Timeline – CBSA Border Measures

January 22

Enhanced screening border measures at 4 major airports – travellers from Wuhan:

• Locations: Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto international airports
• Measures include:
• messaging on arrival screens;
• asking an additional health screening question to travellers either on an electronic kiosk or by a CBSA officer directly if they have travelled to Wuhan China; and
• asking travellers to inform a Border Services Officer if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms.

January 31

Administrative Deferral of Removal (ADR) imposed on Hubei province, China

February 1

Expansion of enhanced screening to other airports

• Locations:  Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Billy Bishop, Ottawa, Quebec City, and Halifax airports

February 6

Detention Reviews by IRB by telephone or videoconference

• For detainees who respond in the affirmative to specific screening questions.

February 8

New information brochure:

• Issued by BSOs, with specific instructions for travellers who have been in the Province of Hubei

February 9

Enhanced screening at all airports:

• Locations: All international airports in Canada

February 14

Occupational health and safety advice from Health Canada: provided to Border Services Officers (BSOs)

February 17

Contact tracing for travellers who have been in Hubei (PHAC)

• All travellers who indicate they have been in the province of Hubei are required to fill out a PHAC contact form to allow health authorities to monitor and track those who have been in the impacted region
• The form captures basic biographical data, flight data, and contact information for the passenger while in Canada. Once completed, PHAC determines when and how to share this information with provincial authorities

February 19

Surgical mask kits begin being issued by BSOs to all travellers who reported that they have been in the Province of Hubei

March 4

Expansion of screening – travellers from Iran:

• Locations: All international airports in Canada to include Iran

March 6

Enhanced health screening in land, rail and marine mode: added to border processing for travellers seeking entry into Canada by car, rail or ferry

March 12

Expansion of screening  - travellers from Italy

• Locations: All international airports in Canada to include Italy

March 14

Enhanced signage implemented: at all ports of entry

March 16

New procedures in place at Immigration Holding Centres (IHCs)

• Visits from the public are suspended. Exceptions include counsel, designated representatives, and interpreters.
• Non-contact visits used where available; and, if necessary, contact visits exercise safe distancing practices.
• Mandatory requirement for personal protective equipment for both detainees, staff and contracted staff.

March 16

Request for all inbound travellers to self-isolate (PHAC)

• International flights are redirected to only four international airports: Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver

March 16

Waiving of duties and taxes on temporarily imported goods for emergency use in response to COVID-19 (Finance Canada)

March 16

Contact tracing for all symptomatic travellers (PHAC)

• All travellers who display symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as a cough, fever, or difficult breathing, are required to complete a PHAC contact tracing form.

March 17

President correspondence to the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization

• To encourage WCO Member States to maintain coordinated action and avoid unduly disrupting international trade supply chains.

March 17

CBSA and US CPB agrees to strike a Task Force to advance the Canada-US Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)

• To facilitate efficient trade and the cross-border movement of essential goods, workers and services in North America.

March 17

Removals Postponed:

• All inland removals (excluding cases where removal order is issued at Port of Entry) will be postponed until April 21, 2020.
• Does not apply for national security, organized crime, crimes against humanity and criminal cases and for those individuals who are willing to leave the country voluntarily (a statutory declaration must be signed by these individuals).
• These excepted removals will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by CBSA senior management prior to their occurrence.

Mid-March

Temporary Targets in effect for counterfeit medical supplies in the commercial stream

• In collaboration with US CBP, CBSA has created targets to aid commercial BSOs in identifying possible counterfeit shipments of medical supplies for examination.

March 18

Air Travel Ban on Foreign Nationals put in place:  Foreign Nationals are restricted from entering Canada if they arrive by aircraft coming from a foreign country.

Subject to specific exemptions, which included:

• Foreign Nationals, including United States (U.S.) citizens, who have been in the U.S. and Canada for more than 14 days;
• Close family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents;
• French residents of St. Pierre and Miquelon (SPM) arriving directly from SPM;
• Urgent Protection Plan resettled refugees;
• Accredited diplomats and their family members;
• Airline and maritime crews;
• Foreign nationals travelling at the invitation of the Canadian Government for the purpose of assisting in the COVID-19 response or whose entry would be in the national interest;
• Members of the Canadian military, visiting forces, and their family members; and;
• Transiting passengers travelling to / from the U.S., and international-to-international transit.

March 18

CBSA engagement with stakeholders and industry

• The CBSA, via its Border Commercial Consultative Committee (BCCC), reached out to its members (customs brokers, representatives of modal conveyances rail, marine, highway, air, courier) with a forum to communicate their issues and share information on what the CBSA is doing in relation to the COVID-19 situation.
• The CBSA remains in communication with its stakeholders (Marine Terminal operators, Canadian Trucking Alliance, Customs Brokers, etc.) offering support for resolution of issues, including those related to COVID-19.

March 19

Grace period for late accounting penalties

• Provide for a 45 business days grace period for late accounting penalties. Clients will not have to submit an application to have late accounting penalties waived. This applies to transactions released from March 11, 2020, to May 14, 2020, inclusively.

March 21

Travel restrictions in effect (as agreed until April 21, 2020):

• prohibit any foreign national, including U.S. nationals, from entering Canada in all modes of travel (air, land, rail and marine) for optional or discretionary purposes, with the exception of:
• A person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act;
• A person who, in the opinion of Chief Public Health Officer, does not pose a risk of significant harm to public health;
• A protected person who has previously received refugee protection in Canada as defined in section 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; or
• A person, travelling by aircraft, if the scheduled arrival in Canada is before 11:59AM EDT on March 21, 2020.
• all Foreign Nationals entering Canada for essential business or studies must also have only been in either the U.S. or Canada for the period of 14 days prior to their arrival in Canada.
• all Foreign Nationals are prohibited from entering if they display the following symptoms: a fever and cough, or a fever and breathing difficulties.

March 22

Travel restrictions in effect (as signed until June 30, 2020):

• for any foreign national entering Canada by air and marine mode from any country other than the U.S. with the exception of:
  • Foreign National, including US citizens, who have been in the US and Canada for more than 14 days (as per the order governing travel from the US to Canada);
  • Immediate family member of Canadian citizens and permanent residents;
  • Person registered as an Indian under the Indian Act;
  • Person who is authorized, in writing, by a consular officer of the Government of Canada to enter Canada for the purpose of reuniting immediate family members;
  • Airline or marine crew member;
  • Accredited diplomat and immediate family members, including representative from the United Nations and international organizations for which Canada is part of;
  • Foreign national travelling at the invitation of the Canadian government for the purpose of assisting in the COVID-19 response;
  • Person who arrives by means of an aircraft operated by the Canadian Forces or the Department of National Defence;
  • Member of the Canadian military, visiting forces, and their family members;
  • Protected Person presenting a Convention Refugee travel document;
  • A French citizen who resides in St. Pierre and Miquelon (SPM) who has only been in SPM, the US or Canada during the period of 14 days before the day on which they board;
  • Person or any person in class of persons who, in the opinion of Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer does not pose a risk of significant harm to the public health, or will provide essential service while in Canada; and
  • Transiting passengers through Canada to another country.
• Transiting passengers will be subject to any travel bans and restrictions the third country has in place.

March 25

Mandatory isolation for all inbound travellers (PHAC)

• anyone entering Canada, by air, sea or land, whether or not they have signs and symptoms of COVID 19, will be ordered to self-isolate for 14 days, with the exception of:
• Persons making necessary medical deliveries of cells, blood and blood products, tissues, organs, or other similar lifesaving human body parts, that are required for patient care in Canada;
• Asymptomatic persons in the trade and transportation sector who are important for the movement of goods and people, including truck drivers and crew on any plane, train or marine vessel, and that cross the border while performing their duties or for the purpose of performing their duties;
• Asymptomatic persons who have to cross the border regularly to go to work, including in the health care sector or critical infrastructure workers for the purpose of performing their duties;
• Asymptomatic persons who have to cross the border to provide or receive essential services, including emergency responders and personnel providing essential services to Canadians related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

March 25

Additional contact tracing of some asymptomatic travellers (PHAC)

• Contact tracing is expanded to include a random sample of 200 asymptomatic travellers. The CBSA continues to collect contact information for all symptomatic travellers.

March 26

OIC 9 entered into force (also known as OIC 0185)

• This OIC prohibits foreign nationals from seeking entry to Canada at any location to make a claim for refugee protection

March 27

Prime Minister’s announcement to extend the timeframe for the payment of customs duties and the Goods and Services Tax (GST)

• The timeframe for all payments due to the Agency is extended to June 30, 2020. This also includes charges on the statement of account for March due on April 1, 2020.
• To ease cash-flow challenges that businesses are facing across the country
• $8.7B in estimated revenue deferral for the three month period.

By March 27

In-person reporting for detainees released on Alternatives to Detention eliminated

• All ATD detainees to use phone reporting
• Effective date varies across regions beginning March 17

March 29

Temporary Lookouts in effect for non-compliance with self-isolation requirements

• Lookouts will not be issued on all asymptomatic travellers, but on those the CBSA believes may not have respected the requirement to self-isolated and have signaled an unwillingness to comply.
• Lookouts will be issued for symptomatic travellers who are issued a quarantine order under the Quarantine Act comply with those orders.
• Lookout information will be maintained for a period of 14 days and will be shared with U.S. CBP where required.
• PHAC will be notified every time CBSA encounters an individual that it believes has failed to comply with the order to self-isolate.

March 30

CBSA suspends all trade compliance interactions with trade chain partners until April 20

• provides industry flexibility by pushing out, by 30 days, the need to submit corrections to the CBSA following a trade compliance verification.
• All deadlines imposed in connection with the verification are automatically extended by a period of time equivalent to the period of suspension.

March 31

Expansion of contact tracing to all travellers arriving in land and air mode who are required to self-isolate (PHAC)

• Effective March 31, 12:01 am
• The CBSA captures basic biographical data and contact information for the traveller while in Canada. Once completed, it is provided to PHAC.
• PHAC determines when and how to share this information with provincial authorities and/or law enforcement.

March 31

Tariff classification and other information to import medical supplies (WCO)

• Listing of medical supplies for COVID-19 based on Harmonized System (HS) codes provided by the World Customs Organization identified by tariff classification under Canada’s Customs Tariff.
• Customs Notice 20-12 COVID-19 issued to inform the commercial importing community of tariff classification and release information, including eligibility for duty free or remission of duties and taxes.

April 2

Domestic PHAC exemption for Mohawks of Akwesasne First Nation

• Effective April 2, domestic travellers from the Mohawks of Akwesasne First Nation transiting the Cornwall Port of Entry (Ontario) are exempt from the requirement to provide biographic information to the Public Health Agency of Canada

April 6

Centralized Traveller History Requests pursuant to Quarantine Act

• Warrant Response Centre implemented a centralized response for law enforcement to request 14 day traveller histories in relation to travellers suspected of non-compliance with the Quarantine Act.
• Association of Canadian Chiefs of Police was provided with the new direction for making requests to the WRC for dissemination to police services.

April 7

Relief of imported goods for emergency use

• In collaboration with Finance Canada, the CBSA provided relief of duty and tax for goods required for an emergency and are imported by or on behalf of federal, provincial or municipal entities involved such as centres for health care as well as by or on behalf of members of first response organizations such as police, fire and local civil defense groups, including medical response teams.

April 9

Sharing of COVID-19 Lookouts with RCMP

• Information related to lookouts shared with RCMP on a daily basis.
• RCMP has agreed to provide this information to local or provincial police of jurisdiction.

April 15

Temporary Reduction of Select Land Ports of Entry (POEs)

• CBSA temporarily reduces the hours of service at 27 low-traffic POEs: 3 in British Columbia; 2 in Alberta; 8 in Saskatchewan; 6 in Manitoba; and 8 in Quebec. Opening of one seasonal POE in Alberta will be delayed.
• Hours of service match with US CPB POE reductions.

April 15

OIC 10 – Enhanced Border Measures in support of mandatory Quarantine and Isolation

• Travellers are required to make the following declaration: “I acknowledge that I/we must quarantine (if no symptoms) or isolate (if symptomatic) for 14 days to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19.”
• Technicians entering Canada to maintain or repair equipment necessary to support critical infrastructure have been exempted from mandatory quarantine by the Chief Public Health Officer.
• Every person entering Canada is required to wear a non-medical mask or face covering. After making the declaration, the CBSA officer will ensure the traveller is wearing an appropriate mask or face covering in line with guidance provided by PHAC.
• Should a traveller not have an appropriate face covering or mask, the BSO will provide one to them.
• If required, the BSO will ask a traveller to remove their face covering for the purpose of identity verification. In such cases, the BSO is to ensure the traveller is at a 2m distance of the BSO when not wearing a face covering or mask.

April 16

Medical Supplies

• Customs Notice 20-12 was updated to cover a greater range of medical equipment and supplies such as oxygen concentrators and sample collection sets.
• A correction was also made for the tariff classification of plastic face shields. This change is revenue neutral as the original classification and the new classification are both duty free.

April 17

Suspension of all trade compliance interactions with trade chain partners extended until further notice.

April 20

Travel restrictions extended for 30 days

• Restrictions put in place on March 21 to April 21 have been extended for 30 days (until May 21)
• These restrictions prohibit any foreign national, including U.S. nationals, from entering Canada in all modes of travel (air, land, rail and marine), subject to certain exceptions (see March 21 entry)

April 20

Amendments to the Immigration Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR)

• Amendments have been made to the IRPR that impose obligations on the employers of temporary foreign workers to ensure that employees have the ability to comply with the quarantine measures that are imposed when they enter Canada;
• Further IRPR amendments provide the authority to delegated officials to issue a removal order for non-compliance with a new condition that requires compliance with any order issued under the Quarantine Act or Emergencies Act;
• Additional amendments have been made to introduce a set of  factors to assess the suitability of any person who wishes to post a guarantee on behalf of a foreign worker, that they will comply with conditions imposed on them upon entry.

April 21

Removals Postponed (extension)

• All inland removals (excluding cases where removal order is issued at Port of Entry) will continue be postponed until
  May 21, 2020.
• Does not apply for national security, organized crime, crimes against humanity and criminal cases and for those individuals who are willing to leave the country voluntarily (a statutory declaration must be signed by these individuals).
• These excepted removals will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by CBSA senior management prior to their occurrence.

April 22

Extension of restriction on non-essential travel across the Canada-U.S. Border

• Restrictions have been extended to May 21, 2020
• Temporary direct backs continue in air and marine mode.
• Extended measures put in place for direct backs for claimants arriving between ports of entry, as well as the application of the Safe Third Country Agreement at land POEs.
• Additional exemptions for refugee claims made at POE include those pursuant to Minister Discretion based on national or public interest, including persons charged with the death penalty.
• POEs will complete processing once asylum seekers have completed 14-day self-isolation or quarantine periods. If the individual was symptomatic, they will not be released from self-isolation until verified by a PHAC quarantine officer as safe to release
• IRCC and/or PHAC are responsible for transporting and housing of asylum seekers post-processing.

April 22

Soft Launch of ArriveCAN mobile application

• ArriveCAN is a mobile application that enables all incoming travellers to Canada (by air or land) to submit mandatory contact tracing information quickly, easily and securely.
• Information is collected under the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) contact tracing form (Covid-19 Form) (e.g., tombstone data, such as flight, traveller, and isolation address details, etc.).
• ArriveCAN serves as an encouraged alternative to the current COVID-19 paper contact tracing form used at Ports of Entry (POEs) and is available on the Google Play and Apple Stores.
• CBSA, on behalf of PHAC, is responsible for developing the application, collecting, storing the data  and reporting data to PHAC.
• PHAC is responsible for overall project delivery and implementation.
• Currently, the application is being promoted at Vancouver International Airport and the Douglas Land POE (BC)

April 23

Safety Measures for Commercial Stakeholders

• CBSA commercial offices open to the public are employing systems to promote social distancing for commercial clients, including driver queuing areas and waiting rooms.
• CBSA commercial operations have established, or are seeking to establish, processes for the submission of paperwork through electronic means.