The Emerson Port of Entry, located in Manitoba, was designated as a priority border crossing in the Beyond the Border Action Plan initiative. Under the Beyond the Border Action Plan, released by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama in December 2011, it was identified as a priority for investments by the Canadian Government.
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 allocated up to $10 million in new funding for the Emerson improvements in Budget 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.
The Beyond the Border 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.
The Province of Manitoba and the State of North Dakota are currently conducting a joint bi-national study on reducing congestion and improving traffic flow at the border. The funding announced today will enable the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to undertake, once the final report is completed, a number of its recommended infrastructure enhancements with regards to improvements to their inspection facility.
The planning phase of this project is scheduled to begin this year, with the construction phase expected to start in 2015 and to take approximately two years to complete.
The Government of Canada has previously invested $42.5 million, under the Gateways and Border Crossings Fund, in improvements to Highway 75 leading to the Emerson border crossing, in partnership with the Government of Manitoba.
Further details on the Beyond the Border Action Plan can be found at www.actionplan.gc.ca/border
April 2013