Canada Border Services Agency
Symbol of the Government of Canada

ARCHIVED - Fact Sheet

Warning This page has been archived.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please contact us to request a format other than those available.

January 2011

Niagara-Fort Erie Region
Key Facts and Figures

Throughout the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the International Customs Day may be marked in different ways but the message is the same. Our employees do valuable work, perform an important public service and their dedication is truly appreciated. Here are some of the statistics for the Niagara–Fort Erie Region highlighting some of the excellent work by the employees in our region. 

Corporate

  • Niagara-Fort Erie Region has three operational districts: Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Hamilton-Kitchener.
  • Passenger and cargo services are provided to highway, air, marine and rail modes of transport.
  • The majority of our services are provided at the land border crossings of Queenston, Rainbow, Whirlpool and Peace Bridges, and at the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport and Region of Waterloo International Airport.
  • A Telephone Reporting Centre for air and marine reporting is located in Hamilton.
  • A joint Canada–United States NEXUS/FAST Enrolment Centre is located in Fort Erie and in the United States at the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, with a Canadian Processing Centre for NEXUS/FAST and other alternate inspection programs in Niagara Falls. 
  • The Region has a dedicated Refugee Processing Unit in the Fort Erie District to screen refugee applicants and determine their eligibility to make a claim for refugee protection.
  • Approximately 900 employees work in the region (including about 644 uniformed staff).
  • CBSA employees administer over 90 Acts and Regulations.

Travellers and Trade Statistics (January – November 2010)

  • 13.2 million travellers processed
  • 5 million cars processed
  • 56,202 buses processed
  • 832,523 commercial vehicles processed
  • 1.74 million commercial releases handled
  • 226,714 commercial releases handled in the Hamilton-Kitchener District
  • 3.6 million courier shipments processed
  • 1.7 million courier shipments processed in the Hamilton-Kitchener District
  • 27,511 private aircraft processed in the Hamilton-Kitchener District
  • 2,116 cargo flights processed in the Hamilton-Kitchener District
  • 9,290 marine vessels handled by the Hamilton-Kitchener District
  • 1,852 cargo vessels processed in the Hamilton-Kitchener District
  • 6,753 pleasure craft vessels handled by the Hamilton-Kitchener District Telephone Reporting Centre

Immigration-Related Functions (2010Calendar Year)

  • The CBSA removed 756 persons who were inadmissible to Canada, including 211 who were criminals.

Our Missing Children Program (2010 Calendar Year)

  • 8 missing children recovered, including 2 abductions and 6 runaways.
  • Over 97 children recovered since the inception of the program in 1986.

Seizures (2010 Calendar Year)

  • 770 drug seizures with a value of approximately $7.5 million
  • $1,047,527 in currency seized (47 seizures)
  • 301 firearms and other prohibited weapons seized (180 seizures), including:
    • 58 handguns seized (63 seizures)
    • 44 replica handguns seized (23 seizures)
  • 484 seizures of alcohol and tobacco products
  • 49 jewellery seizures with an estimated value of $6.2 million
  • 126 vehicle seizures with a value of $2,025,353

Criminal Code Incidents (2010 Calendar Year)

  • 116 incidents involving drinking and/or drug impairment
  • 92 interceptions of persons wanted on outstanding warrants
  • 16 interceptions of persons in possession of stolen property

Criminal Investigations Charges (2010 Calendar Year)

  • 117 Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) criminal charges laid
  • 90 criminal charges (non IRPA) laid with $46,068 in court fines issued
  • $10,500 in civil penalties issued

Interesting Interceptions (2010 Calendar Year)

  • 1 seizure of ostrich plumes ($4,035)
  • 1 seizure of tortoiseshell artifacts ($15,000)
  • 1 seizure of jade artifacts ($5,850)

Quote by the Regional Director General

“CBSA employees in the Niagara–Fort Erie Region are trained to apply their examination and investigative skills and overall training, including various detection and intelligence tools, to manage who and what comes across our border,” said Tony Geoghegan, Acting Regional Director General, Niagara–Fort Erie Region. “Our ultimate goal is to protect public safety and security and contribute to the health, safety and economic well-being of our country.”    

Significant Seizures (2010 Calendar Year)

2010-04-22
Public Safety Minister Toews commends largest ever cocaine seizure at Hamilton Airport

2010-04-28
Border services officers seize over half a million dollars in suspected drugs at the Peace Bridge

2010-07-30
Unlawful import of reptiles results in multiple penalties

2010-08-16
CBSA officers seize illicit narcotics at Hamilton International Airport

2010-08-20
CBSA seizes over $38,500 worth of suspected cocaine at Peace Bridge

2010-09-02
Weekend seizure nets over $325,000 of suspected cocaine at Queenston Bridge

2010-11-25
Public Safety Minister Toews congratulates Canada Border Services Agency on significant drug seizure in Fort Erie

2010-12-20
Multiple seizures at Hamilton International Airport