ARCHIVED - Canada Border Services Agency - Report

• Previous Page
• Table of Contents
• Next Page

This page has been archived.

Minister’s Message

As Minister of Public Safety, I am pleased to present to Parliament the Report on Plans and Priorities for 2012–13 of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

The CBSA is responsible for a number of critical functions that contribute to the safety and prosperity of Canadians. These functions are carried out in a dynamic operating environment, influenced by a wide array of factors, including human migration and travel patterns, global trade and economic conditions, information technology, and an evolving workforce. The work itself covers pre-arrival analysis and enforcement, programs and operations at the border, as well as post-border investigation and inland enforcement. In other words, the CBSA is working for Canada, around the world and around the clock, guided by its vision of an integrated border agency that is recognized for service excellence in ensuring Canada's security and prosperity.

To support its impressive mandate — to protect Canada from the entry of unlawful people and goods, while keeping our country open to legitimate travel and trade — the CBSA will be working to meet a number of overarching strategic priorities that have been identified for the coming year. For example, the Agency will work in co-operation with multiple partners on the Beyond the Border Action Plan, which was announced in December 2011 by Prime Minister Harper and President Obama. The CBSA is a primary participant, with responsibility for a number of core deliverables in 2012–13. For the Agency, this means working with its partners to identify and address threats as close as possible to their point of origin. Finally, the CBSA will also continue to modernize its business practices and implement its Change Agenda to foster a more dynamic, responsive and service-oriented organization.

The CBSA plays an increasingly significant role within the Public Safety Portfolio. In many ways, it constitutes the face and front line of Canada. Throughout 2012–13, the Agency will continue to keep Canada safe and secure while contributing to its ongoing prosperity as a country.

Section I: Organizational Overview

Raison d’être

Responsibilities

Created in 2003, the CBSA is an integral part of the Public Safety Portfolio, which is responsible for integrated national security, emergency management, law enforcement, corrections, crime prevention and border management operations. Specific responsibilities include the following:

• Administering legislation that governs the admissibility of people and goods into and out of Canada;
• Detaining people who may pose a threat to Canada;
• Identifying and removing people who are inadmissible to Canada, including those involved in terrorism, organized crime, war crimes or crimes against humanity;
• Interdicting illegal goods entering or leaving Canada;
• Protecting food safety, plant and animal health, and Canada's resource base;
• Promoting Canadian economic benefits by administering trade legislation and agreements, including the enforcement of trade remedies that protect Canadian industry from the injurious effects of dumped and subsidized imported goods;
• Administering a fair and impartial redress mechanism; and
• Collecting applicable duties and taxes on imported goods.

Examples of Acts Administered by the CBSA

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Act
• Canada Border Services Agency Act
• Citizenship Act
• Criminal Code
• Customs Act
• Customs Tariff
• Excise Act
• Excise Tax Act
• Export and Import Permits Act
• Food and Drugs Act
• Health of Animals Act
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
• Plant Protection Act
• Special Import Measures Act

CBSA Service Locations

The CBSA provides services at multiple points across Canada and abroad, including the following:

• 117 land border crossings
• 27 rail sites
• 13 international airports
• 440 small vessel marina reporting sites
• 12 ferry terminals
• 3 postal processing plants
• 3 detention facilities
• 48 international locations staffed with CBSA liaison officers
• 4 major marine port facilities

Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture

 

[text version]

Organizational Priorities

In support of the CBSA's strategic outcome “International trade and travel is facilitated across Canada's border and Canada's population is protected from border-related risks,” the Agency has established three priorities for 2012–13:

Priority	Type	Program Activities
Modernize the Agency's business processes.	New	Risk Assessment Admissibility Determination Criminal Investigations Immigration Enforcement Recourse Revenue and Trade Management
Status
Why is this a priority? Once modernized, the Agency's new business processes will further improve the facilitation of international trade and travel across Canada's border and enhance the security of Canada's population through better internal and external harmonization of systems and approaches. Plans for meeting the priority Modernize the assessment and collection of revenue from importers to improve accuracy and minimize time delays. Implement advance electronic reporting of cargo, conveyance, crew, and importer trade data to facilitate the risk assessment of shipments before arrival in Canada (eManifest). Modernize the processing of postal imports by introducing advance electronic information, targeting and risk assessment activities while addressing outdated infrastructure in order to facilitate the timely flow of legitimate mail across the border. Improve the integrity of Canada's immigration and refugee programs by implementing the CBSA components of initiatives aimed at reducing the abuse of the refugee determination system, and combating immigration fraud and human smuggling. Improve client service and the efficiency of processes for travellers by expanding the use of self-service kiosks (Automated Border Clearance) at airports. Enhance the Recourse Program monitoring process. Reduce backlog of outstanding files related to appealed enforcement actions. Implement management tools to re-focus criminal investigations activity onto the cases of highest risk and priority. Implement a new Targeting Business Model and establish the National Targeting Centre. Strengthen International Capacity Building Partnerships. Support the Government of Canada's Free Trade Agreement Negotiations.

Priority	Type	Program Activities
Implement 'Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness' with the United States.	New	Risk Assessment Secure and Trusted Partnerships Admissibility Determination Immigration Enforcement
Status
Why is this a priority? Beyond the Border will help the Agency achieve its strategic outcome by improving the facilitation of trade and travel across Canada's border with the United States, while at the same time enhancing the CBSA's ability to protect Canada's population from border-related risks. Plans for meeting the priority Establish an integrated entry and exit information system, in conjunction with a similar system in the United States, which permits the record of an entry into one country to be used to establish an exit record from the other. Implement enhanced screening of travellers prior to their departure for Canada, using a common approach. Enhance and raise awareness of trusted trader and traveller programs to increase participation, including harmonization of program requirements and expanded benefits. Accelerate implementation of the Single Window Initiative and align it as much as possible to the United States single window equivalent. Implement physical infrastructure upgrades including potential use of shared plazas/facilities. Collaborate with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to enhance sharing of information on travellers, immigration applicants and asylum seekers to improve admissibility decisions. Develop a harmonized approach to screening inbound cargo arriving from offshore that will result in increased security and the expedited movement of secure cargo across the Canada-US border, under the principle of “cleared once, accepted twice”. Implement the CBSA Strategic Framework for Engagement with the United States. Enhance bi-national port operations committees.

Priority	Type	Program Activities
Implement the Change Agenda.	Ongoing	Admissibility Determination Internal Services
Status
Why is this a priority? The Change Agenda was launched in 2009 as a transformative effort to accelerate the Agency's progress toward implementing the structure, capacity, processes and corporate culture needed to continue to improve on the delivery of the CBSA's mandate. Plans for meeting the priority Advance excellence in frontline service delivery by: improving service consistency through the Service Improvement Plan, integrity and professional standards, and consistent engagement with stakeholders. Improve people management by reinforcing the alignment between human resources services and program/operational requirements and supporting the development of management capacity. Improve the delivery of the CBSA's programs to ensure national consistency through comprehensive program reviews, integrated planning, functional program management, and performance monitoring.

Risk Analysis

Operating Environment

The CBSA is mandated to balance national security and public safety with the facilitation of legitimate cross-border trade and travel. Balancing these roles requires a strong commitment to service excellence that is underpinned by the Agency's values of respect, integrity and professionalism.

Activities performed by the Agency in support of its mandate are accomplished in a complex and dynamic operating environment, driven largely by factors beyond its control. Current global economic rebalancing, international trade, human migration, dynamic travel patterns, advancements in information technology, and an increasingly changing workforce are among the challenges, threats, risks and opportunities to which the CBSA will be responding over the coming years. In this context, strategic planning relies on risk management principles to inform decision-making, integrating risk management as an essential business activity at all levels of the CBSA.

Border management is an international concern that requires global solutions and strong partnerships. In 2011, Canada and the United States signed an action plan arising from the declaration Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness, signalling a commitment to further harmonize travel and trade facilitation and strengthen security efforts between our two countries. While projects within this plan present the CBSA with opportunities to improve its capacity to identify and address threats early, facilitate trade, integrate cross-border law enforcement activities, and upgrade critical infrastructure, this plan may also present project delivery, implementation, and resource  challenges.  

Border management practices are evolving toward more reciprocal interaction between the CBSA and its domestic partners, including a greater emphasis on information sharing and close interaction and cooperation between federal departments and agencies. The nature and complexity of emerging threats necessitate closer coordination and co-operation with our partners to effectively mitigate them.

The degree to which the North American and European economies and trade channels recover, along with the emergence of new markets and new suppliers, will have a significant bearing on the commercial operating environment of the CBSA. Growing diversification in trade, through new trade partnerships and increasingly complex supply chains, heightens risks related to product safety and invasive or alien species. New trading partners may introduce potentially counterfeit or otherwise unregulated or unsafe imports to Canada. Along with risks associated with new sources or more diverse imports, export controls are increasingly called for to support counterproliferation efforts to intercept dual-use goods such as components used in nuclear technology. The CBSA, together with its federal partners, is taking measures to reduce threats to Canada and mitigate the impact of new risks to the Agency.

In the coming years, immigration is projected to account for most of the net growth in Canada's labour force. While immigration continues to drive Canada's growth, global and domestic demographic patterns suggest the possibility of increased irregular migration from high-risk countries. Increasing numbers of people from non-traditional countries of origin will bring new security risks and greater demands for new services and faster, more predictable and cost-effective screening processes. The increasing volume of refugee claimants has led to initiatives such as Refugee Reform, aiming to deter abuse by non-genuine claimants and to reduce the backlogs of claims and removals. Moving forward, the Government of Canada's efforts to combat human smuggling, fraudulent marriages, and other types of immigration-related fraud, and the subsequent removal of illegitimate persons, will strengthen the integrity of Canada's immigration system.

Recognizing that the CBSA's employees are its most important resource, the Agency will need to consider how best to attract and develop the required workforce to take its operations and service vision forward. Changing demographics, most notably the aging of Canada's population, represent a workforce reality. With the growing reliance on knowledge workers shared across the government, the Agency's capacity to identify corporate resource requirements, attract the diverse range of skills and talents required to meet its operational goals, and develop the next generation of leaders will determine its success in effectively delivering on its mandate.

Enterprise Risks

In 2011, the CBSA took important steps to ensure that it is well-positioned to identify and mitigate potential risks in achieving its strategic outcome and produced the Enterprise Risk Profile (ERP), in line with the principles of Treasury Board's Framework for the Management of Risk and internationally recognized standards. The ERP identifies business risks and enabling risks to the Agency's ability to deliver on its mandate. The table below identifies (in order of risk exposure level) the risks that are being actively mitigated by the CBSA through the improvement of existing controls or the addition of new ones. The table also identifies linkages between the risks and the Agency's organizational priorities.

Recognizing that the context that drives risks is not static, the CBSA is introducing measures to monitor its enterprise risks on a regular basis. In this way, the ERP, in conjunction with the monitoring and reporting strategy, contributes to an ongoing dialogue of risks in the operating environment.

Business Risks

Risk Name	Risk Exposure Level*	Priority Linkage**
Irregular Migration	High	Implement Beyond the Border
Terrorism	High	Implement Beyond the Border
Immigration Enforcement	High	Modernize the Agency's Business Processes
Strategic Exports	Medium	Core Business***
Contraband	Medium	Implement Beyond the Border

Enabling Risks

Risk Name	Risk Exposure Level*	Priority Linkage**
Information Management	High	Implement the Change Agenda
IT Systems	Medium	Modernize the Agency's Business Processes
Targeting	Medium	Modernize the Agency's Business Processes
Management of Border Programs	Medium	Implement the Change Agenda
Human Resources	Medium	Implement the Change Agenda
Information Security	Medium	Implement the Change Agenda
Resource Optimization	Medium	Implement the Change Agenda
Organizational Responsiveness	Medium	Implement the Change Agenda
Ethical Conduct	Low	Implement the Change Agenda

* The risk exposure level is based on the Executive Committee's evaluation of the likelihood and impact of each risk in the ERP.

** Some risks are aligned with more than one organizational priority. This table identifies the priority with the closest alignment to the risk.

*** While not directly linked to the Agency-level priorities and supporting initiatives, the mitigation measures for this risk are part of the Agency's core business.

Planning Summary

Financial and Human Resources

The following tables provide summary data on the financial and human resources of the CBSA for the next three fiscal years.

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
1,776,020	1,666,165	1,620,700

Human Resources (Full-time equivalents)

2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
14,034	13,911	13,960

Planned spending changes from 2012–13 to 2013–14

The planned spending decrease of $109.9 million is the result of adjustments made to authorities approved in multi-year initiatives.

The most significant decreases stem from the following:

• $65.0 million final instalment on loan repayment was received in 2012–13 from the Federal Government for a cash flow adjustment to fund the Economic and Fiscal Statement;
• $28.8 million for the Balanced Refugee Reform Act, resulting from the completion of the three-year backlog strategy;
• $15.1 million resulting from the completion of three small ports at Lyleton, Goodlands and Coulter in Manitoba;
• $9.4 million resulting from the final year of funding to implement the Accounts Receivable Ledger initiative, which is phase one of the CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management System;
• $6.7 million resulting from funding used in the implementation of the Data Centre Recovery initiative, which is sunsetting into maintenance mode; and
• $5.0 million funding reduction in the transfer from Transport Canada for Commercial Processing facilities at St-Bernard-de-Lacolle as a result of the majority of construction costs occurring in 2012–13.
• The most significant increases stem from the following:
• $18.6 million for the replacement of mainframe processors in accordance with the Shared Infrastructure Platform initiative; and
• $6.3 million for the procurement of detection technology equipment.

Planned spending changes from 2013–14 to 2014–15

The planned spending decrease of $45.5 million is the result of adjustments made to authorities approved in multi-year initiatives.

The most significant decreases stem from the following:

• $19.5 million reduction from the expected purchase of mainframe processors and other equipment in 2013–14 in accordance with the Shared Infrastructure Platform initiative;
• $15.6 million resulting from the completion of upgrades to the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System for Detection Technology equipment in 2013–14; and
• $6.3 million resulting from the procurement of Detection Technology equipment in 2013–14.

Planning Summary Table

Strategic Outcome: International trade and travel is facilitated across Canada's border and Canada's population is protected from border-related risks.

Planning Summary Table
($ thousands)

Performance Indicators: Protection Index Facilitation Index		Targets: To be developed To be developed
Program Activity	Forecast Spending 2011-12	Planned Spending			Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes
		2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
Risk Assessment	173,143	154,899	143,665	143,675	A safe and secure world through international engagement
Secure and Trusted Partnerships	70,158	45,989	46,007	46,007	A safe and secure world through international engagement
Admissibility Determination	683,820	663,844	619,701	619,675	A safe and secure Canada
Criminal Investigations	24,578	23,752	23,755	23,755	A safe and secure Canada
Immigration Enforcement	182,030	160,981	139,581	139,101	A safe and secure Canada
Recourse	10,816	10,246	10,246	10,246	A fair and secure marketplace
Revenue and Trade Management	71,143	69,967	69,976	69,976	A fair and secure marketplace
Total Planned Spending	1,215,688	1,129,678	1,052,931	1,052,435

The decrease in planned spending for 2012–13 to 2014–15 is due mainly to initiatives and projects such as the reform of Canada's refugee determination system (Balanced Refugee Reform Act) and a cash flow adjustment between fiscal years, consistent with the Economic and Fiscal Statement 2008 actions to improve spending.

Internal Services	Forecast Spending 2011–12 ($ thousands)	Planned Spending ($ thousands)
		2012–13	2013–14		2014–15
Internal Services	902,863	646,342	613,234		568,265
Total Planned Spending	902,863	646,342	613,234		568,265

Internal Services is a group of related activities and resources that is administered to support the needs of the programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. The main activities are governance and management support (management and oversight, communications, legal services), resource management services (human resources management, financial management, information management, information technology, travel, and other administrative services) and asset management services (real property, materiel, acquisitions).

Contribution to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy

The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy strengthens how the Government of Canada promotes environmental sustainability and makes important improvements to the transparency and accountability of environmental decision making.

To assess the environmental impacts of the CBSA's plans, policies and programs, the Agency has enhanced its Strategic Environmental Assessment process. An important step in the assessment is an evaluation of each proposed initiative against the goals and targets of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, ensuring that the Agency's initiatives are aligned with government-wide environmental priorities.

The CBSA supports the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy through commitments under two of the four themes:

These contributions are components of the following Program Activities and are further explained in Section II:

• Program Activity: Admissibility Determination
• Internal Services

For additional details on the CBSA's sustainable development activities, refer to the Agency's Sustainable Development Strategy 2011–2013 and for complete details on the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, visit Environment Canada's website.

Expenditure Profile

The CBSA plans to spend $1,776 million in 2012–13 to achieve the expected results of its program activities and contribute to its strategic outcome. The following graph shows the Agency's spending trend from 2008–09 to 2014–15.

Departmental Spending Trend

[text version]

The spike in spending noted above was mainly related to the start of projects such as eManifest, Arming, Refugee Reform and Program Integrity. However, the Main Estimates funding over the next three years will decrease as certain projects move from the implementation phase to maintenance mode.

The CBSA is currently in the process of modernizing its business processes. As such, the Agency will continue to manage program integrity challenges with a cost containment strategy that comprises the use of strategic resource management, functional management and integrated planning. This strategy also involves putting in place a robust investment planning framework that incorporates three pillars: life-cycle asset management, technology investments and operational pressures. The framework will assist in addressing both technology and accommodations infrastructure more strategically. A strong and sustained framework for strategic resource management will enable the Agency to achieve a return on investment that will assist in managing operational and corporate pressures. As a result, the CBSA is working to allocate program integrity funding to the activities with the highest priority and greatest risk.

Estimates by Vote

For information on the CBSA's organizational appropriations, please see the 2012–13 Main Estimates publication. An electronic version of the Main Estimates is available at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20122013/p2-eng.asp. 

• Previous Page
• Table of Contents
• Next Page