Canada Border Services Agency

Estimates and Budget

The CBSA provides integrated border services in support of national security and public safety priorities.
Funding included in Supplementary Estimates (A) will help CBSA implement important initiatives, such as the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management, or CARM, project and the enhanced Passenger Protect Program.
CARM is a technology business solution that will enable modern, fair and fiscally responsible assessment and revenue management for commercial imports to Canada. The $46.2M being requested will help to create a level playing field for Canadian businesses and increase revenues through duties and taxes for Canada's federal and provincial governments.
The CBSA is requesting $13.3M to develop the necessary IT infrastructure and applications to support Transport Canada and Public Safety in their delivery of the enhanced Passenger Protect Program.

If pressed on lapses:

The CBSA does not lapse funds as it operates on the basis of a two-year appropriation whereby any unused spending authority at the end of a fiscal year is available to be used the following year.
Currently, the CBSA may use its total $211.2 million carry forward amount from fiscal year 2018-2019, which is comprised of $138.3 million in Vote 1 – Operating Expenditures and $72.9 million in Vote 5 – Capital Expenditures.

The Supplementary Estimate "A" total amount for the CBSA is $66.8M, or 2.8% of authorities to-date. CBSA is anticipating to receive Treasury Board authority to increase its appropriations for the following increases:
$46.2M for funding for the Assessment and Revenue Management project;
$13.3M for funding for the Passenger Protect Program (horizontal item);
$3.0M for funding for the Duty Relief and Duty Drawback Programs;
$0.7M for funding for the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (horizontal item);
$3.6M for statutory appropriations related to Employee Benefit Plans.

$46.2M for funding for the Assessment and Revenue Management project;
- CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) is a technology business solution that will enable modern, fair and fiscally responsible assessment and revenue management for imports to Canada, creating a level playing field for Canadian businesses and increasing revenues through duties and taxes for Canada's federal and provincial governments.
- Funding is for the implementation of the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management.

$13.3M for funding for the Passenger Protect Program (horizontal item);
- To work with partnering departments (Public Safety and Transport Canada) to deliver a Centralized Screening IT solution to support the enhanced program.

$3.0M for funding for the Duty Relief and Duty Drawback Programs;
- This funding will enable the CBSA to increase the number of drawback and duty relief claims it is able to review while meeting its service standard commitments to industry.
- It will also be used to increase CBSA's compliance assurance activities, including enhanced program oversight, compliance verifications and ongoing compliance monitoring.

$0.7M for funding for the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (horizontal item);
- To establish a dedicated expert group to build intelligence capacity around human trafficking, and to assess the immigration enforcement policy framework to ensure sufficient protections are in place for victims of human trafficking and gender-based violence.