The committee studied the role of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at ports, focusing on container clearance and supply chain efficiency. Appearing were Cathy Toxopeus and Daniel Anson from the CBSA, Ian Hamilton from the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority, and Isabelle Viau from the Société du Port de Valleyfield.
Cathy Toxopeus explained that the CBSA facilitates trade while intercepting contraband at Canada's five major ports, which have fixed screening infrastructure, and that decisions on port infrastructure fall outside the CBSA's scope. She noted that the agency works with Transport Canada and Global Affairs Canada to assess requests for expanded services, but that funding and prioritization depend on those partners.
Daniel Anson described the CBSA's intelligence-driven targeting model, which uses data analytics and iterative learning from seizures to identify threats, and noted that the agency shares intelligence products with frontline officers and international partners. He said the CBSA collaborates with the RCMP and local police on enforcement between ports, and that integrated teams like border enforcement task forces already address gaps in coverage.
Ian Hamilton argued that expanding CBSA container clearance to Great Lakes ports like Hamilton and Oshawa would reduce congestion, shorten delays, and strengthen supply chain resilience, noting that the St. Lawrence Seaway is 50% underutilized. He reported that Hamilton has received conditional approval for an AR rail clearance facility, which he said could be operational in four to six months, and recommended exploring delegated authority for port security officers and cross-training CBSA staff to increase productivity.
Isabelle Viau stated that the Port of Valleyfield lost its container clearance service in 2023 without notice, forcing ships to unload mixed cargo elsewhere and increasing costs and delays for regional businesses. She said the port handled about 1,000 containers per year before the change, that all proposed solutions including a pilot project were rejected, and that no documents are pending with the CBSA. She asked for the service to be restored with a more agile, volume-adapted approach.
The meeting included procedural debate over the relevance of questions on CBSA workplace culture and the detector dog service policy, which some members argued were off-topic. No motions or votes were recorded.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.