The CBSA is Canada’s first line of defense at 1,200 ports of entry across the country, while the RCMP is primarily responsible for border security between 117 land-border official points of entry.

Each year, about 8 million shipping containers enter into our ports.   Current Imaging machines are expensive to purchase and operate, and the imaging process takes time; inspecting containers by hand is labor intensive and takes much longer.  Land border crossings use imaging devices to monitor and secure border areas.  These devices included fixed and mobile video surveillance systems, thermal image devices, radar systems and bio metric facial comparison technology.  None of these provide accurate detection quickly. Outbound checks are sometimes hours.  Efforts to detect, investigate, and disrupt criminal threats by targeting transnational and serious organized crime groups involved in the production and trafficking of illegal substances, including opioids are minimal currently.

Mark Weber, national president of the Customs and Immigration Union, says a shortage of personnel and equipment at official points of entry means less than one per cent of containers moving through Canadian seaports are being searched for illicit goods. December 08, 2024