CBSA 2016 year in review for Southern Ontario

February 1, 2017                       Niagara Falls, Ontario                         Canada Border Services Agency

 

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) maintained the safety and security of our borders in 2016. From January 1 to December 31, 2016, border services officers, in the Southern Ontario Region (SOR), processed just over 25 million travellers entering Canada in more than 10.5 million cars, 52,000 buses, 3.3 million commercial trucks, 3,100 aircraft, 26,000 vessels, and 6,000 trains.

 

Officers examined 173,000 vehicles and approximately 736,000 travellers were further processed for examinations and the issuance of 11,700 work permits, over 2,100 study permits and 1,250 temporary resident permits. Over 13,100 people were landed as permanent residents and 3,865 refugee claims were processed, a 41% increase over 2015. Officers also processed just under 5 million courier shipments and processed over 5.4 million commercial releases.

 

In 2016, CBSA officers executed over 3,000 seizures and removed over 720 foreign nationals. Over 350 foreign nationals were arrested for attempting to enter Canada illegally and/or for being in Canada illegally. CBSA officers intercepted 70 drinking or drug impaired drivers, arrested nine persons breaching court imposed conditions, recovered three missing children and arrested 14 people for other criminality.

 

CBSA’s Criminal Investigations Division prosecuted 105 individuals from January 1 to December 31, 2016. Furthermore, the region secured 30 convictions that resulted in 2,039 total days of incarceration and over $566,460 in court fines.

 

Some examples of significant enforcement highlighted throughout the year included an attempt to smuggle a rocket launcher into Canada, the non-report of a brand new plane, and untrue statements related to 100k worth of jewellery. The SOR also discovered a woolly mammoth tusk.

 

Quote

 

 “Our officers are the first line of defense in protecting Canadians. The men and women of the CBSA perform valuable work ensuring the detection and interdiction of illicit persons and products while expediting the free flow of legitimate travel and trade.”

 

Rick Comerford

Regional Director General, Southern Ontario Region

 

 

Quick Facts

 

In 2016, BSOs in southern Ontario conducted more than 173,000 conveyance examinations that resulted in:

 

• 1,383 drug seizures, including 68 kg of cocaine;
•  218 seized firearms;
• 868 seized prohibited weapons;
• 4,056 litres of seized alcohol;
• 201 tobacco seizures;
• 13 child porn seizures; and
• 10 proceeds of crime seizures valued at $373,600.

 

• The Southern Ontario Region of the CBSA covers the southern portion of Ontario, encompassing the cities of Windsor, Sarnia, London, Fort Erie and Niagara Falls, and their surrounding communities. The Region provides service to travellers at seven land borders, 10 airports, three ferry crossings, one rail crossing and 74 marine reporting sites.

 

• Anyone with information about suspicious cross-border activity is encouraged to call the CBSA Border Watch toll-free line at 1-888-502-9060.

 

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Contacts

 

Southern Ontario Media Relations

Canada Border Services Agency

CBSA-ASFC_SouthernOntarioRegionNews@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Media Line: 1-844-580-3636

 

 

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