New customs pre-clearance rules will speed up things up for both travellers and cargo
Photo: iStock/asiandelight.
New rules on pre-clearance for cargo and travellers going between Canada and the United States are expected to come into effect this summer and will help reduce the time it takes to cross the border.
Having US Customs and Border Protection officers at some Canadian airports has made it possible for years for Canadians to clear US Customs before flying south, so that when they arrive in the US, they’re able to skip the check while those from other countries need to be wait to screened. The same hasn’t been true for US flyers heading north, but Canada is considering a change. The new pre-clearance rules will apply to those crossing the border by land, rail, and sea.
“Delays at the border can easily disrupt operations for Canadian and American business owners, so we want to remove some of these obstacles to expand trade while keeping our people safe,” Prime Minster Justin Trudeau said earlier this June to the Canadian Press.”
Pre-clearance is to be extended to Toronto’s downtown Billiy Bishoo airport and Quebec City’s Jea Lesage airport, and planning has begun to make it possible for train travellers from Montreal to New York to pre-clear, as well those on British Columbia’s Rocky Mountaineer railway, which dips in to the State of Washington.
