The Canada Border Services Agency had a busy year locally.
Fort Frances Division Supt. Doug Cuthbertson was in Rainy River on Saturday to update members of the Rainy River District Municipal Association on what they have seen and done at the border over the past several months.
He noted Fort Frances Division encompasses the Rainy River and Fort Frances points of entry, the airports at Fort Frances, Kenora, Dryden, Red Lake, and Sioux Lookout, as well as the marine reporting sites at Sandpoint Lake, Prairie Portage, Cyclone Island, Rainy Lake, and Rainy River.
The division currently has 50 full-time officers, five superintendents, one chief of operations, six seasonal “on call” officers, three clerks, and up to 22 summer students.
While Cuthbertson only brought stats for the Fort Frances point of entry, he noted they paint an accurate picture of what goes on across the division.
“We process annually approximately 800,000 travellers, which has not changed significantly in the last few years,” said Cuthbertson.
“We did see a decrease between eight and 10 percent this year in U.S. travellers entering Canada, however there was a marked increase [almost 20 percent] in returning Canadians for an overall increase in total traffic of around 10 percent.
“This is, of course, directly related to the U.S. dollar and out-shopping.”
From April to December of last year, CBSA collected $2.4 million in duty, GST, and PST on personal importations. “That is a 52 percent increase over the same period [in 2006],” noted Cuthbertson.
However, that’s only a small part of what they do in the division. Since April, 2007, officers have had:
•289 drug-related arrests or detentions;
•222 seizures that include 27 fail to report to Customs on entry;
•41 drug-related seizures, including marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, magic mushrooms, valium, and oxycotin;
•37 undeclared liquor seizures; and
•29 seizures of prohibited weapons, including switchblades, butterfly knives, tasers, stun guns, and four handguns.
As well, 17 arrests were made by officers under the Criminal Code consisting of eight impaired drivers, five outstanding arrest warrants, two breach of conditions warrants, and two for possession of stolen property.
Cuthbertson also announced Saturday that the first two officers from the Fort Frances port of entry left that same day for firearms training.
“I expect that all our officers there will be armed within four-five years and Rainy River officers will begin training in about two years.
“The summer students program will then be phased out due to the firearms training needed,” he added.
The cutting of about 22 summer students alarmed RRDMA members, who asked Cuthbertson about the loss of those summer jobs and how that busy season will be handled by CBSA.
He replied that CBSA likely will train and hire seasonal workers for the summer months.
He did say students could apply for the seasonal jobs, get the firearms training, and then re-hire back on the next year.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
