Montréal, Québec, November 17, 2004 - CANPASS Air, a program designed to securely speed-up the border clearance process for pre-approved travellers, was officially launched today at the Montréal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. CANPASS Air allows frequent, pre-approved travellers to meet their border clearance obligations by simply looking into a camera that recognizes the iris of the eye as proof of identity. The iris recognition technology used in this program is new, innovative, and secure. It is non-invasive and is considered one of the most accurate and quickest biometric identifiers in the world. CANPASS Air is open to citizens and permanent residents of Canada and the United States. The processing fee is CAN $50, and membership is valid for one year. Application forms are checked against Canadian law enforcement databases to determine eligibility for the program. "The CANPASS Air program demonstrates the CBSA's commitment to modernizing, securing and streamlining the traveller process", said Gilles Parent, Director General, Quebec Region. "CANPASS Air uses a variety of tools to reach these goals - technology, partnerships, intelligence, and our experienced staff". CANPASS Air is currently available in Montréal, Vancouver, Halifax and Toronto international airports, and will be implemented soon in Calgary, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Ottawa. In addition to offering improved service to the travelling public, CANPASS Air enables CBSA officers to concentrate their efforts on potentially higher-risk travellers and goods, thereby upholding security and protection standards at the border. For more information or to obtain a copy of the application form, please visit: www.cbsa.gc.ca/canpass For media information
