About Customs Services

The Customs program is one of the most complex and challenging operations in government today. In a constantly changing environment, we have a dual mandate to protect the health, safety, and security of our citizens, and to support the competitiveness of Canadian business at home and abroad.

We administer numerous acts, regulations, and international trade agreements on our own behalf and on behalf of other government departments and agencies. At the border, we process goods and travellers, monitor and control the import and export of controlled and restricted goods, interdict contraband, and prevent the entry of prohibited materials and inadmissible persons.

Over the coming years, increased attention to security issues will continue to drive Canada's collaborative efforts with the United States to enhance border security and efficiency.

We also continue to foster partnerships with many other countries to support international security efforts, and to promote free access to world destinations and markets for Canadian travellers and businesses. Since the events of September 11, our challenge is to maintain a border that is secure but that still allows for the efficient flow of legitimate trade and travel. This is key to Canada's economic growth and development.

Some of our key activities are listed below:

Our line of work is distinct from the other CCRA business lines, with a history and culture that date back over a century. We operate in a real-time environment, providing service at over 480 air, sea, and land border points, at some locations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our work force is diverse, encompassing a wide range of specialized skills and totalling approximately 8,000 people during peak periods.

Spending Profile

In 2001-2002, 16% ($560 million) of the CCRA's overall budget was devoted to the Customs business line. This represents an overall increase of roughly $64 million (13%) since 2000-2001. The bulk of this increase (approximately $60 million) was directed to enforcement activities, which now account for roughly 15% of the Customs budget. Expenditures in this area include the purchase of contraband detection equipment and research and development respecting new and emerging threats as well as activities like our detector dog program and Flexible Response Teams.

Exhibit 45: Business Line Spending

As shown in Exhibit 46 , the largest share (72%) of the Customs budget was spent on facilitating voluntary compliance through activities such as our Primary Inspection Line at which individuals arriving in Canada make their initial declaration to one of our over 3,600 uniformed officers. Assisted compliance activities continue to account for roughly 13% of our overall budget (a small decrease in spending from the 15% indicated last year.)

Exhibit 46: Total Customs Resources Allocated to Compliance Continuum

Date modified:

2002-11-07