Impact of Border Measures and Statistics

Date: May 7, 2020

Classification: Unclassified

Branch/Agency: SPB/CBSA

Air Mode:

• When looking at year over year data, there is a 99% decrease in U.S air travellers versus this same period in 2019.
• There has been a 97% decrease of international air travellers arriving from other locations (other than the U.S.) versus the same period last year.
• 287 U.S. citizens and 127 foreign nationals travelling from the U.S. by air were denied entry into Canada.
• 154 foreign nationals from locations other than the U.S. were also denied entry.
• 870 air travellers responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 327 travellers were referred* by the CBSA to a PHAC Quarantine Officer.

      *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).

Land, Rail and Marine Mode:

• When looking at year over year data, there has been an overall decrease of 82% of highway volumes when compared to this same period last year.
• There has been a 89% decline 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 96%.
• Passenger rail service has been suspended until further notice (decrease of 100%).
• 2,484 U.S. citizens, and 247 other foreign nationals, were denied entry due to non-essential travel.
• 246 travellers arriving in land, rail and marine modes responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 151 travellers were referred by the CBSA to a PHAC Officer.

Commercial Operations:

• The CBSA has engaged commercial transporters to ensure they understand the new requirements, and continues to work with them to ensure that information is disseminated to their employees (e.g. truck drivers who cross the border).
• With regards to efforts to maintain our critical supply chains, the CBSA is ensuring continued cross-border commerce by facilitating the flow of goods, despite a 33% decrease in commercial truck traffic versus the same period last year.

Refugee Claimants (from March 21 – May 6):

• 24 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.
• 45 refugees were admitted into Canada from the U.S. as an exception to the Safe Third Country Agreement.
• 26 foreign nationals were intercepted between ports of entry by the RCMP (irregular migrants) 

Canadians turned back at U.S. Border (As of May 6):

There were 5 Canadians turned back at the U.S. border in air mode for non-essential travel, and 1,138 in land, rail and marine modes.

Border Information Service (on May 5):

• The CBSA’s Border Information Service telephone line is now accessible 24/7 to respond to traveller and business queries.
• 1,958 calls received,
• 75% domestic calls to 25% international
• 75% traveller-related; 25% commercial-related
• The most common questions were related to: admissibility (essential travel and/or immediate family, transiting Canada), mandatory quarantine, interprovincial travel, commercial importation of PPE, status of shipment (personal and commercial).
• The total calls for the month of April 2020 were 39,289, representing a 9% increase over last year’s monthly call volumes.

Date modified:

2020-10-26