high-risk commercial goods targeted by the National Targeting Center (NTC) that are examined at the border
• Percentage of commercial examinations that produced a result against a trader
• Percentage of penalties applied against traders representing continued non-compliance
• Return on investment (ROI) for targeted verifications
• Percentage of Advance Rulings and National Customs Rulings issued within 120 days of receipt of full information
• Percentage of mandated service commitments met on time for Anti-dumping and Countervailing Investigative activities

Result: Trusted Traveller and Trader programs increase processing efficiency of low-risk, pre-approved travellers and trade partners

Indicators:

• Percentage of time the CBSA is meeting the NEXUS Highway BWT Service Standard
• Percentage of kiosk processing time saving per trusted traveller passage at NEXUS air ports of entry
• Percentage of increase in NEXUS passages
• Ratio of conventional traders and their goods that are examined at the border compared to Trusted Traders and their goods
• Percentage of trade by value of goods imported into Canada by participants in CBSA's Trusted Trader programs

Result: Travellers and the business community have access to timely redress mechanisms

Indicator:

• Percentage of trade appeals received that are decided within established service standards
• Percentage of enforcement appeals received that are decided within established service standards

Program inventory

• Targeting
• Intelligence Collection and Analysis
• Security Screening
• Traveller Facilitation and Compliance
• Commercial-Trade Facilitation and Compliance
• Trusted Traveller
• Trusted Trader
• Anti-dumping and Countervailing
• Recourse
• Force Generation
• Buildings and Equipment
• Field Technology Support

Core responsibility: Border enforcement

Internal services

Result: Immigration investigations identify persons inadmissible to Canada

Indicator: Percentage of immigration investigations concluded that result in a person being identified as inadmissible to Canada

Result: CBSA detention decisions are risk-based and detention is used as a measure of last resort

Indicator:

• Percentage of individuals detained in appropriate facilities based on their assessed risk profile
• Persons released from detention on Alternative to Detentions as a percentage of all persons detained

Result: CBSA admissibility recommendations and appeals are upheld at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

Indicators:

• Percentage of admissibility hearings, detention reviews and appeals where the Minister's position is upheld by the Immigration Division and Immigration Appeal Division
• Percentage of refugee hearings where the Minister's position is upheld by the Refugee Protection Division and the Refugee Appeal Division

Result: Inadmissible persons subject to removal depart from Canada (i.e., escorted or unescorted)

Indicators:

• Percentage of removals with no known impediments (e.g., awaiting a travel document from a country of origin or appeal procedures not having been exhausted)
• Percentage of high priority foreign nationals removed (i.e., on grounds of serious inadmissibility such as security, criminality or war crimes)

Result: People and businesses that are referred to Crown counsel for prosecution are convicted

Indicator: Percentage of prosecutions concluded that result in a conviction

Program inventory

• Immigration Investigations
• Detentions
• Hearings
• Removals
• Criminal Investigations

Supporting information on the program inventory

Financial, human resources and performance information for the CBSA's Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on the CBSA's website:

• Gender-based analysis plus
• Response to parliamentary committees and external audits

Federal tax expenditures

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations and GBA+ of tax expenditures.

Organizational contact information

The CBSA's contact information is available on its website.

Appendix: definitions

Appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

Core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3 year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.

Departmental priority (priorité)

A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

Departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments' immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

Departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.

Departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that connects the department's core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental results report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department's actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

Experimentation (expérimentation)

The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.

Full time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person's collective agreement.

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])

An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

Government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2020 to 2021 Departmental Results Report, those high-level themes outlining the government's agenda in the 2019 Speech from the Throne, namely: Fighting climate change; Strengthening the Middle Class; Walking the road of reconciliation; Keeping Canadians safe and healthy; and Positioning Canada for success in an uncertain world.

Horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

Non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

Performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

Performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

Performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)

The process of communicating evidence based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.

Plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.

Planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

Program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

Program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all the department's programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department's core responsibilities and results.

Result (résultat)

A consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization's influence.

Statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

Target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

Voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.