Ottawa has announced plans to launch the first Canadian preclearance checkpoint in the United States, screening northbound travellers and goods before they cross into Canada.
The preclearance operation will establish a shared facility at the U.S. Cannon Corners port of entry in New York, adjacent to the Covey Hill, Quebec, port of entry, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced on Jan. 2. For the next two years, travellers heading to Canada will be processed by Canadian officers at Cannon Corners, while Covey Hill will be closed.
The Canadian officers will screen travellers and goods for admissibility, including checking for firearms, drugs, and other dangerous items, before they leave U.S. territory, as they do now at Canadian ports of entry. CBSA noted that while most immigration processing could be conducted at the preclearance site, those seeking refugee protection must still use a Canadian port of entry to process their claims.
The CBSA did not provide a specific launch date, noting that updates will be shared on its website and social media.
The United States currently operates eight preclearance sites at eight Canadian airports, according to the CBSA. U.S. air preclearance in Canada dates back to 1952 under various agreements, with a 2015 treaty expanding preclearance to include all modes of transport—land, rail, marine, and air—as well as cargo operations, according to Public Safety Canada.
Canada’s preclearance initiative reflects a shared commitment with the United States to “bolster border security and streamline the flow of legitimate trade and travel,” Public Safety Minister David McGuinty said in the Jan. 2 press release.
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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canada and Mexico, citing concerns over illicit drugs and illegal immigration crossing their shared borders into the United States.
Following Trump’s tariff threat, Ottawa pledged $1.3 billion over six years in its fall economic statement to bolster Canada’s border security. A Canada border plan was released the next day, on Dec. 18, outlining how the funding will support law enforcement and intelligence agencies in bolstering illicit drug detection capabilities, particularly to combat the fentanyl trade. Additionally, Ottawa also proposed a new North American joint task force with the United States to target transnational organized crime.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, expressed optimism about increased border security collaboration between Canada and the United States but also criticized Canada’s immigration laws as “too lax,” citing the lack of screening for those entering the country.
“I’m talking about those who would come in just to get to Canada and transit to the United States. I think they need to be screened right before we let them in. Of course, that’s up to Canada to change those rules,” Homan said during CTV’s Power Play program.
