Suspension of CBSA Services at Lake Simcoe Regional Airport (LASRA)

Date: May 21, 2020

Classification: Unclassified
Fully releasable (ATIP)? Yes
Branch / Agency: TB/CBSA

Proposed Response:

Background:

The CBSA has reviewed the volume of international flights at LASRA while taking into account the availability of CBSA resources to conduct the necessary verifications and health screening of crew.  The CBSA has confirmed that there were no commercial shipments of PPE since February. The two likely users of LASRA are Honda Canada and the Department of National Defence (DND). The CBSA has confirmed that neither have received any shipments since April 2017 and April 2018 respectively. Moreover, the CBSA has confirmed that since the suspension of CBSA services was announced, there were no shipments of PPE or other critical commercial goods or flights into LASRA that were denied arrival.

At this time, the volume of traveller data at LASRA does not support a change in the temporary suspension of CBSA services. The COVID-19 related suspension is in place in many locations (including LASRA). All international travellers must be processed by a CBSA officer and would therefore require officers to travel to clear the travellers, which would impact both CBSA resources and the travellers.

The suspension of services to general aviation (i.e. private, corporate, business, etc.) aircraft, which are not commercial in nature (i.e., non-commercial passenger conveyances) should not affect any other services that may be provided at an airport by the CBSA, specifically, clearance of cargo aircraft.

Although the total number of international arrivals into LASRA is very low since the COVID-19 pandemic, the CBSA has confirmed that international cargo aircraft may continue to arrive for emergency purposes, such as shipments of personal protective equipment, commercial production-line equipment and CF Base Borden international movements. However, due to the ongoing risk of transmission of COVID-19, private aircraft and general aviation passenger flights remain restricted at this time.

The crew on commercial cargo flights are required to report to the CBSA. The Agency has to make every effort to meet the crew and screen them in person under the Quarantine Act and as per the enhanced screening measures for COVID-19. The crew is exempt from the prohibition of entry restrictions and, provided they are asymptomatic and healthy, from the requirement to quarantine upon arrival in Canada.

If the local CBSA authority is unable to attend the airport of entry in person to clear the crew, the screening can be conducted over the phone. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) handout may also be provided to the crew via email or by making a stock available at the airport of entry. 

All general aviation flights with international travellers will continue to be redirected to Toronto Pearson Airport to facilitate enhanced screening procedures as mandated by PHAC. Any exigent flights, such as military flight, a MEDEVAC, emergency PPE shipments, etc., can be arranged and authorized by the CBSA’s Greater Toronto Area Region Cargo Operations on a case-by-case basis.  The CBSA is contacting LARSA on May 21, 2020, to confirm the approach to exigent flights.

Contacts:

Approved by: Denis Vinette, Vice-President, Travellers Branch, [REDACTED]

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