The Canada Border Services Agency celebrates 10 years

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec. 12, 2013) - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) today celebrates its 10-year anniversary. Created to provide integrated border services, the CBSA has been dedicated for 10 years to protecting Canada's security and supporting its economic prosperity.

"I see the results of the work performed by the men and women of the Canada Border Services Agency on a regular basis and have been impressed with their dedication and professionalism," said the Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

"For 10 years, the CBSA has continued to keep illegal weapons off our streets, prevented illegal drugs from entering our communities, and removed persons who are inadmissible to Canada. The Agency also plays a fundamental role in supporting vital cross-border trade, and it is central to our security, to keeping our communities safe, and in keeping our economy strong and prosperous," said Minister Blaney.

The CBSA has seen a number of significant changes over the past 10 years. The Agency delivers border services in a more intricate environment, with new and expanding markets for trade and more sophisticated risks to our security. The CBSA has transformed and modernized to meet these challenges and deliver high-quality border services to Canadians. In 2006, the CBSA underwent a major change with the implementation of the arming initiative. Providing CBSA officers with duty firearms has strengthened border security and helped us better protect our communities. The arming initiative has been complemented with new and enhanced training facilities at the CBSA College in Rigaud, Quebec.

Over the past decade, the CBSA has risen to major challenges such as responding to the evacuation of approximately 15,000 Canadians from Lebanon in 2006, and by expediting the arrival of thousands of evacuees from Haiti following the devastating earthquake in 2010. In that same year, the CBSA demonstrated its flexibility by processing the mass marine arrival from the MV Sun Sea, after it had welcomed the world to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. In 2011, the Agency was given a leading role in implementing the Beyond the Border Action Plan to strengthen the security of both Canada and the Unites States at the perimeter, and keep legitimate travel and trade flowing more efficiently along our shared land border.

Last year alone, the CBSA welcomed more than 100 million travellers to Canada, cleared 14 million commercial releases and collected $25 billion in revenue on behalf of the Government of Canada. The Agency also seized close to 400 prohibited and restricted firearms, made over 11,000 drug seizures, removed 18,918 persons who are inadmissible to Canada and recovered 12 missing children.

The CBSA is proud to mark 10 years of dedicated service to Canadians, and will continue to rise to new challenges in the future.

Follow us on Twitter (@CanBorder), join us on Facebook or visit our YouTube channel.