Fact Sheet

January 2013

National Targeting Centre

Overview

The National Targeting Centre (NTC) is a 24/7 operation responsible for ensuring national security and the health and safety of Canadians by increasing Canada's ability to detect and interdict high-risk people and goods at the earliest point in the travel and trade continuum. The NTC conducts targeting activities for people, goods and conveyances in all modes in accordance with the CBSA / National Targeting Program Mission, Vision, priorities, policies and procedures. By conducting tactical threat assessments, the NTC facilitates the expeditious flow of information and intelligence within the CBSA and between partnering agencies to identify high-risk travellers and goods before they arrive at our borders. The NTC analyzes and risk-assesses information from current intelligence, resultant enforcement actions and compliance data to identify emerging trends and establish intelligence indicators in order to continuously adapt targeting efforts to the areas of highest threat.

Strategic Objectives

The strategic objectives of the NTC are as follows:

• To provide border management that contributes to the safety and security of Canada and facilitates the flow of persons and goods; and
• To support modernization of the Agency's business processes in order to develop an integrated agency that is recognized for service excellence in ensuring Canada's security and prosperity.

Tactical Objectives

The tactical objectives of the NTC are as follows:

• To identify and interdict high-risk travellers and goods at the earliest point in the travel and trade continuum; and
• To communicate threat assessment information and intelligence to CBSA personnel and partnering agencies in a secure, timely, accurate and complete manner in order for a coordinated enforcement response to be executed.

Traveller Risk Assessment

The NTC exchanges information with United States Customs and Border Protection (U.S. CBP) in the form of lookouts and risk assessments using Advance Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) data on travellers arriving by commercial air carriers to Canada and the United States. This pre-arrival information enables CBSA targeting officers at the NTC to increase Canada's ability to detect and interdict the movement of high-risk people.

On an average day, targeting officers will:

• Risk assess 400-500 air travellers identified as high-risk, out of 70,000 daily air passengers; and
• Provide information on over 130 high-risk travellers identified by US CBP.

Cargo Risk Assessment

The NTC performs both marine and air cargo targeting. Advance cargo information is reviewed before shipments are loaded at foreign ports or arrive at our borders. High-risk shipments and cargo that may pose a threat to Canada are referred for examination at the first point of arrival or intervention.

On an average day, targeting officers will:

• Review more than 4500 marine containers;
• Review more than 5600 air cargo shipments;
• Review more than 260 shipments arriving at U.S. ports, in-transit to Canada; and
• Respond to approximately 70 shipments that have triggered alarms for radioactive material.

Joint Targeting Initiative

The CBSA and U.S. CBP work together under the Joint Targeting Initiative to target marine in-transit containers that arrive in Canada or the United States while en route to the other country.

Radiation Detection Portals

Radiation detection portals form part of a comprehensive alert system to detect illegitimate radioactive material entering Canada. The NTC responds to all portal alerts. NTC targeting officers screen the information and make timely decisions on whether to negate the alert or refer to the regional carborne examination units for further examination.

Intelligence Support

The NTC provides analytical and operational support for risk assessment activities that feed into the CBSA's Intelligence program. The NTC is also responsible for producing operational, tactical and trend analysis to support the CBSA's intelligence activities.

Border Watch Line

The NTC is a single point of contact offering an after-hours assistance centre for CBSA staff and other domestic and international agencies. Officers also manage calls to Border Watch, a toll-free tip line that enables the public and members of the Partners in Protection (PIP) program to confidentially report suspicious border activity. PIP is a voluntary CBSA program that enlists the co-operation of private industry to enhance border security.