The Canadian Minister of Public Safety has directed the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to submit a detailed report within 30 days concerning the recent information technology (IT) system failure that caused significant delays at border crossings, leaving truck drivers stranded for an extended period. Minister Gary Anandasangaree has emphasized the importance of understanding the root cause of the outage and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Anandasangaree was unavailable for comments during this period.
Truck drivers attempting to enter Ontario experienced delays lasting up to 36 hours due to the disruption in CBSA operations that began on Sunday and continued until Tuesday, resulting in a backlog that disrupted commercial traffic for several days. Stephen Laskowski, the President and CEO of the Canadian Trucking Alliance, expressed concern over the impact of the outage on both human and economic aspects, highlighting the critical timing of the incident.
Yves Doiron, a long-haul truck driver from New Brunswick, was among those affected by the outage, spending over 30 hours at a truck stop in New York before finally crossing the border into Canada on Friday morning. Reflecting on the financial and personal toll of the delays, Doiron noted a concerning trend of increasing IT system failures causing disruptions at border crossings.
Laskowski pointed out that the most severe delays occurred at the New York to Ontario crossings, with significant impacts also felt at the Michigan to Ontario crossings crucial for the automotive industry’s “just-on-time” delivery model. Stressing the importance of maintaining efficient border operations for the North American supply chain, Laskowski urged for improved systems and communication to support seamless trade between Canada and the U.S.
As discussions between Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump continue amid tariff challenges affecting both nations, the urgency of addressing IT system failures at CBSA remains a priority. Laskowski emphasized the need for strategic investments in IT infrastructure to enhance cross-border trade efficiency and minimize productivity losses associated with prolonged border delays.
Ultimately, Laskowski emphasized that resolving the CBSA’s IT system issues is crucial for ensuring smooth trade operations between Canada and the U.S., underscoring the significance of investing in IT infrastructure as a foundational element of enhancing the nation’s trade capabilities.
