ARCHIVED - Minister Steven Blaney tours Montréal-Trudeau Airport and the CBSA College

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RIGAUD, QUEBEC, August 27, 2013 — The Honourable Steven Blaney, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister, along with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) President Luc Portelance, today toured the key operations at the Montréal-Trudeau Airport and the main campus of the CBSA College in Rigaud, Quebec.

“The secure and efficient flow of legitimate trade and travel is vital to our economic competitiveness and prosperity,” said Minister Blaney. “The CBSA's many innovative initiatives allow for the smoother and more efficient movement of low-risk people and goods.”

An innovative technology used at the Montréal-Trudeau Airport, as well as the Vancouver International and Toronto Pearson International airports, is the Automated Border Clearance (ABC) kiosk. This self-service kiosk partially automates the Primary Inspection Line processing of eligible travellers (Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada), and helps to reduce queue times and increase passenger satisfaction with border-processing procedures.

NEXUS is another initiative designed to expedite the border clearance process for low-risk, pre-approved travellers into Canada and the United States. This joint Canada-U.S. program aims to simplify border crossings for participants while strengthening security for both countries.

Montréal Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau International Airport is the second busiest in Canada. Annually, it processes more than 4.5 million travellers, over 955,000 commercial declarations and 7,862,000 packages in the courier mode. It has 18 ABC kiosks and five NEXUS kiosks.   

The CBSA College provides integrated high-quality training, learning and development activities to support the professional excellence of the Agency's workforce.

“The recently expanded state-of-the-art facilities at the CBSA College represent a significant investment by our Government,” said Minister Blaney. “The College delivers exceptional training so that officers continue to protect the safety and security of Canadians and contribute to keeping our streets and communities safe.”

The expansion of the College includes two 18-lane firing ranges, a hangar, and a multifunction complex with classrooms, as well as simulation rooms. It further positions the CBSA as a modern armed law enforcement Agency, and affirms the professionalism of its workforce in managing a complex border in an increasingly global environment.

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For further information:

Jean-Christophe de Le Rue
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-991-2924

CBSA Media Relations
613-957-6500

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
media@ps-sp.gc.ca

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