May 2015
Beyond the Border Implementation Report - 2014
Joint report on achievements of the Beyond the Border Plan and Forward Plan for future objectives released Tuesday, May 19. 

 

The White House recently released a report of objectives accomplished in 2014 within the Canada-United States Beyond the Border Plan: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. 

 

Read the White House's 17-page report in its entirety: http://1.usa.gov/1IK1uXx

Ottawa's report is here: http://bit.ly/1GnEMm8

 

Since 2011, the Beyond the Border Action Plan has endeavored to strengthen the security of the United States' and Canada's shared perimeter and facilitate secure trade and travel across our borders. 

 

A Forward Plan introduces new or enhanced measures to build upon initial Beyond the Border successes and lessons learned. 

 

Our key takeaways from the Beyond the Border Forward plan:

  • Trusted Trader - Increase participation by continuing harmonization and alignment efforts, conduct outreach to promote participation, ensure meaningful benefits, and work toward mutual recognition.
  • RFID - Implement a strategy to promote, incentivize and support an increased number of RFID enabled-documents used by cross-border travelers to optimize the lane segmentation technology deployed at the border.
  • Business Travelers - Identify ways to facilitate cross-border business travelers. 
  • Freight Planning - Coordinate national freight-planning strategies including provinces and states where appropriate. 
  • Critical Infrastructure - Execute programs and develop joint products to enhance cross-border critical infrastructure protection and resilience. 

Major achievements in the plan's implementation in 2014 include:  

  • The NEXUS trusted traveler program has continued to expand, now aiding 1.1 million travelers, an increase of about 80% since 2011. Increased NEXUS membership results in shorter wait times at primary inspection lanes at Canadian and U.S. airports and land ports of entry, as well as at marine ports.
  • The second joint investment plan for border infrastructure was completed in late 2014 (published February 2015), detailing major infrastructure upgrades at the top 25 commercial and passenger land border crossings.
  • Canada and the United States trained and deployed Shiprider teams to provide cross-border continuity of law enforcement operations in shared waterways, and conducted surge operations in Quebec and New Brunswick in addition to regular operations in Detroit/Windsor and Surrey/Bellingham.
  • A Regional Resiliency Assessment Program (RRAP) project for Alaska-Yukon-British Columbia was launched in 2014. Both countries are incorporating lessons learned into their domestic procedures to enhance the resilience of shared critical and cyber infrastructure.
  • The USDA and CFIA signed a MOU that creates a communication process for sharing information related to animal health risks in third countries, which will better protect Canada and the U.S. from the risk of introduction of animal disease. 
  • Following two years of negotiations, Canada and the U.S. finalized a historic Preclearance Agreement, which, when put into force, will allow the inspection and clearance of travelers before they depart on land, rail and marine modes of transportation at approved locations.