Privacy Notice
Video Monitoring and Recording
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) uses video monitoring and recording technology to fulfill its mandate and to increase its ability to protect the public, and to protect employees and assets of the Agency. The use of video monitoring and recording technology is an integral part of the CBSA’s security framework and operations management.
Cameras monitor and record CBSA operations at ports of entry and inland offices. Areas and activities that may be monitored or recorded include, but are not limited to: primary interviews, secondary examinations, interactions at CBSA information counters, cashier counters, commercial counters, detention cells, and interview rooms. Cameras may also monitor the movement of travellers and goods from one point in a CBSA operation to another, for example, from primary to secondary.
Use of Recordings
The CBSA collects personal information using overt video monitoring and recording technologies at ports of entry and inland CBSA service locations, to carry out the mandate of the CBSA under the authority of the Canada Border Services Agency Act. Recordings may be used to investigate suspected offences related to border legislation, and may be used as evidence in court proceedings. Recordings may also be disclosed as permitted by legislation to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and/or to municipal, provincial or local law enforcement agencies to investigate or enforce federal laws.
Retention and Disposal
Any new or replacement video monitoring and recording equipment must be able to retain recordings for no less than 30 days. Recordings that are used by the CBSA shall be kept for two (2) years following the date of their last use.
Upon expiry of the above retention periods, recordings are permanently deleted/overwritten, or in the case of removable media, recordings are physically destroyed.
Access to Information
Individuals have the right to access their personal information and the right to ensure their personal information is appropriately protected under the Privacy Act. The information collected is described in Info Source under the Overt Audio-Video Surveillance Personal Information Bank CBSA PPU 1104.
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