Rail Disruptions – Impact on border operations
Classification: Unclassified
Branch/Agency: CTB/TB/CBSA
Proposed Response:
- The CBSA has been working to mitigate the potential effects of the railway disruption on border operations.
- For travellers, the impact at the border has been less significant. However, the CBSA is operationally ready to respond should the cancellation of Amtrak passenger trains in southern Ontario, Quebec, and Vancouver cause an increase in truck and bus volumes at nearby ports of entry.
- Recent demonstrations at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, Ontario on February 16, and on the Thousand Islands Bridge on February 17, resulted in the disruption of traffic due to the temporary closure of vehicular access points.
- In both of these cases, the CBSA engaged with the bridge authorities, local police and the US Customs and Border Protection to ensure that alternate travel routes, including bridges, were available to travellers.
- The CBSA continues to monitor the situation and engage stakeholders and partners to manage any rail disruptions.
- To date, the impact on the border has been minimal, however, should the situation persist in the longer term, the CBSA is ready to implement operational contingency plans to address potential delays for travellers and the transport of commercial goods.
Background:
Over the past two weeks, protesters have set up blockades on rail lines across the country (British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec) to show support for the Wet’suwet’en First Nation In British Columbia, whose hereditary leaders are opposing construction of a pipeline through their traditional territory.
Since the blockades were set up, over 400 VIA Rail passenger trains have been cancelled and a similar number of freight trains have halted. Court injunctions have been sought in all three provinces to end the blockades, however, the injunction in Ontario has thus far been ignored.
From a travellers perspective, the CBSA is not anticipating a major operational impact as a result of the cancellation of VIA and Amtrak passenger trains, but acknowledges that there may be an increase in truck and potentially bus traffic at POEs as a result.
From a commercial and trade perspective, the CBSA assesses the operational impact to be minimal, but notes that a shutdown of the Eastern Canada rail network could increase commercial volumes at some POEs for cargo arriving from the U.S., due to traffic being diverted from rail to land border crossings and marine ports of entry.
As the situation continues to evolve, the CBSA will continue to monitor the situation and engage stakeholders and partners to manage any rail disruptions.
Contacts:
Prepared by: Fred Gaspard, DG, Commercial Program Directorate, 613-957-3511 / Lynne Lamarche, Director of Travellers Operations Division, Travellers Branch, 613-941-5550
Approved by: Doug Band, A/VP, Commerce and Trade Branch, 613-954-7338 / John Ommanney, acting Vice-President, Travellers Branch, 613-952-3266
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