About the CBSA

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) was established in 2003 as a response to the need for increased border services in a post-9/11 society, and brought together functions from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the former Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The CBSA Mission

The CBSA's mission is to ensure the security and prosperity of Canada by managing the access of people and goods to and from Canada.

Responsibilities

The CBSA administers over 90 pieces of legislation that govern the admissibility of people and goods into and out of Canada. The CBSA:

• Offers services at approximately 1,200 points across Canada and over 30 international locations
• Manages over 100 land border crossings
• Runs marine operations at four major ports (Halifax, Montréal, Vancouver and Prince Rupert)
• Forms part of over 20 Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBET) across the country
• Manages postal services at three mail centres (Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal)
• Operates detention centres located across Canada

Core Values

The CBSA fulfills its responsibilities while honouring its core values of professionalism, integrity and respect.

Workforce

We work with vigilance at the border, within Canada and abroad, providing the services necessary to help keep our nation safe and prosperous. Born of the rich history that is our legacy, we are proud to protect and serve Canadians and we are confident in our ability to meet new challenges. We are united in our resolve to carry out our diverse mandate and enforce the laws of Canada with impartiality and fairness. As leaders and innovators in border management, we value our strong domestic and international partnerships and are dedicated to working together on critical safety, security and trade issues. We rise to the challenges we face each day, and take pride in knowing that the work we do makes a difference in the lives of Canadians while contributing to global security and commerce.

Motto

The CBSA's motto, Protection • Service • Integrity, describes the motivation and guiding principles on which the Agency's responsibilities, mandate and workforce are based.

Commitments to Service Excellence

• Respect and courtesy
• Fair application of the law
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Bilingual service
• Accurate information
• Review of our actions and decisions

Key Leaders

• Minister of Public Safety the Honourable Vic Toews
• President Stephen Rigby
• Executive Vice-President Luc Portelance

In a Typical Week, the CBSA*:

• Welcomes 1.7 million travellers
• Examines over 105,000 travellers
• Seizes drugs worth over $7 million
• Seizes an average of over $780,000 in undeclared currency
• Intercepts 1000 food, plant and animal products that pose a threat to Canada's agriculture
• Removes 250 people who are inadmissible to Canada, including over 30 criminals
• Collects $75 million in import duties, and $330 million in GST/HST

* Based on FY 2008-2009 data. All data is approximate.