Overview: Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities: Reducing Red Tape and Costs on Rural and Urban Canadian Airports (June 16, 2022)
Scenario note
Background
On , the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN) adopted a motion to undertake a study on ways to reduce red tape and costs on rural and Urban Canadian airports to make air travel more affordable and accessible.
General Information
Date:
Time: From 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Location: (TBC)
Mode: The meeting will be in a hybrid setting.
Appearing
Witnesses (TBC):
3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Transport Canada
- Craig Hutton, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy
- Aaron McCrorie, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Safety and Security
- Stephanie Hébert, Assistant Deputy Minister, Programs
- Colin Stacy, Director General, Air Policy
- Director General
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority
- Lisa Hamilton, Vice President, Corporate Services
- Neil Parry, Vice-President, Service Delivery
Canada Border Services Agency
Denis Vinette Vice-President, Travellers Branch
TRAN Members
- Liberal Party of Canada
- Peter Schiefke, Chair
- Annie Koutrakis, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
- Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services
- George Chahal
- Angelo Iacono
- Churence Rogers
- Conservative Party of Canada
- Melissa Lantsman, Vice-Chair, Shadow Minister for Transport and Chair of Outreach
- Terry Dowdall
- Matt Jeneroux
- Dan Muys
- Bloc Québécois
Xavier Barsalou Duval, Critic for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
- New Democratic Party
Taylor Bachrach, Critic for Infrastructure and Communities
Opening remarks
At the beginning of the meeting, the chair will invite the Vice-President to deliver opening remarks, which will be followed by questions from Committee members to all officials.
Rounds of questioning
At the Chair's discretion, questions from committee members will proceed as follows:
- First round: 6 minutes for each party in the following order: CPC, LPC, BQ, NDP
- For the second and subsequent rounds: CPC, 5 minutes; LPC, 5 minutes; BQ 2.5 minutes and NDP 2.5 minutes; CPC, 5 minutes ; LPC, 5 minutes
The Minister and supporting officials will only attend the first hour and a half of the meeting. The committee will move in camera from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm to discuss committee business.
Opening remarks
It is a pleasure for me to speak to you today about the Canada Border Services Agency and what we are doing to improve the traveller experience at airports.
I would like to begin by noting that the CBSA is fully aware that Canadians are more than eager to resume their regular travel after more than two years of restrictions, as evidenced by the current volumes at our airports.
During the month of May, we have gradually resumed border services at select airports affected by the temporary measures put in place as a result of the pandemic.
Travellers are returning to a border that is being managed differently this summer, with evolving COVID-19 requirements.
We recognize the impact that significant wait times at some airports are currently having on travellers.
We are working with airports, air carriers, baggage handlers, and other government departments and partners to implement solutions to reduce delays as we approach the summer peak season.
The CBSA continuously monitors volumes and wait times to allocate resources and adjust staffing levels accordingly. We have increased officer availability at major airports, and Student Border Services Officers are now at work across the country.
There are also things that travellers can do to make the process easier for themselves and other travellers.
Travellers can help reduce wait times at the border by coming prepared and by completing their mandatory ArriveCAN submission within 72 hours before arriving at the border.
ArriveCan was developed jointly by CBSA and the Public Health Agency of Canada in the early stages of the pandemic to eliminate an onerous and unmanageable volume of paper forms and allow for a real-time collection of information to support compliance and enforcement of critical public health measures.
ArriveCAN collects contact, health and travel information to protect the health and safety of travellers and expedite processing at the border. It is the fastest, easiest and most secure way for travellers to show they meet public health requirements.
The CBSA is constantly looking for innovative ways to facilitate and expedite border processing, without compromising health and safety.
Over the coming months and years, the CBSA will undertake a series of major improvements as part of our Traveller Modernization initiative. The various components of this initiative will position Canada to manage future travel volumes without compromising public health priorities or economic recovery.
We are modernizing the border processing experience through the use of new digital tools and technologies to create a more streamlined process for travellers.
One of these new tools is the Advance CBSA Declaration.
This is a feature within the ArriveCAN online application that gives air travellers the option to prepare their customs and immigration declaration 72 hours in advance of their arrival in Canada.
This feature will be expanded to the ArriveCAN mobile app later this month.
In addition, over the next year, the CBSA plans to launch the Advance CBSA Declaration feature nationally at all airports with Primary Inspection Kiosks.
Travellers who use the Advance CBSA Declaration feature of ArriveCAN online will greatly reduce their processing time when they enter Canada through airports. On average, travellers using this new platform will complete their processing using the Primary Inspection Kiosk in just over one minute – as little as 68 seconds.
With the increased volume of travellers at our points of entry, there has been increased pressures on the government and industry to keep up. We trust that the Traveller Modernization initiative is steering us in the right direction.
I hope that you have found this information beneficial, and look forward to providing you with more insight on these important initiatives. I am happy to respond to your questions.
Placemat: Key messages
ArriveCan
ArriveCAN was developed and implemented by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in as a web-based and mobile tool for capturing travel and public health information from travellers prior to arrival in Canada.
All travellers, regardless of vaccination status and mode of transportation, are required to submit their information in ArriveCAN up to 72 hours before entering Canada. ArriveCAN collects contact, health and travel information to protect the health and safety of travellers and expedite processing at the border.
Travellers must provide in ArriveCAN their complete contact information, travel details and vaccination information, as well as pre-entry test results and quarantine plan if applicable, prior to arrival in Canada. A receipt showing that the traveller has successfully submitted their information is displayed in ArriveCAN and emailed to the traveller.
ArriveCAN is an essential tool to effectively assess traveller compliance with border measures, speeds up traveller processing and protects travellers and government officials by reducing points of contact.
Technology, such as the ArriveCAN app, has and will be instrumental in protecting the health and safety of travellers as well as expediting processing at the border.
Travellers may experience delays at ports of entry due to the public health measures as the CBSA will not compromise the health and safety of Canadians for the sake of border wait times. Travellers should have their ArriveCAN receipt ready to present to a border services officer.
What is the reason for delays at Airports?
The CBSA works with airport authorities, airlines and PHAC in planning for arrivals based on scheduled flights. However, the convergence of flights arriving at the same time, sometimes because of early or late arrivals of flights can increase the overall processing time.
When several flights converge and travellers accumulate, it can create a funnel effect leading into the pre-primary waiting area, which may cause lineups. Due to infrastructure and space limitations, travellers may have to be staged prior to entering the CBSA processing area.
It is important to note that each Airport Authority is responsible for the planning and coordination of the required holds and flow of travellers throughout the terminal building.
How can travellers avoid delays?
Travellers can help minimize delays by ensuring that their ArriveCAN submission is completed within 72 hours of arrival at the border with all the required information including vaccination evidence.
The completion of ArriveCAN before arriving at the border helps to improve the flow across the border and minimize delays. It is the fastest, easiest and most secure way for travellers to show they meet public health requirements.
Are there enough resources at airports and other ports of entry?
The CBSA takes appropriate measures to ensure that there are sufficient resources available to adequately manage the border and allow for the ability to increase operational flexibility and respond to service demands as and when required.
The Agency continuously monitors traveller volumes and wait times to allocate resources and adjust staffing levels during peak travel periods to minimize processing times and delays at our ports of entry.
CBSA and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority have made 25 additional kiosks available in the customs hall areas at the Toronto Pearson International Airport.
CBSA has increased officer availability, and Student Border Services Officers are now at work.
NEXUS enrolment
NEXUS enrolment has been severely impacted by the pandemic. Over the past two years, the enrolment backlog has reached 300,000, resulting in long delays to schedule and complete enrolment interviews.
The CBSA and US Customs and Border Protection and working closely to implement measures necessary to reopen the Canadian locations. We are also exploring other options to increase capacity, such as virtual interviews for renewing members.
It will take time to clear this backlog. Those applying for a NEXUS card for the first time should expect a wait of a year or longer to complete the interview.
In the meantime, membership validity is being extended for renewing members who are unable to complete their interview in person. We remind renewing members to submit their application before the expiry of their current membership to ensure they are able to benefit from this extension.
Can CBSA leverage other programs to improve border wait times?
In terms of Canada not leveraging trusted traveller programs to their full extent, it's important to note the investments currently underway by the CBSA to modernize processing for all travellers. Advance reporting, dynamic risking and biometric verification will facilitate the processing experience of many residents and visitors.
The CBSA cannot speak to the adoption of dedicated airplane boarding lanes for NEXUS members. We can confirm that we do not share membership or risking information with airlines and that risking for aviation security is assessed independently from NEXUS membership. We do welcome ideas on extending benefits for NEXUS members but would need to consider this proposal in greater detail to determine what role, if any, the CBSA would play.
ArriveCan going forward
The CBSA is continuing to work with PHAC and other partners to identify processing efficiencies in all modes, to address anticipated rising volumes as we approach the summer travel period.
The CBSA will integrate the Advance CBSA Declaration into the mobile ArriveCAN app in , allowing travellers at Toronto Pearson and Vancouver International to voluntarily complete their customs declaration in advance of arrival. This initiative is expected to reduce traveller processing time on arrival, and will be expanded to other major airports in Canada over the coming year.
The CBSA is committed to building on the success of the ArriveCAN app and will roll out other initiatives designed to deliver a better and faster border experience for travellers in the coming months and years.
Key messages
Airport wait times and CBSA staffing levels
There are many factors that may contribute to delays upon arrival at a Canadian airport. The CBSA continuously monitors traveller volumes and wait times to allocate resources and adjust staffing levels during peak travel periods in order to minimize processing times and unnecessary delays at our ports of entry.
The unpredictable and sometimes inevitable convergence of flights arriving at the same time, combined with the border health measures, can increase the overall processing time.
This means travellers to Canada could experience longer border wait times during some periods of the day.
The CBSA invests significant effort annually to plan and prepare for various peak periods, including the summer travel season, which will soon be upon us.
Considerable analysis is conducted to inform us of the resources that will be required to address projected trends and patterns to ensure alignment of resources to service demand. This approach has served us well in the past, with service to travellers being effectively balanced with security and safety responsibilities.
The CBSA has established modern processes to improve the traveller experience and manage volumes, like the international-to-domestic and the international-to-international programs that serve to significantly decrease connection times, as well as the Primary Inspection Kiosks, and the advanced CBSA declaration option.
NEXUS enrolment
NEXUS is a joint program managed by both the Canada Border Services Agency and the United States Customs and Border Protection.
Due to the pandemic, the NEXUS and Free and Secure Trade (also known as FAST) enrolment centres in Canada and in the US closed on .
With the recent easing of some border measures, NEXUS and FAST interviews have resumed at enrolment centres in the US as of .
Canada and the US are in discussions about the timing of the reopening of Canadian enrolment centres, however until that time, enrolment centres in Canada will continue to be closed.
The CBSA and the US CBP are working together to ease the impact on NEXUS and FAST members caused by the extended closures of the enrolment centres.
Impacts of COVID-19 health measures and ArriveCan
Since the beginning of the pandemic over two years ago, CBSA has supported a Whole-of-Government approach to limit the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in Canada, by ensuring the safety and security of our borders.
Travellers are returning to a border that is managed differently with evolving COVID-19 requirements – and this can mean delays during peak periods. The CBSA is working hard to mitigate long border wait times, but, there are also things that travellers can do to make the process easier for themselves, and other travellers.
Delays can become further exacerbated when travellers need additional time in the arrival hall to complete their ArriveCAN submissions.
However, travellers can help minimize these delays by ensuring that their ArriveCAN submission (which is free to download and use as a mobile app or on the website) is completed within 72 hours of arrival at the border with all the required information including proof of vaccination.
The completion of ArriveCAN before arriving at the border helps to improve the flow across the border and minimize delays.
ArriveCAN is the fastest, easiest and most secure way for travellers to show they meet public health requirements.
Supporting humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and Ukraine
The CBSA is also supporting other Government priorities including the reception and processing of Ukrainians arriving in Canada for safe refuge and the resettlement of Afghani nationals under our commitment to welcome them to our country. The CBSA is mobilizing resources across many port of entry activities.
ArriveCan
ArriveCAN was developed and implemented by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in as a web-based and mobile tool for capturing travel and public health information from travellers prior to arrival in Canada.
All travellers, regardless of vaccination status and mode of transportation, are required to submit their information in ArriveCAN up to 72 hours before entering Canada. ArriveCAN collects contact, health and travel information to protect the health and safety of travellers and expedite processing at the border.
Travellers must provide in ArriveCAN their complete contact information, travel details and vaccination information, as well as pre-entry test results and quarantine plan if applicable, prior to arrival in Canada. A receipt showing that the traveller has successfully submitted their information is displayed in ArriveCAN and emailed to the traveller.
Travellers can help minimize delays by ensuring that their ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website) submission is completed within 72 hours of arrival at the border with all the required information including vaccination evidence. The completion of ArriveCAN before arriving at the border helps to improve the flow across the border and minimize delays.
ArriveCAN collects contact, health and travel information to protect the health and safety of travellers and expedite processing at the border. It is the fastest, easiest and most secure way for travellers to show they meet public health requirements.
ArriveCAN is available to download as a free mobile app or it can be accessed on the website at Canada.ca/arrivecan. Travellers without a smartphone or without mobile data can submit their information by signing in online through any computing device.
Travellers can also ask another person for assistance, such as a friend or relative, to submit their information if they are unable to use ArriveCAN. They do not need to be travelling together. Once they have submitted the travellers’ information, they should print the receipt page or take a screenshot and provide it to the traveller to show to the border services officer.
The Advance CBSA Declaration feature within ArriveCAN (online only) gives air travellers the option to prepare their customs and immigration declaration 72 hours in advance of their arrival in Canada. Through the new Advance CBSA Declaration, international travellers arriving at Vancouver International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport can now use ArriveCAN online to prepare their customs and immigration declaration before arriving in Canada. This feature will be expanded to the ArriveCAN mobile app at a later date.
CBSA Communications undertakes regular proactive work to promote and support the use of ArriveCAN, including:
- Ongoing work to improve web content and usability, including infographics, posters and vidoes on our website
- Proactive media outreach including offering interviews at border crossings, to inform the public about the rules, promote mandatory ArriveCAN, and provide key information and travel tips
- Stakeholder and partner engagement with airport authorities, air carriers, and travel organizations such as CAA, Snowbirds Associations, and others
- Deployment of airport and road physical and digital signage, and ongoing work to increase/adapt signage at air and land POEs
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