COVID-19: Appearance before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health (March 31, 2020)—Border measures

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Timeline: CBSA border measures

Impacts of border measures and statistics

Air mode (on March 31)

When looking at year over year data, there is a 96% decrease in U.S. air travellers during this same period in 2019.

There is also a 94% decrease of international air travellers arriving from other locations (other than the U.S.) during the same period.

93 U.S. citizens and 38 foreign national travelling from the U.S. by air were denied entry into Canada.

101 foreign nationals from locations other than the U.S. were also denied entry.

224 air travellers responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 236 travellers were referred by the CBSA to a PHAC Quarantine Officer.

Land, rail and marine mode (on March 31)

There has been a 90% decline in travellers across the country and across all modes (including air), except at select ports-of-entry where there has been an influx of returning snowbirds.

There has been an overall decrease of 85% of highway volumes when compared to this same period last year.

The number of individuals travelling by ferry has decreased by 100% over the same period.

Passenger rail service has been suspended until further notice (decrease of 100%).

565 U.S. citizens, and 78 other foreign nationals, were denied entry due to non-essential travel.

75 travellers arriving in these modes responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 71 travellers were referred by the CBSA to a PHAC Quarantine Officer.

Commercial operations

The CBSA has engaged commercial transporters to ensure they understand the new requirements, and continue to work with them to ensure that information is disseminated to their employees (for example, truck drivers who cross the border).

Currently, CBSA regions are reporting that commercial traffic has remained stable, so essential supply chains remain uninterrupted.

Refugee claimants (on March 31)

7 refugee claimants seeking entry to Canada have been directed back to the U.S.

3 refugee claimants (1 arriving by air; 2 by land) were admitted to Canada under the exceptions prescribed in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

Canadians turned back at U.S. border (on March 31)

There were 4 Canadians turned back at the U.S. border in air mode for non-essential travel, and 320 in land, rail and marine modes.

Border Information Service (as of March 21)

The CBSA's Border Information Service telephone line is now accessible 24/7 to respond to traveller queries.

The Agency has already seen a 10 to 15% increase in the call volumes since the restrictions went into effect.

Top questions being received by the BIS relate to:

• Specific scenario questions
• Quarantine/self-isolation requirements
• Transiting to Alaska
• Travel between provinces

Enhanced border measures

Proposed response

In efforts to flatten the curve, we have taken a number of extraordinary measures at the border.

We have put travel restrictions in place at the Canada – U.S. border.

To be clear essential goods and services can still go across in support of our trade and economic interests.

There are restrictions for non-essential, discretionary travel, while ensuring that goods essential to our well-being and economy can continue to flow through. These measures are in place until April 21.

We have brought forward regulatory amendments which enable CBSA officers to turn away foreign nationals, including asylum seekers, for the duration of the period specified. Once the duration has ended, and the emergency order is lifted, all foreign nationals who initiated a refugee claim and were directed back will be permitted to return to Canada for the continuation of their processing.

Travel restrictions are also in place for all foreign nationals from any other country other than the U.S. wishing to enter Canada by air or by boat. These measures are in place until June 30.

There are specific exemptions allowed under these restrictions and I would advise individuals to verify their unique situation before making any plans to travel to Canada.

Airlines are also required to screen all passengers, including Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents, for symptoms related to COVID-19 before they board a flight to Canada. In order to preserve the safety of all travellers, those who have symptoms will not be allowed to board for the next 14 days following their denial.

International flights are routed only to Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, to better contain those who have travelled abroad.

All in-bound travellers are now required to undergo a 14 day mandatory self-isolation.

To assist PHAC in monitoring and enforcing compliance with mandatory self-isolation orders, the CBSA has expanded contact tracing for all travellers arriving to Canada in land and air mode, and put in place temporary lookouts.

The CBSA has increased its numbers of Border Service Officers (BSOs) at airports to provide front line service and relief to their fellow officers.

The CBSA has increased signage posted at the airports, and is ensuring that information pamphlets are distributed to all travellers.

The Agency is also exploring options to expand contact tracing to all travellers through all modes of travel.

In short order, all travellers, regardless of how they arrive in Canada will be required to provide contact information when being processed by the CBSA. This information will be shared with PHAC to ensure compliance with the respective mandatory isolation order.

All travellers – no matter their country of origin – are assessed on arrival to Canada.

Background

To prevent potential transmission to Canada of the virus that is the cause of COVID-19, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) Health Portfolio Operations Centre (HPOC) is implementing enhanced border measures at ports of entry to identify and effectively screen persons who are be feeling ill or unwell and to inform travellers of the need to self-isolate for 14 days.

Border Services Officers (BSOs) are to ask each traveller if they currently have a cough, difficulty breathing, or feel that they have a fever. If a traveller responds in the affirmative, they are to be isolated at the earliest opportunity, and provided a mask kit. In addition, they are to fill out the PHAC Coronavirus form, which allows health authorities to monitor and track those who have been in the impacted region and were asked to self-isolate. The form captures basic data, flight data, and contact information for the passenger while in Canada. These travellers will be automatically referred to a PHAC quarantine officer.

BSOs are to use a risk-based approach when processing travellers. When it comes to the COVID-19 situation, CBSA officers are to remain vigilant with respect to travellers coming from countries and regions where significant numbers of confirmed cases exist. BSOs are to use discretionary questioning techniques to establish whether or not a traveller may be ill, unwell or potentially transmitting COVID-19.

Under the International Health Regulations, to which Canada is a signatory, all travellers arriving in Canada who are ill or may be ill with a communicable disease, must be referred to Canadian health authorities for assessment and medical treatment until such time as they no longer present a threat to the public in Canada or abroad. This means that ill foreign nationals who arrive at point of entries may not be instructed to go back to their country of origin (in the land mode, drive back to the United States) while exhibiting signs of a suspected communicable disease and must always be referred to a PHAC quarantine officer for a health assessment.

Immigration and customs processing, questioning and examination are suspended until all screening, health assessment and medical examination/treatment under the Quarantine Act have been completed.

Responding to the arrival of symptomatic travellers

Travellers found to be ill in-flight are met by CBSA officers at the gate, will be provided with a kit that includes a mask and instructions, and asked to wear the mask immediately. They will be escorted through the airport to ensure that they are kept away from other passengers. CBSA officers are already familiar with this standard procedure and work with airlines, airport authorities and PHAC to ensure an efficient and effective process is in place to protect the well-being of others.

Increased presence

At all airports, additional teams of roving officers have been deployed throughout the arrivals area and baggage areas to engage with travellers and increase officer presence through conversation. The additional officers are conducting further health screening and public outreach by visually observing arriving travellers and engaging them to question them on how they are feeling and to ensure that they are aware of the guidance provided by PHAC. CBSA officers will use their training to approach any traveller displaying signs of illness for further questioning. CBSA officers are distributing revised PHAC pamphlets containing the latest health advice that advises travellers to self-isolate. All travellers will be asked if they are feeling sick or unwell by officers working podium or triage or document verification officers before they leave the CBSA area. This is in addition to maintaining normal staffing levels even though traveller volumes may be decreasing.

Compliance and monitoring

Proposed response

As of March 25, at PHAC's direction, the CBSA began informing travellers that it is mandatory to self-isolate for 14 days upon entry into Canada.

The CBSA has put in place measures to assist PHAC in their efforts to monitor and enforce compliance of the mandatory self-isolation orders through the expansion of contact tracing for all travellers arriving to Canada in land and air mode, and through temporary lookouts.

Contact tracing

As of 12:01 (EDT) this morning, mandatory contact tracing was expanded to all travellers arriving by land or air.

The contact tracing form captures basic biographical data, and contact information for the passenger while in Canada.

Once the form is completed, it is provided to PHAC, who determines when and how to share this information with provincial authorities and/or law enforcement.

Individuals exempt from the 14 day self-isolation requirement must still complete the contact tracing requirement.

Temporary lookouts

The CBSA is also creating temporary lookouts in its system to support PHAC efforts to ensure that:

• asymptomatic travellers comply with directions on self-isolation following entry to Canada
• symptomatic travellers who are issued a quarantine order under the Quarantine Act comply with those orders

Lookouts will not be issued on all asymptomatic travellers, but rather on those the CBSA believes may not have respected the requirement to self-isolated and have signaled an unwillingness to comply.

The CBSA will notify PHAC every time it encounters an individual that it believes has failed to comply with the order to self-isolate.

The CBSA will share lookouts with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The lookout information will be maintained for a period of 14 days.

The CBSA will support PHAC compliance and enforcement of the Quarantine Act, including providing information at the border.

Background

Contact tracing for all travellers in air and land mode – as of March 31

The CBSA is leveraging its existing random referral process to assist PHAC in its efforts to enforce compliance with mandatory self-isolation requirements through contact tracing.

The CBSA is requiring all travellers arriving to Canada in land and air mode to complete a PHAC contact tracing form, regardless if they are symptomatic or not. Individuals exempt from the 14 day self-isolation requirement must still complete the contact tracing requirement.

Lookouts – as of March 29

Pursuant to section 107(4)(e) of the Customs Act, the CBSA will be creating temporary lookouts in its ICES database to ensure non-symptomatic travellers comply with directions on self-isolation following entry to Canada, and to ensure that symptomatic travellers who are issued a quarantine order under the Quarantine Act comply with those orders.

These procedures will apply where:

1. a border examination reveals that an asymptomatic traveller may not be in compliance with a previous direction to self-isolate (for example, crossing the border when they had returned to Canada within the previous 14 day period)
2. in the context of a border examination and direction to self-isolate, the traveller's overt responses suggest an intent to not comply with the direction
3. a traveller who is found to be symptomatic by the PHAC quarantine officer and provided a red handout by the BSO, or a quarantine order is made against a traveller

Domestic information sharing on lookouts

The lookout information will be maintained for a period of 14 days, and the CBSA will notify PHAC of each case. PHAC determines whether and how to share with law enforcement for any required follow-up. Where PHAC shares negative test results with the CBSA, the lookout can be removed.

Information sharing with the United States on lookouts

The CBSA will share information with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (U.S. CPB) cases of U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, persons employed in the U.S. or those that entered Canada from the U.S., through the automated lookout sharing process. If the CBSA receives confirmation from PHAC that an individual as prescribed above has tested negative for COVID-19, the Agency will notify the U.S. CPB immediately.

Fines/Penalties

While penalties for non-compliance under the Quarantine Act exist (for example, from fines up to and including imprisonment), the enforcement of penalties does not fall under the purview of the CBSA. Border Services Officers (BSOs) do not have enforcement powers under the Quarantine Act, and are not peace officers for the purposes of general law enforcement. As such, the CBSA can only share information with the PHAC, who then determines appropriate follow up including information sharing with law enforcement of jurisdiction.

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Date modified:

2020-07-29