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One of the strategies that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employs in managing the border is the use of advance information to identify and stop high-risk people and goods before they arrive in Canada. Having successfully implemented the marine and air components of the Advance Commercial Information initiative, the CBSA is now implementing Phase III, which is known as Electronic Manifest, or eManifest.
eManifest is the next critical step required to improve the ability of the CBSA to detect shipments that pose a high or unknown risk to the safety and security of Canadians. The objective of eManifest is to implement electronic processes based on advance electronic cargo information to effectively analyze risk, ensure efficient border procedures and secure the international trade supply chain. Under eManifest, highway and rail carriers, along with freight forwarders and importers in all modes, will transmit advance cargo, conveyance, crew and importer trade data before the arrival of the cargo at the border. eManifest will complement and build upon the risk management strategies currently employed in both the air and marine modes, by enhancing the risk assessment capacity and scoring methodologies for all modes. This initiative focuses on pushing the border out by getting the right information at the right time to protect Canadians from health, safety and security threats related to commercial goods before they arrive in Canada.
eManifest will feature the following:
eManifest has multiple components in various project phases; some elements have been implemented and others are in the analysis and design and construction and development phases.
Lead Department |
Canada Border Services Agency |
---|---|
Contracting Authority |
Canada Revenue Agency and Public Works and Government Services Canada |
Participating Departments |
N/A |
Prime Contractor | N/A |
---|---|
Major Subcontractor(s) | N/A |
Major Milestone | Date |
---|---|
|
Implemented November 2007 |
|
Implemented June 2008 |
|
Implemented March 2009 |
|
Implemented October 2009 |
|
Summer 2010 |
|
Winter 2011 |
|
Spring 2011 |
|
Summer 2011 |
|
Winter 2011 |
|
Spring 2012 |
|
Spring 2013 |
|
Winter 2013 |
|
Summer 2014 |
|
Winter 2014 |
eManifest will feature:
In addition, some of the products and features listed above will be retrofitted to the air and marine modes.
eManifest will enable:
In 2009–10, the eManifest project team made significant progress in carrying out various project activities. Highlights included:
The 2009–10 reporting period also included significant stakeholder engagement activities related to the implementation of eManifest in the highway mode and the deployment of the Web portal in 2010–11. These activities included:
As eManifest will help provide CBSA officers with the right information at the right time, Canadian industry will benefit from more certainty at the border and from streamlined release processes. This will enable both industry and the CBSA to manage commercial import volumes more effectively. In addition, eManifest functionality will enable the seamless movement of goods through secure, international trade-supply chains. With improved controls along the international trade-supply chains, the CBSA can more efficiently allocate resources to ensure that integrated border services further national security and safety priorities, while facilitating the free flow of low-risk people and goods.
The primary objective of the Air Cargo Security Program is to develop a comprehensive air cargo security regime in Canada that is in line with international partners and that will mitigate the risks associated with the introduction of explosives in cargo or mail and the use of cargo aircraft as weapons. Supply chain programs to identify low-risk cargo will be developed and procedures to screen high-risk and targeted cargo will be identified.
Transport Canada is the lead for the Air Cargo Security Program; the CBSA is a participating department. Only CBSA information is provided below.
In 2009–10, priority initiatives of the Air Cargo Security Program were implemented.
Lead Department | Transport Canada |
---|---|
Contracting Authority | Public Works and Government Services Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency |
Participating Departments | Canada Border Services Agency |
Prime Contractor | n/a |
---|---|
Major Subcontractor(s) | n/a |
Major Milestone | Date |
---|---|
Privacy impact assessment |
Ongoing |
Interim technology standards released |
July 31, 2009 |
Secure supply chain management system contract resolution |
September 18, 2009 |
High-risk cargo defined |
September 15, 2009 |
Air cargo security measures released |
August 28, 2009 |
Economic analysis (initial) |
August 31, 2009 |
Memorandum of Understanding completed |
To be done after the privacy impact assessment is completed |
Memorandum to Cabinet draft completed |
December 3, 2009 |
Treasury Board submission draft (next phase) |
Completed May 2010 |
Regulatory standards completed |
January 31, 2010 |
Remote air sampling completed for canine olfaction test bed |
May 7, 2010 (anticipated) |
Costruzioni elettroniche industriali automatismi test bed completed |
May 21, 2010 (anticipated) |
Air cargo security measures effective |
March 31, 2010 |
Air travellers will benefit from this program. Benefits include:
The current Treasury Board submission was signed in August 2009. Milestones such as the privacy impact assessment and the Memorandum of Understanding are expected to be completed in early 2010–11.
The Temporary Resident Biometrics Project is a Citizenship and Immigration Canada-led major Crown project, in partnership with the CBSA and RCMP. The objective of the project is to streamline identity management within the Government of Canada’s Temporary Resident Program. Against the backdrop of the rise of identity fraud globally and the use of ever more sophisticated means to evade detection, a key challenge in Canada’s immigration program is identifying applicants and managing their identity with confidence. The Temporary Resident Biometrics Project is not aimed at a re-engineering of processes and systems, but rather an enhancement to existing visa, study and work permit applications and visitor entry processes, and leveraging the investment in existing systems of Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the CBSA and RCMP to the maximum extent possible.
Budget 2008 provided the CBSA with funding in the amount of $12.7 million. Using this funding, the CBSA will design and develop a photo verification solution at all ports of entry, as well as a solution for discretionary biometric verification in secondary inspection at selected ports of entry. The CBSA is currently on schedule to implement the above-noted work components by March 2013.
The Temporary Resident Biometrics Project is currently in the analysis and design phase.
Lead Department |
Citizenship and Immigration Canada |
---|---|
Contracting Authority |
Public Works and Government Services Canada |
Participating Departments |
CBSA and RCMP |
Prime Contractor | n/a |
---|---|
Major Subcontractor(s) | n/a |
Major Milestone | Date |
---|---|
Business requirements for Phase 1 (re-scoped option) |
April 2010 |
Business use cases for Phase 1 (re-scoped option) |
Summer 2010 |
System requirements for Phase 1 (re-scoped option) |
June 2010 |
System use cases for Phase 1 (re-scoped option) |
Fall 2010 |
Memorandum to Cabinet |
Fall 2010 |
Posting of the request for proposal |
November 2010 |
Effective project approval submission |
December 2010 |
Evaluating responses to the request for proposal |
January 2011 to March 31, 2011 |
Beneficiaries
Given the greater assurance of an individual’s identity due to the addition of biometrics, Canadian society will be the prime beneficiary of this initiative. Strengthened identity management will provide increased security and reduce the abuse of the Immigration Program. These are key elements of ensuring the safety, security and health of Canadian society and maximizing the economic benefits of immigration.