Budget 2001
A Secure, Open and Efficient Border

December 10, 2001

The terrible events of September 11 have reaffirmed the long-standing bonds of friendship between Canada and the United States. They have also highlighted our common interest in continuing to work together to make our border not only more secure, but more efficient for the purposes of trade.

Every day, close to $2 billion worth of goods and services crosses the Canada-U.S. border. And in the days since the attacks, President Bush and the Prime Minister have both placed a very high priority on ensuring the flow of goods, services and people across the border.

Budget 2001 addresses this key priority by providing more than $1.2 billion to keep the border open, secure and efficient. Roughly half of this amount will go to border security and facilitation, while the other $600 million will go to a program designed to improve border infrastructure.

Border Security and Facilitation

Budget 2001 invests $646 million over five years to enhance border operations. This includes:

$58 million over five years for initiatives to speed passage of pre-approved travelers at land border crossings and for frequent air travelers. This would involve rigorous pre-approval processes involving background and security checks on all applicants.

$67 million over five years to equip Customs officers with better tools for risk-assessment and detection.

$107 million over five years for the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency to acquire additional detection equipment such as X-ray machines and ion scanners to better intercept dangerous shipments such as firearms and explosives without delaying legitimate commerce or tourism.

$135 million over five years to establish new multi-agency Integrated Border Enforcement Teams led by the RCMP.

$14 million to create two new programs that will facilitate trade for small business importers.

Border Infrastructure

With the increasingly high volume and velocity of trade that is characteristic of the Canada-U.S. border, the time has come for both of us, jointly, to make strategic investments to help eliminate bottlenecks in key trade corridors. This was necessary before September 11th, and it has become even more important since.

Budget 2001 provides $600 million over five years for a new border infrastructure program. Under this program, we will seek to partner with the provinces, municipalities and the private sector. We also intend to work with the U.S. to ensure a coordinated approach towards border infrastructure.

Projects supported by the program could include:

new or improved highway access for border crossings;

processing centres for commercial vehicles to speed up clearance times; and

"soft infrastructure" such as intelligent transportation systems, which facilitate the electronic exchange of information between government agencies and trucks and trains crossing the border.