Border agents will be able to share information about U.S. and Canadian citizens more freely as the third phase of a 2011 border agreement meant to make it easier for trade and travel across the Canada-U.S. border comes into effect.

It was announced on Thursday that U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency will exchange biographic data, travel documents, and other information related to border crossings of U.S. and Canadian citizens.

Since 2012, the two countries have shared similar data about legal permanent residents and third country nationals.

The changes are part of the "Beyond the Border" security agreement started in 2011 by former prime minister Stephen Harper and former U.S. president Barack Obama...

This was excerpted from the 12 July 2019 edition of CBC News.