Canada Border Services Agency

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is responsible for Canada's customs operations. It was created on December 12, 2003, after the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency was divided into CBSA and the Canada Revenue Agency. Legislation creating the agency is still before Parliament in February 2005.

Since the September 11 attacks against the United States, Canada's border operations have placed a dramatic new emphasis on protection from terrorism. The Canada-United States Smart Border Declaration created by John Manley and Tom Ridge has provided objectives for co-operation between Canadian and American customs systems.

A major ongoing project of CBSA is Advance Commercial Information, which requires shipborne and airborne cargo entering Canada to be registered with the Agency. This assists officials at seaports and airports in their inspections, and allows for the tracking of suspicious materials. These phases of the project are scheduled to be fully implemented by December 2005, with a similar highway and rail cargo program to follow in the near future.

The Agency falls under the Cabinet portfolio of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness currently held by Minister Anne McLellan.

External link

• Official site

See also

• Passport Canada