Customs Services

Expected Outcome

Performance Summary – We have mostly met this Anticipated Result as demonstrated by the following performance against expectations:

• we have maintained overall client satisfaction relative to our 2001-2002 benchmark
• we continue to respond to extraordinary circumstances with prompt and appropriate reallocation of resources
• while we continue to report on wait times at our land border offices we have yet to develop other meaningful measures of service, including service standards, across our programs resulting in a largely qualitative assessment of our performance in this area; consequently, we have “Mostly Met” rather than “Met” this Anticipated Result

We continue to provide service at hundreds of locations across Canada. In some locations and at some times, we do this without causing even a minor delay for travellers or traders. Even at our busiest land borders, the vast majority of travellers (93%) wait no more than 10 minutes during the week and 20 minutes on weekends and holidays to speak to a Customs inspector at the Primary Inspection Line. While the continued lag in travellers to Canada (traveller volumes are at a 15-year low) has contributed to the reduction in wait times at our ports of entry, a number of ongoing initiatives are also contributing to ensure that low-risk travellers and goods pass quickly through our borders. These are discussed in some detail in Anticipated Result 5 and include permit programs, such as CANPASS and NEXUS, and pre-approval programs, such as Free and Secure Trade (FAST).

Automated systems and tools afford us new ways of reaching our clients to provide information that may assist them in future dealings and ease the compliance burden. In 2002-2003, 64.6% of information for commercial releases was transmitted through electronic data interchange (EDI), and by March 31, 2003, there were 7,883 new Canadian Automated Export Declaration (CAED) participants—an increase of 277%. Through the Service Availability initiative, we have improved the reliability of these systems by reducing the number of unscheduled system outages, and decreasing the time frames for scheduled maintenance.

Through the Small Business Desk initiative, we have elaborated a program to better serve our small business clients. We developed various means to support Canadian business, including a streamlined and improved telephone service (with a 94% rate of caller accessibility), access to regional Client Services officers, and an enhanced Internet presence. As noted in Fig. 3-1, we have increased our outreach activities considerably in an effort to inform and influence travellers and traders.

3-1 Outreach Activities

Client satisfaction with Customs remains high, with three quarters of respondents to our 2002 Annual Survey reporting that Customs is doing a good or a very good job overall.

Date modified:

2003-10-29