News Release

National 2007

Canadian and U.S. governments team up with business to test border emergency plans in Vancouver

Ottawa, Ontario, April 13, 2007 - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) today completed three days of exercises in Vancouver with public and private partners to find ways to improve communications between government authorities and the business community that would help keep trade moving in the event of a border emergency.

"Ensuring the smooth flow of nearly $2 billion worth of goods and services that cross the Canada-U.S. border daily is vital," said Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day. "This exercise is a direct result of the $24 million Canada's New Government dedicated to business resumption planning earlier this year."

"This exercise shows how our two countries and the private sector can collaborate to minimize the impact of an emergency," said U.S. CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham. "The more thoughtful consideration we give now to worst-case scenarios, the better prepared we will be in the future to lessen damage, including to international trade."

Over 90 representatives from federal, provincial, state and municipal governments, law-enforcement agencies and businesses - including major exporters, importers and Chambers of Commerce - worked through scenarios involving disruptions at major land border crossings and marine ports of entry sites in British Columbia's lower mainland and northwest Washington State.

"It is important for government and industry to work together to create coordinated contingency plans to minimize the economic impact of disruptions," said Shirley-Ann George, Vice-President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. "Only by bringing all the key stakeholders together in these types of critical exercises can we have a reasonable level of confidence that we are ready to handle the impacts of both the immediate problems and the process for getting back to normal."

The CBSA and U.S. CBP will continue to work with their public and private sector partners to conduct more exercises and strengthen protocols to ensure an appropriate coordinated response that would minimize the impact on business in the event of an incident at the border.

This initiative is an example of work being undertaken through the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). The SPP is a commitment by Canada, the United States and Mexico to work together to build a safer and more economically dynamic North America. The SPP outlines an agenda for greater cooperation in areas as diverse as security, transportation, and public health, and provides a framework for the partners to enhance their planning and response capacities to reduce the potential impact of emergency situations.

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For media information:

CBSA Media Relations - Pacific Region