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Canada – United States Transportation Border Working Group (TBWG) April 28 - 29 2009 – Chicago. CBSA Land Border Infrastructure . Overview of CBSA Land Border Port of Entry Infrastructure Project Updates Planned Initiatives Challenges/Opportunities Sustainable Development.
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Canada – United States Transportation Border Working Group (TBWG) April 28 - 29 2009 – Chicago CBSA Land Border Infrastructure
Overview of CBSA Land Border Port of Entry Infrastructure Project Updates Planned Initiatives Challenges/Opportunities Sustainable Development
I. Overview of CBSA Land Border Port of Entry Infrastructure • The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) manages 119 land-border crossings; • Similar portfolio to the US Northern Border; • CBSA Inspection space accommodated in 2 categories of space: • CBSA/Government of Canada owned space; and • Space provided free of charge pursuant to Legislation and Regulations (10 Toll Bridges and 1Toll Tunnel in Ontario)
I. Overview of CBSA Land Border Port of Entry Infrastructure… cont’d • Three critical elements are required for effective and efficient Ports of Entry: • People; • Systems; and • Infrastructure • Investment in the physical or fixed infrastructure has not kept pace with Human Resource and System development investments; • Many port facilities are facing significant rust-out issues and are no longer able to adequately support the evolving program requirements at the ports of entry;
I. Overview of CBSA Land Border Port of Entry Infrastructure… cont’d • Over the past 10 years CBSA has made considerable investment in the redevelopment and modernization of a number of its larger port of entry facilities: • The primary focus for this investment has been the redevelopment and modernization of the Designated Commercial Operation (DCO) ports of entry; • The DCO ports are situated at the major national and regional land border gateways - integral to the flow of commercial goods and economies of both countries; • Small port modernization and replacement has been identified as a priority for the next 5-year planning cycle.
II. Project Updates – CBSA Custodial Facilities • Projects recently completed: • The new port facilities at St. Stephen, N.B. are complete and port will be operational when the new International Bridge is open to traffic later in 2009; • The new port facilities at Douglas, B.C. are complete and the CBSA has been operating from the new facility since September 2008; • Four new residential units have been constructed at Fraser, B.C.; • II. Project Updates – CBSA Legislated Facilities • Projects recently completed: • Queenston Bridge - Niagara Falls, Ontario: • Phase one (new truck processing lanes and 5 commercial booths) completed and in-service February 2009; • Discussions for new CBSA facilities are at Design costing stage.
III. Planned Initiatives – Custodial Facilities • As part of the Budget 2009 commitment to stimulate the economy by investing in infrastructure, the Government of Canada has identified five CBSA construction projects to ensure that Canada’s shared border with the United States remains secure and efficient; • The five construction projects include: • The construction of up to 17 new residential housing units at the remote northern ports at Beaver Creek, Yukon, Little Gold, Yukon and Pleasant Camp, B.C.; • Replacement of the commercial and travellers port facilities at Prescott, Ontario and Kingsgate, B.C.; and • Expansion of the commercial and bus process capacity at Pacific Highway, B.C. and the expansion of the commercial processing capacity at Huntingdon, B.C.
III. Planned Initiatives – Custodial Facilities….cont’d • 5-year Investment plan identifies the expansion of the commercial facilities at Lacolle, P.Q., the replacement of the port facilities at Aldergrove, B.C. and the replacement of up to 15-20 small ports; • The last priority is linked directly to the Doubling-Up initiative intended to eliminate the work alone situations at the Ports of Entry. The majority of the small ports identified for replacement and modernization are located in the Prairie Region;
III. Planned Initiatives – Legislated Facilities • The legislated Bridge and Tunnel facilities account for the majority of the commercial and non-commercial land border traffic. Of the 10 largest land border crossings, 8 are at the major toll bridges and the tunnel in Ontario; • Three Nations International Bridge - Cornwall, Ontario: • Replacement of CBSA port of entry (commercial operations) primary inspection booths, commercial examination warehouse and eventual replacement to travellers building; • Thousand Islands Bridge - Lansdowne, Ontario • Port replacement - Travellers and Commercial • Sault Ste Marie International Bridge - Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario: • Port replacement - Travellers and Commercial Operations.
III. Planned Initiatives – Legislated Facilities…. Cont’d • Blue Water Bridge - Sarnia, Ontario • Replacement and expansion of the CBSA port plaza; • Design approvals for the commercial operation are complete and CBSA is presently working with the Bridge Authority to finalize the design of the traffic operation ; • Ambassador Bridge - Windsor, Ontario • Expand CBSA port plaza facilities including repatriation of off-site commercial operation; • CBSA is attempting to work with the owner to develop a master plan • New Windsor/Detroit Bridge - Windsor, Ontario • The long-term strategy is to provide additional capacity with the construction of a third crossing 2015
IV. Challenges/Opportunities • Diverse Drivers: • The post 9/11 environment has witnessed a shift to a more security focused approach to border management; • Implementation of NFTA and the increasing reliance on “just in time” delivery of an increasingly integrated Canada/U.S. market places, increasing emphasis on expediting the entry of legitimate persons and goods. • Transportation and related border infrastructure is multi-jurisdictional in nature and is not restricted to the port of entry inspection facilities; • Recognition that there needs to be integrated investment in all elements of the land border to achieve improvements in the transportation of people and goods; • Sustaining the existing inventory of large and medium sized ports, while redeveloping the small ports.
IV. Challenges/Opportunities….cont’d • Program initiatives such as the trusted travellers programs and the investments in the port facilities must be supported by investments in adjacent State and Provincial highways; • The identification of the small port replacement projects and the corresponding ports that will be impacted by the Stimulus Package announced in the U.S. presents an opportunity to explore joint investment opportunities; • Joint Can/US Inspection facilities at the smaller remote locations. • Challenge to harmonize investment opportunities given the time restrictions that the Federal Governments have imposed on the stimulus investment: • Limits planning with State, Provincial and Territorial Governments; • Communication and consultation is critical between all transportation stakeholders.
V. Sustainable Development • Sustainable Development is based on three pillars: • Economic Pillar - economic growth; • Social Pillar – health and security; and • Environmental Pillar - pollution prevention and environmental compliance • The congruence that exist between these pillars and CBSA’s mandate to provide integrated border services that support national security and public safety priorities and facilitate the free flow of legitimate persons and goods, places the Agency in a unique position to further advance the Government of Canada’s sustainable development priorities;
V. Sustainable Development… cont’d • CBSA has undertaken an aggressive approach to energy efficiency and Green House Gas (GHG) reduction in the design and construction of its port facilities; • Ground source heat pumps have been incorporated into the construction of the following port projects: • St. Stephen, N.B., Andover, N.B. Armstrong, P.Q., Clarenceville, P.Q., and Osoyoos, B.C.; • Preliminary design includes the use of this technology for the new ports at Prescott, Ont., Kingsgate, B.C. and Aldergrove, B.C. • In cooperation with Natural Resources Canada the CBSA has also incorporated Building Integrated Photovoltaics in the construction of the Douglas, B.C. and Stanstead, P.Q. facilities.
V. Sustainable Development… cont’d • The integration of earth tubes at Douglas to naturally cool the building and the inclusion of a cistern to use captured rain water to charge the fire suppression system at Armstrong are further examples of the types of sustainable technology that CBSA has incorporated into its port redevelopment projects; • The Agency recently conducted an Inventory of GHG and Air Contaminant Emissions. The Inventory encompasses the fiscal years from 2003-04 through 2007-08 and inventory identified the main sources of GHG emissions across the Agency’s operations and the energy costs associated with custodial facilities; • The summary clearly indicates the benefits that have been achieved by the Agency’s integration of renewable energy and green building technologies into its real property renewal.
V. Sustainable Development… cont’d • Using a scenario or set of assumptions that quantifies the GHG Gas emissions from the facilities had the Agency not incorporated these technologies in the newer buildings indicates that: • The Agency is realizing an annual savings in operating costs of approximately $142,000; and • Future annual savings/avoidance of 272 tonnes of CO2 • In the future, CBSA will explore the introduction of other GHG reduction and energy efficient initiatives including: • Wind power; • More efficient use of perimeter and exterior port lighting; and • Initiatives to reduce idling at port inspection lanes.