On Friday, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, along with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and a number of other leaders in economic, infrastructure and trade relations released the first-ever joint US-Canada Border Infrastructure Investment Plan (BIIP). The development and release of this initiative fulfills a commitment made under the 2011 United States-Canada Beyond the Border Action Plan.
The BIIP is an interagency and binational planning mechanism developed to establish a mutual understanding of recent, ongoing, and potential border infrastructure investments. It outlines the approach that the United States and Canada will take to coordinate plans for physical infrastructure upgrades at small and remote ports of entry. This initiative will be updated and disseminated annually.
“Our government, in collaboration with the United States, is committed to enhancing our security and economic prosperity through significant investments at key crossings,” said Minister of Public Safety, Vic Toews. “These investments will reduce border delays, speed up trade across our shared border and will allow the Canada Border Services Agency to focus on facilitating the flow of low risk people and goods while keeping the border open to legitimate trade and travel.”
“Modern border crossings are essential to trade, which is why the Border Infrastructure Investment Plan and the collaborative relationship with our American neighbors are so important,” said Minister Lebel, the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “Our government is investing in border crossings, ports and gateways to reduce wait times, increase trade and create jobs.”