Impact of Border Measures and Statistics
Date: May 28, 2020
Classification: Unclassified
Fully releasable (ATIP)? Yes
Branch / Agency: SPB/CBSA
Travellers - Air Mode (from March 22 – May 27):
- 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.
- 409 U.S. citizens and 177 foreign nationals travelling from the U.S. by air were denied entry into Canada.
- 186 foreign nationals from locations other than the U.S. were also denied entry.
- 1,186 air travellers responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 367 travellers were referred* by the CBSA to a PHAC Quarantine Officer.
- 1,212 asymptomatic travellers referred to PHAC for not having suitable accommodation to quarantine (April 17 – May 27)
Travellers - Land, Rail and Marine Mode (from March 22 – May 27):
- Overall decrease of 80% of highway volumes when compared to this same period last year (year over year).
- Decline of 88% 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 93%.
- Passenger rail service has been suspended until further notice (decrease of 100%).
- 4,290 U.S. citizens, and 599 other foreign nationals, were denied entry due to non-essential travel.
- 346 travellers arriving in land, rail and marine modes responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 163 travellers were referred by the CBSA* to a PHAC Officer.
- 575 asymptomatic travellers referred to PHAC for not having suitable accommodation to quarantine (April 17 – May 27)
*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 27):
- 28 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.
- 124 refugees were admitted into Canada from the U.S. as an exception to the Safe Third Country Agreement.
- 31 foreign nationals were intercepted between ports of entry by the RCMP (irregular migrants) – (between March 21 – May 26)
Canadians turned back at U.S. Border (As of May 27):
- There were 13 Canadians turned back at the U.S. border in air mode for non-essential travel, and 1,910 in land, rail and marine modes.
Commercial Operations- Year over Year data:
- Decrease of 21% in commercial truck traffic (May 27)
- Decrease of 23% total commercial releases (May 26)
- Decrease of 29% in highway releases
- Increase of 25% in air releases
- Decrease of 47% in rail releases
- Decrease of 34% in marine releases
- The service standard for Commercial Border Wait Times (45 minutes) was met 99.8% in the last week.
Border Information Service (on May 26):
- The CBSA’s Border Information Service telephone line is now accessible 24/7 to respond to traveller and business queries.
- 2,672 calls received,
- 60% domestic calls to 40% international
- 80% traveller-related; 20% commercial-related
- The most common questions were related to: admissibility (essential travel and/or family reunification, transiting Canada), timeline for border re-opening, immigration related enquiries (work and study visas).
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