Executive Summary
Next Generation Handhelds
Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA)

Background

Wireless handheld devices were introduced into the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) operations between 2014 and 2017, to support the Entry/Exit Initiative and Beyond the Border Action Plan. The devices were equipped with a mobile version of the Integrated Primary Inspection Line (IPIL) application (For example: mobile IPIL) to facilitate the secure and accurate capture and risk assessment of individual traveller and conveyance information. Devices were initially deployed to the CBSA service points that were not equipped with primary inspection booths, as well as ports of entry (POEs) where primary inspection booths were present, but did not support all types of traveller processing. An example of this would be bus processing at large ports where workstations are only available in adjacent booths or buildings, but not where border services officers (BSOs) process travellers directly. In this scenario, handheld devices allowed BSOs to complete traveller processing on the bus, rather than offloading passengers.

Today, at most POEs, booths equipped with IPIL Air and IPIL Highway along with fixed workstations and document readers, provide BSOs with a means of capturing traveller and conveyance (licence plate) information for risk assessment against customs, immigration and enforcement databases. Where no booth is available, BSOs must take licence plate and traveller information and run it at an IPIL workstation in an office adjacent to the primary inspection line. This forces the BSO to turn his/her back to the traveller and leave them unattended.

The use of handheld devices during primary processing allows a BSO to capture and risk assess conveyance and traveller information while remaining with the traveller, just as they would today, if they were working at a site with primary inspection booths.

This increased security provides BSOs with at hand access to information used in determining the travellers’ admissibility. It also streamlines the entry process for our less automated ports and processes such as bus clearance.

The current devices in the field are reaching end of life and starting to break/fail. As of September 2020, full vendor support is no longer available due to a shortage of parts. The devices and the application are now being replaced by Next Generation Handhelds (NGHH), that will be deployed commencing Summer 2021. Devices at designated PoEs that currently process travellers arriving in a personal conveyance, bus, ferry, private vessel, train, and air will be replaced by the NGHH device and application. The NGHH application will expand on conveyance collection by including private vessels and private aircrafts along with increased technology used to facilitate data collection. In addition, the updated application will include a Mobile Query function, to allow the BSOs and Liaison Officers to conduct a risk assessment of travellers, without creating an entry passage record.

Deployment will be rolled out nationally in a phased approach beginning Summer 2021.

Protecting your personal information

The following personal information elements related to the traveller will be captured using the handheld mobile device:

Always

As applicable

While the mobile handheld device does not introduce a new means for capturing traveller and conveyance information, the type of data collected has been slightly changed. Under normal circumstances there will be no traveller data stored on the device and information in transit will be encrypted with access limited to authorized users. The collection of information will be facilitated by handhelds.

The handheld is a tool used by the BSO to collect information directly from the traveller and verify it against information that is already held within CBSA information holdings. All information collected will be held within the CBSA’s existing Integrated Customs System (ICS) platform. ICS is a common framework that encompasses both commercial and passenger-traveller streams and is comprised of a number of components (e.g. Passage History, Secondary Processing).

Right of access

Individuals may formally request access to their personal information, or access to corporate records related to the Next Generation Handhelds by filing a request with the Information Sharing, Access to Information and Chief Privacy Office. More information about this can be found here on the Access to Information and Privacy page.

Accountability

Individuals with concerns about the collection, use, disclosure or retention of their personal information may issue a complaint to the CBSA Access to Information and Privacy Division. Complaints should be made in writing, and include the individual’s name, contact information, and a brief description of their concerns. Contact the Information Sharing, Access to Information and Chief Privacy Office at the CBSA which can be found here.

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