Commonwealth_ The Canadian federal government has unveiled a five-pillar strategy to enhance border security. However, specific details regarding the allocation of a $1.3-billion funding package announced in the fall economic statement remain unclear. The funding is intended to be distributed over six years, supporting several agencies, including the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The announcement follows U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian imports unless Canada curtails the flow of illegal drugs and migrants across the shared border.
Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who is temporarily overseeing the public safety portfolio, emphasized that the new measures were designed to demonstrate to both Canadians and American partners that Canada takes border security seriously. When asked if the measures would be sufficient to meet Trump’s demands, LeBlanc acknowledged the importance of Trump’s comments but remained optimistic, noting “encouraging” discussions with Trump’s incoming team. However, he refrained from confirming whether Canada had received guarantees that it could avoid the threatened tariffs.
The new border security plan focuses on five key areas: disrupting the fentanyl trade, equipping law enforcement with new tools, improving operational coordination, expanding information sharing, and reducing unnecessary border traffic. Specific measures include deploying new artificial intelligence (AI) and imaging technology to detect illegal drugs, enhancing law enforcement with additional canine teams, and establishing a new aerial task force that will use helicopters, drones, and surveillance towers for round-the-clock surveillance between ports of entry. There are also plans to expand intelligence collection capabilities and address money laundering activities.
In addition to technological upgrades, the federal government is focusing on enhancing collaboration between Canadian and U.S. authorities and within various levels of government. As part of this effort, Leblanc confirmed that additional human resources will be deployed to border security agencies, with plans to recruit 100–150 new officers from the RCMP and CBSA shortly. This move comes in response to concerns raised by the CBSA union, which has warned of severe understaffing, estimating that the agency needs 2,000 to 3,000 additional officers to handle the growing border security demands effectively. However, LeBlanc has dismissed these claims, citing a differing opinion from senior CBSA executives.
The issue of border security has garnered significant attention from Canada’s provincial leaders. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, chair of the Council of the Federation, stressed the importance of securing the border and boosting defense spending as key factors in strengthening Canada-U.S. relations. Ford stated that all provincial and territorial leaders agreed to allocate 2 percent of GDP toward NATO defense commitments and tighten border controls. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith proposed a $29-million plan to establish a team of specially trained sheriffs to patrol the Alberta-U.S. border, highlighting regional concerns over border security.
Quebec Premier François Legault, whose province experiences the highest number of illegal border crossings in Canada, revealed that he spoke with Trump during the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Legault shared that Trump had clearly stated that Canada could avoid the tariffs if it took action on border security.
While the new funding has been welcomed by the National Police Federation, which has long advocated for increased investment in border security, there is still uncertainty surrounding the exact distribution of the $1.3 billion package. Brian Sauvé, the president and CEO of the National Police Federation, expressed support for the federal investment in the RCMP’s federal policing program, which includes border security operations. However, there are calls for a clearer allocation of the funds.
