Fact Sheet

Customs Controlled Areas 

About Customs Controlled Areas

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) intends to designate new Customs Controlled Areas (CCA). These designated areas will help the CBSA address internal conspiracies or criminal activities at Canadian ports of entry and other areas associated with the border.

The CBSA's objective is to allow those with a legitimate reason to be in a CCA to carry out their business as usual. CCAs will include existing customs offices, buildings or other facilities, as well as additional areas designated by the Minister of Public Safety, as per regulations. CCAs will be demarcated and identified at exit/entry points and within the designated area through the use of signage so that individuals are aware of when they are in a CCA and what their obligations are.

What's New?

In the past, the Customs Act provided CBSA officers with powers of questioning, examination and search that were limited to international travellers and goods. Amendments to the Act allowed for the creation of CCAs. CCAs will be areas where domestic workers or domestic origin travellers are more likely to come into contact with international travellers or goods not yet cleared by the CBSA.

These legislative amendments will allow CBSA officers to carry out specific enforcement activities within a CCA, as well as at exit points; this expanded authority will give the CBSA the flexibility it needs to effectively monitor and control these areas. Any person in or exiting a CCA will be required to present and identify themselves to a CBSA officer when requested to do so. They must answer truthfully any questions asked by the officer and, upon request, present goods for examination.

Regulations

The proposed regulations prescribe the persons or classes of persons that may be granted access to a CCA and the manner in which individuals must present themselves and report goods to a CBSA officer while in, or exiting a CCA. In addition, the Regulations stipulate the manners in which officers may conduct searches. The Regulations will allow CCAs to be used with minimal disruption to travellers, employees and businesses that have a legitimate purpose for being in a CCA, while enabling CBSA officers to focus on areas of risk and persons of interest.

Legislation

Customs Act