Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022: Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security—Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022 and Main Estimates, 2022 to 2023 (May 19, 2022)

Overview and key messages

The CBSA requested a total of $187.8 million in the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022. $161.1 million of this requested funding is broken down across the following seven key initiatives.

Adjustments to the Employee Benefit Plan and transfers to and from other government departments account for the remaining $26.7 million. The Agency is also requesting an internal reallocation of resources for the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) Project.

Initiative 1: Program integrity funding to support the CBSA's operations - $95 million

Key messages

The CBSA is requesting $95 million in the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022 to support its operations.

Overall, program integrity funding will amount to $380 million over 4 years from (2021 to 2022) to (2024 to 2025), with $95 million ongoing starting in 2025 to 2026.

The requested funding will support operations in 2021 to 2022 and beyond by:

• providing a sustainable funding base
• eliminating some key financial pressures
• supporting the cost of existing frontline officers
• supporting increases related to certain unfunded personnel costs stemming from the implementation of new collective agreements, the Shared Services Canada (SSC) fiscal dividend, and incremental costs for guard contracts

The funding will be used to support increases related to unfunded personnel costs stemming from the implementation of new collective agreements, the Shared Services Canada (SSC) fiscal dividend agreed in Budget 2018, and inflationary increases associated with existing BSO contracts.

Initiative 2: Funding to modernize Canada's border infrastructure (Land Border Crossing Project) - $30.2 million

Key messages

In Budget 2019, the Government announced $765 million over 5 years to support effective border management and enforcement and the modernization of border operations, and to facilitate the safe and timely flow of transactions at the border. Of this amount, $440 million was in support of the Land Border Crossing Project (LBCP).

The CBSA is requesting $30.2 million in the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022 for the LBCP.

The funding will be used to support the planning phase for three full-service ports of entry (POEs) and to support the planning and execution phases for the remaining 20 smaller POEs that are being replaced.

In total, the LBCP will replace 24 land border POEs across Canada that are in poor physical and functional condition. One has already been replaced. Replacing these POEs will:

• allow the CBSA to modernize its portfolio of custodial ports to meet core operational requirements through updated work environments
• advance sustainability goals and requirements
• improve processing of travellers and commercial goods

Initiative 3: Funding for proof of vaccination credentials - $12.4 million

Key messages

The CBSA is requesting $12.4 million in the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022 for proof of vaccination credentials (PVC) to ensure broad recognition and acceptance of the Pan-Canadian PVC in order to contribute to more predictable and facilitated border experience for inbound Travellers.

The funding will cover expenses incurred to-date as well as the cost of sustaining the project until the end of 2021 to 2022, including costs related to:
performing oversight, requirements analysis, architecture, design, data reconciliation, data exchange, accessibility activities, onboarding process, security assessments, analytics reporting, and project management and support;
cloud infrastructure services for data storage; and
augmenting the team with external contractors to complete monthly implementation updates of the ArriveCAN application.

Initiative 4: Funding to support the resettlement of Afghan nationals in Canada - $8 million

Key messages

Afghanistan is facing an acute humanitarian emergency on a scale not seen in the past 40 years.

The CBSA is directly supporting the Government of Canada's humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, including special measures enacted to evacuate and facilitate immigration of Afghan nationals to Canada, through:

• border security (by undertaking security screening, intelligence, and admissibility assessments)
• general facilitation (by applying an integrated pre-border, at-border and post-border approach)

The CBSA is requesting $8 million in the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022 to support these efforts.

Initiative 5: Funding for processing temporary resident visas - $7.7 million

Key messages

CBSA is requesting $7.7 million in the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022 to address temporary resident processing at ports of entry and immigration enforcement activities.

Specifically, the funding will support:

• activities related to the security screening, and pre-arrival, arrival and post-arrival processing of temporary residents
• ongoing requirements for additional verification of documentation resulting from the Public Health Agency of Canada's COVID-19 directives

Initiative 6: Funding for the 2021 to 2023 Immigration Levels Plan - $4.9 million

Key messages

CBSA is requesting $4.9 million in the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022 to support the incremental increase in permanent resident admissions in 2021 to 2022, beyond the volume approved in the 2020 to 2022 Immigration Levels Plan.

The funding will support the CBSA's role in administering and enforcing Canada's immigration programs.

Initiative 7: Funding to enhance Canada's Firearms Control Framework - $2.9 million

Key messages

In Budget 2021, the Government announced a five-year investment to implement a suite of measures to help protect Canadians from gun violence and to fight gun smuggling and trafficking.

That announcement included $35.7 million over five years and $6.8 million per year ongoing for the CBSA to enhance intelligence and investigative and information-sharing capacity.

In support of these efforts, the CBSA is requesting $2.9 million in the Supplementary Estimates (C), 2021 to 2022.

Program integrity funding to support the CBSA's operations: $95 million

Table note: Numbers may differ due to rounding.

Activity 1: BSO funding and collective agreement increases

The funding supports maintaining current BSO numbers for border management and intelligence and enforcement activities at levels that will effectively stabilize the Agency's future fiscal planning. This activity also includes costs from unfunded increases to BSO collective agreements.

Activity 2: SSC fiscal dividend

Budget 2018 mandated all departments to pay a fiscal dividend to support SSC funding. CBSA is complying with this Central Agency commitment as it recognizes the increasing importance of information technology (IT) infrastructure in delivering border management and enforcement. This incremental funding will offset SSC's additional costs as owner and operator of the Agency's IT mainframe, which is provided to the CBSA on a leased-capacity basis.

Activity 3: Incremental costs for guard contracts

Detention programs are facing growing funding requirements principally tied to a 12% increase in per diem rates for guards employed under existing contracts. Contracted security guards provide day-to-day care and control of immigration detainees, as well as their transportation and confirmation of their departure from Canada.

Funding to modernize Canada's border infrastructure
(Land Border Crossing Project): $30.2 million

Table note: Numbers may differ due to rounding.

Activity 1: CBSA project oversight

Funding for CBSA oversight, project planning and implementation, including internal services.

Activity 2: Other government department project oversight

Funding for enabling partners (Public Services and Procurement Canada, Shared Services Canada, and Canada Revenue Agency) to support procurement agent and project delivery.

Activity 3: Project delivery

Funding for capital project planning and implementation costs, including design, construction, and contingency costs.

Background

The Land Border Crossing Project (LBCP) seeks to re-build and replace 24 land border ports of entry (POE or "ports") in poor physical and functional condition over a seven (7) year period. The LBCP will enable the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to begin to modernize its portfolio of 107 custodial land ports to better meet core operational requirements and advance the Government of Canada's goals in relation to sustainable and accessible infrastructure. The LBCP also seeks partnership with Indigenous communities for the procurement of construction services and Indigenous cultural representation, across the 24 sites.

Questions and answers

1. What is the budget for the LBCP?

Budget 2019 repurposed $440 million, announced in Budget 2015 (as a P3), to renew and transform 24 land Ports of entry (POE) over seven (7) years, starting in 2021. An additional $41 million was brought forward from Beyond the Border funding, for a total project budget of ~$481 million, approved by the Treasury Board on June 3, 2021.

2. What does it include?

Through a multi-year approach, the CBSA will rebuild and modernize 24 land POE, owned by the Agency, and located in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and New Brunswick. New infrastructure will provide an improved working environment for border services officers and enhance the processing of travellers and commercial goods. New buildings will include the most current requirements on security, technology, GBA+, accessibility and environmental sustainability.

The infrastructure designs included in the Project will also standardize various port types across the country for a "common look and feel" and take into account the Agency's evolving work environment, including impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and the modernization of business processes. The next steps of design development will include flexibility to ensure that operating spaces can be modified effectively to respond to emerging situations and changes in operational programming.

3. Why were these ports identified as part of LBCP?

The ports that have been identified for this Project are those that are in poor operational and functional condition, or have come to the end of their lifecycle. Many of the small ports in this Project are over 50 years old, and do not meet modern building or CBSA operating standards. The larger ports identified in this Project are those that play a key role in Canada's travel and trade corridors with the United States, and which have inefficient plaza layouts that are impeding traffic flows and require remediation.

4. How will the public and stakeholders be informed of the Project?

The CBSA has developed a robust internal and external stakeholder and communications plan to engage and inform over 250 stakeholder groups, including other orders of government (provincial, municipal), Indigenous communities in proximity to the ports in scope, as well as local communities.

The CBSA is also proactively engaging counterparts in the United States to align infrastructure programming on both sides of the border, particularly in light of $3.4 billion funding announced to renew U.S. land border ports (Canada-U.S. and U.S.-Mexico).

The public and local communities will be informed of the Project via local engagements at the municipal level. Ribbon cutting ceremonies will also be organized for local community participation.

The CBSA will also create web content accessible to the public to provide a general overview and updates of the Project.

Funding for proof of vaccination credentials: $12.4 million

Table note: Numbers may differ due to rounding.

Activity 1: PVC application design and architecture

Coordinate the development and operationalization of the Proof of Vaccination Credentials (PVC) solution at Canadian borders. This includes:

• ensure CBSA's border services officers are equipped with a robust tool that will improve Canada's ability to effectively risk-manage inbound travellers through the ingestion and verification of the Canadian-issued PVCs and those of foreign governments at Ports of Entry
• design, develop and establish the supporting technology including Optical Character Recognition (OCR) – a technology that recognizes text within a digital image, QR scanning capabilities that are easily readable with digital devices like smartphones cloud platform and automation and integration with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) Quarantine Case Management System (QCMS)
• enhance ArriveCAN e-Receipt to reflect PVC changes, including creation of QR code to support Border Services Officer mobile use case
• onboard provinces and territories (PTs)-issued PVC via ArriveCAN
  • Verification and certification process with PTs and PHAC
  • Public key management which forms the basis of data security
• enhance PVC data analytics

Activity 2: Security, enhancements to mobile, testing and other related activities

This includes:

• Security enhancement and compliance
• Enhancing ArriveCAN mobile and web application for accessibilities (WCAG) compliance
• End-to-end testing on three platforms
• Google and Apple store review process
• Project management and oversight

Funding to support the resettlement of Afghan nationals in Canada: $8 million

Table note: Numbers may differ due to rounding.

Processing Afghan nationals

The CBSA, through the Afghanistan Task Force, continues to work closely with other federal departments as well as non-governmental organizations on this humanitarian effort. The CBSA will be using salary funding to process Afghan nationals' files prior to arrival, on entry, and post-arrival, when required.

Afghanistan Task Force

The CBSA has created an internal Task Force to:

• strengthen its response and to provide a dedicated and integrated body through which to deliver the Agency's mandate for this humanitarian effort
• align the CBSA's operational roles and responsibilities with Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) policy decisions, internal planning, reporting, and frontline support
• ensure that any operational response and tactical plans take into account public health guidelines related to COVID-19

Before arrival, the CBSA contributes to the security screening process through its National Security Screening Division, which is responsible for providing a recommendation on the admissibility of clients referred by IRCC prior to approval of their file. The National Targeting Center is also involved in the screening of all Afghan nationals scheduled to travel to Canada on commercial or charter flights to identify potential risks.

On arrival, Border Services Officers (BSOs) process the Afghan nationals, complete system verifications, confirm identity, and issue the required documents, including the Interim Federal Health coverage.

After arrival, some cases may require additional verification. These cases may be identified by the BSOs on arrival, by the Targeting Officer while the client is on route, or by any partner after the arrival. Inland Officers are implicated in such files.

Infrastructure

The CBSA has established an alternative processing site for the chartered arrival of Afghan nationals. The alternative site is required as some charters may not obtain the required security screening approval from Transport Canada. Unscreened charters cannot be gated at a regular airport and require alternative processing on arrival.

The current alternative site (International Center) in the Greater Toronto Area is equipped to complete the CBSA arrival processing and includes processing areas for its partners (IRCC and PHAC). The International Center is rented until December 2023 and operating costs will be required until the end of the rental or of any extension.

Funding for processing temporary resident visas: $7.7 million

Table note: Numbers may differ due to rounding.

Activity 1: Port of entry processing

At Canada's Ports of entry (POE), Border Services Officers (BSOs):

• ensure that travellers seeking entry into Canada are admissible
• authorize their entry
• examine temporary resident applicants
• confirm eligibility and admissibility information
• conduct biometrics enrollment and/or identity verification
• issue applicable documents (for example, study permits, work permits, visitor records, temporary resident permits)
• conduct additional traveller screening and health verifications, as a result of the Government's public health measures

Activity 2: Intelligence and enforcement

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the CBSA is responsible for pursuing enforcement action against temporary residents who are inadmissible to Canada. The Agency is also responsible for investigating and charging persons who have committed offences under IRPA.

The CBSA also conducts manual security screening on temporary resident applications referred by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and provides recommendations for admissibility. These recommendations help to inform decisions made by IRCC on visa applications.

In addition, after processing a traveller at a POE, the CBSA may deem them inadmissible under the IRPA. In such cases, an officer would have to take necessary enforcement actions. The CBSA is responsible for maintaining immigration enforcement within Canada, which includes detentions, investigations, hearings, potential removal from Canada and associated litigation costs.

Activity 3: IT system support and contingency

CBSA and IRCC systems have become increasingly interdependent since CBSA's adoption of the Global Case Management System in 2015.

CBSA's Information, Science and Technology Branch will be strengthening technical capacity, enhancing performance, monitoring and testing CBSA systems to accommodate increased volumes of data transmitted for security screening and temporary resident processing. Further, to address increasing volumes of digital data and documents, CBSA business lines are being enhanced to increase processing speeds, reduce data input errors, and provide officers with better tools to facilitate increasing numbers of temporary residents.

Activity 4: Internal services (corporate costs)

Funding is required for CBSA's corporate support to:

• Enable effective operational and program outcomes via human resources, finance, audit and evaluation, communications, privacy and Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) corporate support
• Provide appropriate management and oversight stewardship and governance
• Account for accommodation charges where the CBSA is the owner of buildings where the employees will be working (in other words, a custodial port of entry)

Funding for the 2021 to 2023 Immigration Levels Plan: $4.9 million

Table note: Numbers may differ due to rounding.

Activity 1: Intelligence and enforcement

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the CBSA is responsible for pursuing enforcement action against permanent residents who are inadmissible to Canada. The Agency is also responsible for investigating and charging persons who have committed offences under IRPA.

When examining a permanent resident or a foreign national who is seeking landing as a permanent resident at a port of entry, the CBSA may determine that the person is inadmissible to Canada for failing to comply with residency obligations or for other reasons. In such cases, an officer would take necessary enforcement actions (up to and including effecting removal from Canada).

Activity 2: Port of entry processing

Arrival activities include secondary examination of permanent resident visa-holders, incorporating identity verification, confirming eligibility and admissibility information; systems checks and updates, conferring of permanent resident, and examining and processing of settlers' effects, including goods to follow.

When undertaking a secondary examination while processing a foreign national permanent resident visa-holder at a port of entry, the Border Services Officer (BSO) is responsible for:

• verifying the person's identity, including biometric verification (the latter commenced July 2018)
• confirming that the information on their permanent resident visa is correct
• establishing that the applicant complies with all entry requirements and is admissible to Canada
• confirming that the applicant's marital, common-law, or family status has not changed since their visa was issued
• confirming that the applicant and their family members (whether accompanying or not) still meet the requirements of the class of permanent residents under which the visa was issued
• completing the Confirmation of Permanent Residence document and ensuring the photo meets the specifications outlined by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• imposing and explaining any appropriate conditions
• welcoming the new permanent resident to Canada
• providing them information about programs and services available to facilitate integration into Canadian society

Activity 3: Enabling costs

Enabling costs include one resource for the Strategic Policy Branch engaged in policy analysis, development, and coordination activities as they relate to the ongoing multi-year immigration levels planning activities. They also include Force Generation costs, which consist of recruitment, in-residence training, in-field probationary development of new Border Services Officers attending the CBSA College, and maintenance of required skills in the field. The CBSA is requesting funding to sustain an incremental increase of BSOs and other Force Generation activities, including:

• residence-based training at the CBSA College Rigaud Campus (Officer Induction Training Program)
• on the job development program (Officer Induction Development Program), which includes officer trainee relocation costs
• recertification (Arming and First Aid and National Training Standards)

Activity 4: Internal services (corporate cost)

Funding is required for CBSA's corporate support to:

• enable effective operational and program outcomes via human resources, finance, audit and evaluation, communications, and access to information and privacy corporate support
• provide appropriate management oversight, stewardship, and governance
• account for accommodation charges where the CBSA is the owner of buildings where the employees will be working (in other words, a custodial Port of Entry)

Funding to enhance Canada's Firearms Control Framework: $2.9 million

Table note: Numbers may differ due to rounding.

Activity 1: Enhanced intelligence and investigative capacity

Funding is required to:

• establish a National Firearms Intelligence Desk to provide the Agency and its partners with timely analysis of the sources, routes and methods by which illicit firearms enter Canada
• enhance regional capacity by adding additional firearm-focused intelligence and investigative resources in the regions where they have the potential to generate enforcement results

Activity 2: Legislative regulatory and policy development

Funding is required to pursue a suite of legislative, regulatory, and policy development work to support the Agency's firearms proposals.

Activity 3: Threat detection at the land and marine borders

Funding is required to expand the use of handheld x-ray units at land and marine ports of entry, to increase capacity to efficiently examine goods and conveyances.

Activity 4: Artificial intelligence and network threat detection

Funding is required to:

• develop a feasibility study relating to the expansion of networked detection devices across modes
• further develop and test the potential for artificial intelligence and machine learning tools and techniques to detect firearms and firearms parts in parcels

Activity 5: National training standards

Funding is required for force generation to support recruitment, training and ongoing training maintenance for incremental increases to border service officer levels.

Activity 6: Corporate support

Funding is required for CBSA's corporate support to:

• enable effective operational and program outcomes via human resources, finance, audit and evaluation, communications, and access to information and privacy corporate support
• provide appropriate management oversight, stewardship, and governance
• account for accommodation charges where the CBSA is the owner of buildings where the employees will be working (in other words, a custodial Port of Entry)

Adjustments to the Employee Benefit Plan: $23 million

Internal reallocation: $6.5 million

Table note: Numbers may differ due to rounding.

Activity 1: Release 2 solution implementation (Vote 5 – Capital)

Professional services activities to ensure readiness, planning, and project management rigor for CARM implementation.

Activity 2: User acceptance testing (UAT) (Vote 5 – Capital)

Professional services activities related to the preparation and execution of UAT for CARM implementation.

Activity 3: User acceptance testing (UAT) (Vote 5 – Capital personnel)

Personnel related to the UAT team for Release 2, including the tracking, disposition and resolution of UAT results and overall support.

Transfers to and from other organizations: $3.7 million

Transfers from other government departments ($4.3 million)

$1.7 million from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to CBSA to administer the import requirements of the Firearms Act, which the Agency administers on the RCMP's behalf. Border Service Officers are responsible for determining importer eligibility for firearms by ensuring they meet all relevant provisions of the Firearms Act.

$1.6 million from the Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to CBSA for the Air Carrier Support Centre (ACSC). To help ensure program efficiencies, oversight, and integrity, the CBSA and IRCC will collaborate to develop a reporting framework for quarterly reporting on the ACSC that meets the needs of both organizations.

$1.0 million from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development to CBSA to adjust funding previously provided for departmental staff located at missions abroad.

Transfers to other government departments ($0.6 million)

$0.6 million to Public Safety Canada to cover project costs associated with completing the Canadian Travel Number Information Technology solution.

$0.008 million to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat for the Financial Community Developmental Programs and the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility initiative.