Carlingford, New Brunswick, July 10, 2008 -- The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, joined by Mike Allen, Member of Parliament for Tobique- Mactaquac, today officially opened the new border-crossing facility at Andover, New Brunswick. The new facility provides improved service to both public and commercial clients crossing the border between Perth-Andover, New Brunswick, and Fort Fairfield, Maine.
"Our Government is committed to a safe, secure and efficient border," said Minister Day. "This modernized facility will help facilitate the smooth flow of legitimate travel and trade, while keeping our border safe and secure for all Canadians."
The Port of Andover, located on Highway 190, Route 6, is an important gateway for tourism and commercial trade in our region," added Mike Allen. "This new facility will help contribute to economic prosperity in New Brunswick."
A study conducted on the original building, which was built in 1954, indicated that traffic volumes had increased beyond the building's capacity.
With this new facility, the border crossing is now able to meet both current and projected operational needs. Last year, more than 341,000 private and commercial vehicles entered Canada at this port.
Minister Day also took this opportunity to unveil a plaque dedicated to two CBSA officers who died while performing their duties at the Port of Andover. On April 16, 1994, CBSA Officer David Moore and CBSA Superintendent Jim Finnamore were swept to their deaths by a sudden rise in waters of the Aroostook River.
"It is my honour today to dedicate this plaque to the memory of Jim Finnamore and David Moore. These individuals made the ultimate sacrifice in the course of their work. Their exceptional commitment to service – to their colleagues, their community, and their country – continues to inspire officers in the field today," said Minister Day.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is responsible for facilitating the access of people and goods to and from Canada, and for providing integrated border services that support national security and public safety priorities. For more information, please visit the CBSA's Web site.
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The Port of Andover provides service to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Thirteen border services officers and one superintendent work at the port. During the 2007–2008 fiscal year, the Port of Andover processed
- over 320,000 passengers;
- over 163,000 passenger vehicles; and
- over 178,000 trucks.
The new Andover border-crossing facility provides improved service to the public and commercial clients and border services officers with better tools. Some of the facility's features include
- a new warehouse to offload commercial shipments;
- a tertiary examination area;
- an X-ray machine to examine traveller baggage;
- contraband detection equipment;
- an Integrated Primary Inspection Line;
- cameras and a security system; and
- a secure holding cell area.
The new energy-efficient, environment-friendly building meets enhanced environmental standards and has improved air and water quality. It is also constructed of natural wood and stone products and features a geothermal heat pump system, which reduces costs and impacts on the environment.
The Port of Andover is the port of entry of choice for many importers who use it to import vital components for their businesses.
The village of Perth-Andover is located on the Saint John River, 40 kilometres south of Grand Falls near the mouth of the Tobique River. The Tobique First Nation is nearby with an estimated population of 1,700 residents. The surrounding communities are made up of a cross-section of manufacturing companies, agricultural areas and the forestry business.
Perth, located on the east side of the Saint John River, and Andover, on the west side, were amalgamated into one village in 1966; the village of Perth-Andover has a population service area of about 6,000 people. Ten kilometres to the west of the municipality is the U.S. border and about 80 kilometres to the south is Woodstock and the entrance to Interstate 95 leading to the New England states.