Despite historical levels of flooding that affected the province's busiest land border crossing, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) was successful in processing large volumes of goods and people without significant disruptions to service this past year.
During the overland flooding this past spring, highways in the Estevan area were affected and CBSA was diverting most traffic to nearby border crossings. Commercial clearances of goods were diverted to Regway in Saskatchewan and Boissevain, Manitoba. CBSA also worked closely with the United States and the province during these interruptions to normal traffic flow.
The CBSA shares some of the highlights of the past year:
Processing people:
There were 116,000 international travellers entering Canada at the Regina International Airport and another 123,000 who came into Canada via the Saskatoon International Airport.
In the past year, there were 4,400 commercial aircraft processed by CBSA officials plus 226,000 vehicles entering Canada through Saskatchewan with 600,000 travellers entering Canada through 12 border crossings including 300,000 people at North Portal alone.
In the past 12 months 1,300 work permits were issued to temporary foreign workers and 700 people were landed as permanent residents with the majority of those people qualifying in the provincial nominee class. There were another 155 study permits issued to students attending schools and post-secondary institutions and 150 temporary resident permits issued to visitors.
Law enforcement:
There were 860 foreign nationals refused entry into Canada at the Saskatchewan port crossings with 140 hearings staged before the Immigration and Refugee board including 70 detention reviews. Another 55 people were deported and 65 were arrested for immigration violations.
During the course of the past year, Peter Kupfer was sentenced to 90 days in jail for smuggling child pornography and Antonio Demetrius Esaw was sentenced to 38 days in jail and fined $5,000 for smuggling seven firearms into Canada.
In another border incident, hatching eggs were seized from a couple after they attempted to conceal them in grocery store containers.
In the past 12 months, CBSA officers seized $124,782 in undeclared currency.
Protection:
Two missing children were recovered and reunited with their rightful guardians and 90 drug seizures were made, resulting in 742 grams and 3,800 doses of drugs, including marijuana and steroids.
In the past year, 21 firearms were seized including seven prohibited weapons while another 1,650 weapons of other descriptions were seized including such things as stun guns and knives. There were also six seizures of child pornography with arrests made in each instance.
Processing:
The past 12 months saw 236,000 commercial shipments of imported goods coming into Canada through Saskatchewan ports plus 4,000 courier shipments and 140,000 commercial trucks entering Canada with 60 per cent of them coming through at the North Portal station. CBSA officers also processed 1,500 freight trains that entered Canada through North Portal.
Trade and community:
Several importer/exporter seminars were hosted by CBSA. These sessions focused on the importation of vehicles.
During the course of the past year, CBSA donated thousands of dollars to local charities including Child Find and Our Missing Children Society and officials made several visits to schools and community groups to talk about their work and to lend advice and information regarding the work they do.
