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Commercial Border Crossing Access

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Commercial Border Crossing Access

Trade & Transportation Federal Policy

Trade & Transportation - Federal Policy

Issue

Canada relies on accessible transportation corridors and border services to support trade, investment, natural resource development, manufacturing and service industries. However, commercial border capacity and service levels are unevenly distributed. Alberta has only one Designated Commercial Office, leaving a major export province dependent on a single full-service commercial land gateway. Canada needs a risk-based, nationally coordinated approach that aligns commercial border capacity with trade corridors, economic activity, security requirements and the need for resilient alternate routes.

Background

Canada and the United States share one of the world’s largest trading relationships with over $96 billion in goods and services that crossed the border in 2026. While personal vehicle crossing decreased in 2025 by close to 19%, there were still 18.3 million crossings in 2025. Canada’s top exports include energy resources and raw minerals, vehicles and transport, machinery and electrical, base metals, and prepared food and beverage, while Canada’s top imports include machinery and electrical, vehicles and transport, energy resources and raw minerals, chemicals and prepared food and beverages.

 Federal planning for border crossings should not only look at population, but also consider the value and type of bilateral trade, commodity flows, corridor traffic, distance between commercial gateways, regional growth, infrastructure readiness, emergency redundancy and the economic cost of detours or closures.

It is critical that governments remove unnecessary barriers affecting imports and exports and reduce pressure on heavily used commercial ports. Canada and the United States should coordinate operating hours, staffing, facility standards, inspection capacity, digital systems and implementation timelines so that an improvement on one side of a crossing is not undermined by a service gap on the other.

Inadequate facilities and limited technology can impede the efficient movement of legitimate goods. Electronic Data Interchange remains important for transmitting cargo, release and accounting information. Modern commercial ports also require dependable connectivity, interoperable digital processes, inspection technology, secure data sharing and access to CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management systems and services. Technology investments must be paired with sufficient staffing and service hours.

The federal government is investing in border security and modernization. Canada’s Border Plan includes a $1.3 billion investment focused on personnel, technology, equipment and coordination. Separately, the Land Border Crossing Project received approval to rebuild up to 24 ports of entry with a $481 million investment, although revised approvals allow fewer locations to proceed under the current budget. These initiatives create an opportunity to integrate economic security and trade facilitation into border planning rather than treating security, infrastructure and commercial service as separate objectives.

Transportation access supports economic development by connecting businesses to markets, suppliers, workers and customers. A resilient border network should include alternate commercial routes capable of supporting continuity of trade when primary corridors are disrupted by severe weather, infrastructure failures, security incidents, labour disruptions or other emergencies.

Increased border access can support economic development, investment, tourism and security while reducing lineups and delays. Federal policy should therefore evaluate commercial border service using both current traffic and suppressed or potential demand. Limited hours, insufficient processing capability and uncertainty can discourage carriers from using a crossing, meaning low existing volumes may partly reflect low service availability.

It is in Canada’s interest to strengthen transportation crossings and corridors that support trade with the United States. A transparent national framework is needed to determine when a port should receive expanded hours, new commercial designation, additional technology or capital investment, and to establish measurable triggers for phased service expansion.

Recommendations

The Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce, along with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, recommends that the Government of Canada:

1.    Establish a transparent national commercial border capacity framework that evaluates ports and corridors using bilateral trade value and composition, commercial traffic, distance to alternate gateways, regional growth, infrastructure readiness, emergency redundancy, security requirements and the economic cost of service limitations.

2.    Use that framework to identify priority locations for phased expansion of commercial hours, staffing, inspection capacity, technology and Designated Commercial Office services, with published performance measures and clear triggers for progressing to higher service levels.

3.    Coordinate with U.S. counterparts so operating hours, staffing, facility standards, inspection capabilities and implementation timelines are aligned on both sides of each crossing, including consideration of shared facilities where they are operationally and economically viable.

4.    Ensure commercial ports have modern, interoperable digital and physical infrastructure, including reliable connectivity, Electronic Data Interchange, access to applicable CARM processes, secure information sharing and inspection technology, supported by sufficient personnel and training.

5.    Integrate trade facilitation and economic security into Canada’s Border Plan and future infrastructure programs so legitimate trade can move efficiently while security and enforcement capabilities are strengthened.

6.    Develop contingency protocols that allow designated alternate crossings to extend hours and redeploy personnel rapidly during disruptions at major commercial gateways, and communicate those protocols clearly to carriers, brokers and exporters.

7.    Engage chambers of commerce, Indigenous communities, municipalities, carriers, brokers, exporters and corridor organizations in regional demand assessments before decisions are made on commercial designation, hours or infrastructure investment.

Resources

Date Approved: June 2011
Date Renewed: September 2014, September 2017, September 2020, October 2023, October 2026
Date Updated and Approved by the CCC: October 18, 2024

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