border agency

U.S. Border Patrol agents Katy Siemer, left and David Marcus stand outside the Customs and Border Protection facility in Pembina, N.D., on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. A year after a family of four from India froze to death while trying to walk to the United States from Manitoba, the agency tasked with patrolling the border says others have not been deterred from attempting the same treacherous journey. THE CANADIAN PRESS/James McCarten

One year after death of Indian migrants at border, U.S. still sees illegal crossings

Drastic uptick seen of people entering North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin illegally from Canada

U.S. Border Patrol agents Katy Siemer, left and David Marcus stand outside the Customs and Border Protection facility in Pembina, N.D., on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. A year after a family of four from India froze to death while trying to walk to the United States from Manitoba, the agency tasked with patrolling the border says others have not been deterred from attempting the same treacherous journey. THE CANADIAN PRESS/James McCarten
Police in India say two men are facing charges in the deaths of a family who froze a year ago while trying to cross from Manitoba into the United States. Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel (left to right), son Dharmik Jagdishkumar Patel, wife and mother Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel and daughter Vihangi Jagdishkumar Patel are shown in a handout photo.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Amritbhai Vakil **MANDATORY CREDIT**

Police in India charge two men in deaths of family who froze crossing into U.S.

Pair arrested Sunday, other suspects are also wanted in Canada and the U.S.

Police in India say two men are facing charges in the deaths of a family who froze a year ago while trying to cross from Manitoba into the United States. Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel (left to right), son Dharmik Jagdishkumar Patel, wife and mother Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel and daughter Vihangi Jagdishkumar Patel are shown in a handout photo.THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Amritbhai Vakil **MANDATORY CREDIT**
A young boy who arrived on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong wears a face mask and face shield at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Hopes high in B.C. as China lifts border rules, but tourism recovery may take months

Chinese travellers were the second biggest international market for B.C. in 2019

A young boy who arrived on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong wears a face mask and face shield at Vancouver International Airport, in Richmond, B.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
(BLACK PRESS MEDIA CREATIVE)

Lengthy pandemic closure finally over for B.C. park straddling Washington border

Peace Arch Provincial Park rare spot where Americans and Canadians can meet without crossing border

(BLACK PRESS MEDIA CREATIVE)
A proud José Figueroa displayed his certificate on Oct. 19, the day he became a Canadian citizen, ending a 13-year-battle to remain in his adopted country that saw the Langley City resident seek sanctuary in a Walnut Grove church. (Special to Langley Advance Times)

After a 13-year-battle, B.C. resident José Figueroa finally gets his Canadian citizenship

Spent two years in a church sanctuary to avoid deportation

A proud José Figueroa displayed his certificate on Oct. 19, the day he became a Canadian citizen, ending a 13-year-battle to remain in his adopted country that saw the Langley City resident seek sanctuary in a Walnut Grove church. (Special to Langley Advance Times)
A border marker is shown just outside of Emerson, Man., Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. Mounties have confirmed some of the movements of an Indian migrant family who froze to death near the Canadian-U.S. border earlier this year, but say they are still unsure how the family made it there. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

RCMP release new details about Indian migrant family who died at border

Mounties believe the family’s travels were part of a larger human smuggling network

A border marker is shown just outside of Emerson, Man., Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022. Mounties have confirmed some of the movements of an Indian migrant family who froze to death near the Canadian-U.S. border earlier this year, but say they are still unsure how the family made it there. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Canada’s Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman speaks via video link at the Global Business Forum in Banff, Alta., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

U.S. is holding Nexus trusted-traveller program ‘hostage,’ Canadian envoy says

A backlog of applications has reached more than 350,000 amid dispute

Canada’s Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman speaks via video link at the Global Business Forum in Banff, Alta., Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
In this July 20, 2018 photo, traffic backs up at the border station as motorists leave Manitoba for the United States at Pembina, N.D. Canada’s Prairie premiers and two U.S. governors want their respective countries to restore pre-pandemic operating hours at entry points along their shared land border. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/David Zalubowski

Prairie premiers, governors urge Canada, U.S. to keep border crossings open longer

Leaders say curtailed hours at border crossings are hurting the economy

In this July 20, 2018 photo, traffic backs up at the border station as motorists leave Manitoba for the United States at Pembina, N.D. Canada’s Prairie premiers and two U.S. governors want their respective countries to restore pre-pandemic operating hours at entry points along their shared land border. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/David Zalubowski
A border officer walks past security cameras at the Thousand Islands border, near Gananqoue, Ont., Monday, March 16, 2020. The federal privacy watchdog says a data breach at a contractor for Canada’s border agency involved as many as 1.38 million licence plate images. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

Data breach at border agency contractor involved up to 1.38 million licence plates

Report tabled Thursday in Parliament as part of privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne annual report

A border officer walks past security cameras at the Thousand Islands border, near Gananqoue, Ont., Monday, March 16, 2020. The federal privacy watchdog says a data breach at a contractor for Canada’s border agency involved as many as 1.38 million licence plate images. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg
A Canada Border Services Agency officer hands documents back to a motorist entering Canada at the Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing, in Surrey, B.C., on Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. The head of a union representing Canada’s customs and immigration officers says chronic staffing shortages mean long waits at the border won’t necessarily disappear when use of the ArriveCan app soon becomes optional. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Expect serious delays at border due to staff shortages if travel levels rise: union

CIU president says Canada Border Services Agency needs thousands more officers to fulfil its mandate

A Canada Border Services Agency officer hands documents back to a motorist entering Canada at the Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing, in Surrey, B.C., on Monday, Aug. 9, 2021. The head of a union representing Canada’s customs and immigration officers says chronic staffing shortages mean long waits at the border won’t necessarily disappear when use of the ArriveCan app soon becomes optional. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Gibson, a rescue from Afghanistan, is photographed at No Dogs Left Behind in Toronto on Wednesday, June 29, 2022. Federal authorities are set to close Canada’s borders Wednesday to commercial dogs, including ones being put up for sale or adoption, from more than 100 countries deemed to be at high risk for canine rabies. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin

Canada to close borders to dogs from more than 100 countries over rabies concerns

Canada currently has no active cases of dog rabies

Gibson, a rescue from Afghanistan, is photographed at No Dogs Left Behind in Toronto on Wednesday, June 29, 2022. Federal authorities are set to close Canada’s borders Wednesday to commercial dogs, including ones being put up for sale or adoption, from more than 100 countries deemed to be at high risk for canine rabies. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin
A Canada Border Services Agency officer speaks to a motorist entering Canada at the Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, B.C. on Monday, August 9, 2021. One-quarter of front line employees surveyed at Canada’s border agency said they had directly witnessed a colleague discriminate against a traveller in the previous two years. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

One in four border officers witnessed discrimination by colleagues: internal report

Figures drawn from survey conducted as part of an internal Canada Border Services Agency evaluation

A Canada Border Services Agency officer speaks to a motorist entering Canada at the Douglas-Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, B.C. on Monday, August 9, 2021. One-quarter of front line employees surveyed at Canada’s border agency said they had directly witnessed a colleague discriminate against a traveller in the previous two years. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
More than 50kg of cocaine and heroin were discovered in a northbound truck at the Aldergrove border crossing on June 3. (Langley Advance Times file)

Major drug bust at B.C. border crossing

Trucker caught with more than 50 kilograms of cocaine and heroin by Lower Mainland customs officers

More than 50kg of cocaine and heroin were discovered in a northbound truck at the Aldergrove border crossing on June 3. (Langley Advance Times file)
Asylum seekers cross the border from New York into Canada at Roxham Road in Hemmingford, Que., Wednesday, March 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Weather, eased COVID-19 restrictions fuel spike in irregular Canada-U.S. migration

Illegal and irregular migration is beginning to ramp back up towards pre-pandemic levels

Asylum seekers cross the border from New York into Canada at Roxham Road in Hemmingford, Que., Wednesday, March 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Demonstrators against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions leave in a truck convoy after blocking the highway at the busy U.S. border crossing near Coutts, Alta., on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Crown seeks direct indictment for 1 of 4 accused in Coutts, Alta., border blockade

4 men facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with incident earlier this year

Demonstrators against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions leave in a truck convoy after blocking the highway at the busy U.S. border crossing near Coutts, Alta., on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
An attendee enters an Airbus A380 passenger aircraft, operated by Etihad Airways, during the 15th Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Nov. 13, 2017. Bloomberg photo by Natalie Naccache.

Vaccinated travellers will no longer need a COVID-19 test to come to Canada: source

Official announcement is expected later this week

An attendee enters an Airbus A380 passenger aircraft, operated by Etihad Airways, during the 15th Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Nov. 13, 2017. Bloomberg photo by Natalie Naccache.
Anti-COVID-19 vaccine mandate demonstrators leave in a truck convoy after blocking the highway at the busy U.S. border crossing in Coutts, Alta., Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

RCMP: 4 facing conspiracy to murder charges in wake of Alberta border blockade

Protesters are dissociating themselves from the group of people facing serious charges

Anti-COVID-19 vaccine mandate demonstrators leave in a truck convoy after blocking the highway at the busy U.S. border crossing in Coutts, Alta., Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
The last truck blocking the southbound lane moves after a breakthrough to resolve the impasse at a protest blockade at the United States border in Coutts, Alta., Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Blockade ends at Alberta-U.S. border crossing after more than two weeks

Canada Border Services Agency said operations have now resumed at crossing near Coutts

The last truck blocking the southbound lane moves after a breakthrough to resolve the impasse at a protest blockade at the United States border in Coutts, Alta., Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos responds to a question during a news conference, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Canada expected to announce changes to COVID-19 border restrictions today

Country now advises against all non-essential international travel because of the Omicron variant

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos responds to a question during a news conference, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A truck convoy of anti-COVID-19 vaccine mandate demonstrators blocks the highway at the busy U.S. border crossing in Coutts, Alta., Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

RCMP arrest 11 people, seize weapons at Alberta border crossing

Police say officers executed a search warrant early this morning

A truck convoy of anti-COVID-19 vaccine mandate demonstrators blocks the highway at the busy U.S. border crossing in Coutts, Alta., Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh