Parliamentary Committee Notes: Decreased Funding Levels for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)

Issue:

The total funding sought by the CBSA in Main Estimates for 2024-25 is $2,649.6M, representing a 2.5% decrease over the previous year.  Committee members may express concerns about potential cuts in critical operations and ask the Minister to explain this decrease.

Proposed Response:

• The CBSA is requesting a total of $2,649.6M in funding in the Main Estimates for 2024-25. This represents a $68.3M (2.6%) decrease over the Main Estimates of 2023-24.
• The CBSA will continue to provide integrated border services that support national security priorities and facilitate the flow of people and goods across the border.
• On Refocusing Government Spending
• The decrease in funding is primarily attributable to the Refocusing Government Spending (RGS) commitment reductions.
• The $48.5M reduction in Base Funding comprises the $62.8M RGS reduction, which has been partially offset by other adjustments. The RGS reduction in spending will focus on consulting, professional services and travel and not on CBSA’s critical operations.
• The CBSA is reviewing work that is not directly associated with its top priorities and is also reviewing projects, programs and operations to identify areas where there might be duplication.
• Increases to support critical operations:
• The CBSA is receiving $64.9M in funding for the Land Border Crossing Project. This represents a $17.6M increase compared to last year’s Main Estimates. This project will allow CBSA to rebuild and modernize a number of its custodial ports of entry to meet core operational requirements and new Government of Canada standards in relation to sustainability, accessibility and gender neutral spaces, while improving the processing of travellers and commercial goods.
• The CBSA is receiving $17.7M in additional funding for Temporary Resident Processing. This aims to address growing volumes of temporary resident processing at ports of entry and immigration enforcement activities.
• This funding will ensure we have the necessary staff and equip them to aid Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in the screening of applicants and provide recommendations on admissibility. This will allow IRCC to make informed decisions on issuing or refusing temporary resident visa applications and work/study permit applications.
• The CBSA is requesting $16.9M in additional funding to support the strengthening of CBSA’s frontline. This funding will help manage CBSA’s pressures at the frontline by increasing the number of border service officers at the border, as traveller volumes return to pre-pandemic levels and with the continued growth in commercial volumes.
• The CBSA is requesting $6.2M in new funding to replace large-scale imaging equipment which will bolster the CBSA’s ability to detect, disrupt, interdict, and enforce contraband smuggling.

Background:

Total of $2,649.6M in requested funding, which represents a $68.3M decrease over the Main Estimates of 2023-24. The key initiatives that are driving this funding variance are listed in the breakdown table below.

Note: (*) These initiatives are not receiving new funding through 2024-25 ARLU; they are only included on this list (and the financial sheets) as supplemental information, because the variations in their funding level help explain the overall variance in the Main over Main analysis.

Date modified:

2024-08-07