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Released: 23 July, 1999
Public Forum To Be Held On Douglas Border Crossing Upgrade
SURREY,
B.C., July 23, 1999...The Honourable Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of National Revenue
and M.P. (Vancouver South-Burnaby), announced today that a public forum will be
held in the coming months on options for building new facilities at the Douglas
border crossing in Surrey, British Columbia. A feasibility study, commissioned
in January, has now been completed and will form the basis for the public
discussions.
"The completion of the
feasibility study is a significant step towards the improvement of this
important border crossing," Mr. Dhaliwal said. "Better customs
facilities mean quicker travel between Canada and the United States. The
Government of Canada is committed to providing British Columbians with an
infrastructure that promotes trade and creates jobs."
The preferred option for the
upgraded Douglas border crossing proposes the construction of new facilities to
the south west. This would allow for greater traffic flows without generating
major disruptions.
Douglas is one of the major
land border crossings in western Canada and its 43-year-old facilities need
major renovations. Traffic, from major cities such as San Diego, Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, has been increasing and is
expected to continue to increase by 10% over the next ten years.
The timing and the location
of the public forum will be announced in the coming months.
"
Revenue Canada will also continue to review
opportunities with U.S. officials at the Peace Arch border crossing to determine
if there are any possibilities for sharing facilities as agreed to under the Canada-United
States Accord on our Shared Border. The Accord calls on both governments to
cooperate in establishing a joint approach to the management of our common
border.
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