Impact of Border Measures and Statistics
Date: May 21, 2020
Classification: Unclassified
Fully releasable (ATIP)? Yes
Branch / Agency: SPB/CBSA
Travellers - Air Mode (from March 22 – May 20):
- Decrease of 99% in U.S air travellers versus this same period in 2019 (year over year).
- Decrease of 96% of international air travellers arriving from other locations (other than the U.S.) versus the same period last year.
- 366 U.S. citizens and 155 foreign nationals travelling from the U.S. by air were denied entry into Canada.
- 166 foreign nationals from locations other than the U.S. were also denied entry.
- 1,106 air travellers responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 330 travellers were referred* by the CBSA to a PHAC Quarantine Officer.
- 900 asymptomatic travellers referred to PHAC for not having suitable accommodation to quarantine (April 17 – May 20)
Travellers - Land, Rail and Marine Mode (from March 22 – May 20):
- Overall decrease of 82% of highway volumes when compared to this same period last year (year over year).
- Decline of 89% in travellers across the country and across all modes (including air) versus the same period last year.
- The number of individuals travelling by ferry has decreased by 100%.
- The number of private boaters has decreased by 92%.
- Passenger rail service has been suspended until further notice (decrease of 100%).
- 3,499 U.S. citizens, and 397 other foreign nationals, were denied entry due to non-essential travel.
- 310 travellers arriving in land, rail and marine modes responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 156 travellers were referred by the CBSA* to a PHAC Officer.
- 410 asymptomatic travellers referred to PHAC for not having suitable accommodation to quarantine (April 17 – May 20)
*Note: Referral rates for the CBSA are not 1:1; travellers may respond in error, report symptoms that are not COVID-19 related, or be referred to Quarantine Officers from PHAC Screening Officers (which is not captured by CBSA reporting)
Refugee Claimants (from March 21 – May 20):- 27 refugee claimants seeking entry to Canada have been directed back to the U.S.
- Two refugees were admitted into Canada from the U.S. as an exception under the Orders in Council.
- 104 refugees were admitted into Canada from the U.S. as an exception to the Safe Third Country Agreement.
- 29 foreign nationals were intercepted between ports of entry by the RCMP (irregular migrants) – (between March 21 – May 19)
Canadians turned back at U.S. Border (As of May 20):
- There were 8 Canadians turned back at the U.S. border in air mode for non-essential travel, and 1,564 in land, rail and marine modes.
Commercial Operations- Year over Year data:
- Decrease of 26% in commercial truck traffic (May 20)
- Decrease of 17% total commercial releases (May 19)
- Decrease of 20% in highway releases
- Increase of 1% in air releases
- Decrease of 53% in rail releases
- Decrease of 32% in marine releases
- The service standard for Commercial Border Wait Times (45 minutes) was met 99.9% in the last week.
Border Information Service (on May 19):
- The CBSA’s Border Information Service telephone line is now accessible 24/7 to respond to traveller and business queries.
- 2,979 calls received,
- 50% domestic calls to 50% international
- 90% traveller-related; 10% commercial-related
- The most common questions were related to: admissibility (essential travel and/or immediate family, transiting Canada), US boaters wanting to fish in Canadian waters, timeline for border re-opening, immigration related enquiries (work and study visas).
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