The Lacolle Port of Entry, located in Quebec, was designated as a priority border crossing in the Beyond the Border Action Plan initiative focused on border infrastructure. The Beyond the Border Action Plan was released by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama in December 2011 and outlines initiatives to improve the ability to manage security risks in both countries while reducing the burden on business. The action plan focuses on four areas: addressing threats early; facilitating trade, economic growth and jobs; integrating cross border law enforcement; and strengthening critical infrastructure and cyber security.
In addition to increasing the number of Primary Inspection Lanes, the project will allow for the modernization of the bus processing facilities and an expansion and renovation of the complete port infrastructure. This will enable the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) to process travellers more efficiently, better meet our border wait time standard and better enable officers to perform effective secondary examinations, which will reduce the risk of contraband activities, revenue evasion and illegal immigration. Lacolle currently has nine traveller lanes - eight regular lanes and one NEXUS lane. As a result of this investment, the Port of Entry will expand to 15 Traveller lanes - 13 regular lanes and two NEXUS lanes. This project is expected to start in 2013 and to take approximately three years to complete.
Under the Beyond the Border Action Plan, Canada and the U.S. agreed to make significant infrastructure upgrades at key border crossings to facilitate trade and travel, thereby creating jobs and supporting growth and prosperity. The Government of Canada has allocated $47 million in new fuding for the Lacolle improvements as part of Beyond the Border Action Plan funding in Economic Action Plan 2012. Funding will flow through the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund. To date, the Government of Canada has dedicated over $2.1 billion under the Fund to ensure the efficient flow of goods and people between Canada and the rest of the world.
This project is the latest in a series of investments made in relation to this Quebec border crossing. In 2006, the Governments of Canada and Québec spent over $86 million on improvements to Highway 15 leading to the port of entry, a new commercial vehicle safety inspection station, and intelligent transportation systems. Likewise, in 2009, the U.S. spent $90 million redeveloping the adjacent port of entry at Champlain, New York.
Further details on the Beyond the Border Action Plan can be found at www.actionplan.gc.ca/border.
