Government of Canada expands plan to strengthen border security

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 4, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable David McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety, highlighted measures to further strengthen security at the border, expanding on the $1.3 billion Border Plan the Government of Canada announced in December.

The new measures include:

• The appointment of a Fentanyl Czar, who will engage with U.S. counterparts, and enhance operational collaboration and efficiency in combatting fentanyl, in order to enhance law enforcement tools to combat organized crime in Canada.
  
  
• The listing of organized crime cartels having an impact in Canada as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigates criminal activities by those who threaten the safety and security of Canadians. Listing is an important tool that will support criminal investigations and strengthen the RCMP's ability to prevent and disrupt the activities of the cartels.
  
  
• Canada is launching the Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering.
  
  
• The Prime Minister signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl that will be supported by Canada's investment of $200 million in new capacity to allow Public Safety Canada and the Communication Security Establishment to gather intelligence on transnational organized crime and share with our American partners and law enforcement across the continent.
  
  
• Ensuring 24/7 eyes on the border through round-the-clock surveillance and by mobilizing law enforcement and civilian forces with new and modernized equipment. Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are working on protecting the border.

These measures contribute to and expand on Canada's Border Plan, which through its $1.3 billion investment, has and will continue to increased resources dedicated to border security – this includes procurement of Black Hawk helicopters, drones, mobile surveillance towers, as well as addition of personnel and new canine teams.

The Canada-U.S. border is the most secure in the world. The Government of Canada will continue to do whatever it takes to keep it that way.

Quote

"Canada and the United States share the most secure border in the world and we are committed to making it even stronger. The measures expand on Canada's Border Plan and its unprecedented $1.3 billion dollar investment."

- The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety

Quick Facts

• Budget 2024 provided $743.5 million over five years, including $159.5 million ongoing, to support the stability and integrity of Canada's asylum system, increasing processing and decision-making capacity.
• To reinforce the integrity of our immigration system and reduce fraud, we heightened scrutiny of visitor visa applications from countries with the highest rates of abuse. Our swift actions have led to an:
  • 89% drop in illegal U.S. crossings by foreign nationals in Canada from June to December 2024
  • a 61% increase in refusals for high-risk countries
  • an 18% drop in asylum claims by Canadian visa holders (from 7,174 claims in October 2024 to 5,832 in November 2024).
• The Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) has been in effect since 2004 and is an important tool for Canada and the U.S. to work together on the orderly management of asylum claims made in our countries. In March 2023, the STCA was expanded to apply across the entire Canada-U.S. land border, including internal waterways, such as the Great Lakes.
• Health Canada's new Canadian Drug Profiling Centre will allow for more laboratory capacity by allowing for more specialized forensic analysis of seized illegal synthetic drug samples. Analysis will go beyond identifying the components of a sample, and look at markers to help determine where substances were manufactured.
• Health Canada's new Precursor Risk Management Unit will increase oversight over precursor chemicals and distribution channels, and monitor emerging illegal drug trends.
• The CBSA announced its intention to launch its first preclearance operation in 2025. Preclearance supports the national security and economic prosperity of both Canada and the U.S. by facilitating the secure and efficient movement of people and goods across the border.

Associated Links

• Government of Canada announces border security exercises with provinces and territories, starting with Ontario
• Government of Canada announces its plan to strengthen border security and our immigration system
• Backgrounder: The Government of Canada's Border Plan
• 2024 Fall Economic Statement

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SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

Contacts: Alice Hansen, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Media Relations: Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]