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Released: 14 June, 1999
Dhaliwal Announces Canpass Highway Pilot Program In Windsor And Fort Erie
Ottawa, June 14, 1999...The
Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of National Revenue and M.P. (Vancouver
South-Burnaby), today announced a pilot expansion of the CANPASS Highway program
in Windsor and Fort Erie. The pilot will be offered free of charge to
participants.
This expansion of the CANPASS
Highway program - organized in partnership with Citizenship and Immigration
Canada, and the bridge and tunnel authorities of Fort Erie and Windsor - will
simplify the process for travellers entering Canada at the Ambassador Bridge and
the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel in Windsor, and the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie. The
CANPASS dedicated lanes will be operational this summer.
"I am pleased that we
are now able to offer the CANPASS Highway program free of charge to low-risk
travellers," said Minister Dhaliwal. "CANPASS Highway allows these
travellers to clear Canadian customs and immigration more quickly. This allows
us to focus our resources on those travellers who pose a greater risk to our
safety and security."
By using dedicated CANPASS
lanes, all three border crossings will be equipped to speed up the flow of
pre-approved, low-risk travellers to Canada. Travellers destined to the U.S.
will still need to clear U.S. immigration and customs.
Travellers who choose to
participate in the CANPASS Highway program will receive a vehicle decal and an
identification card that will allow them to undergo a brief visual examination
by a customs officer, rather than being questioned by a customs officer at the
customs booth. Customs and immigration officers will still carry out random
checks on CANPASS participants as part of their role in enforcing Canadian laws
at the border.
To qualify as CANPASS
participants, applicants must have no record of criminal activities, or of
illegal customs or immigration activities. CANPASS applicants must also undergo
a series of background checks in order to qualify for the program.
Returning Canadian residents
who have made purchases out of the country have the choice of stopping at the
customs office to pay duties and taxes owed, or of completing a traveller
declaration card and depositing it into a box as they drive through the
dedicated lane. Revenue Canada then bills their credit card account for any
duties and taxes owed. U.S. participants will be required to stop at the customs
office to pay any duties and taxes owed.
Participants entering Canada
will be able to enjoy CANPASS privileges at all four Southern Ontario CANPASS
locations, including the CANPASS Whirlpool Bridge.
The CANPASS Highway program -
which is an option available to Canadian and U.S. citizens and permanent
residents entering Canada - is one of several CANPASS programs that were
developed by Canada in support of the Canada-United States Accord on Our Shared
Border.
The Accord is intended to
promote trade, tourism, and travel between the two countries. CANPASS programs
have been developed jointly by Revenue Canada and Citizenship and Immigration
Canada to simplify customs and immigration clearance for low-risk travellers. An
evaluation framework will be developed by the Accord partners - Citizenship and
Immigration Canada, Revenue Canada, the U.S. Customs Service, and the U.S.
Immigration and Naturalization Service - with a view to further harmonize border
clearance programs.
Information on how to
register for the CANPASS Highway program or on other CANPASS initiatives is
available at local customs offices.
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41C/99
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