• Background
• Objectives
• Eligible Recipients and Amount of Contribution
• Funding Approach
• Eligible Projects
• Project Selection Criteria
• Current Projects

Background

The Borders or Border Crossing Transportation Initiatives component allocates $65 million towards strategic road or rail border crossing improvement projects.

Projects funded under this component can be either at or near the border itself, and sometimes in partnership with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, that facilitate cross-border vehicle and cargo movements, and demonstrate a direct contribution to reducing congestion and improving safety and transportation efficiency.

A second important aspect of projects related to the border is their impact on trade and transportation corridors.  The timely and efficient movement of goods and people to and from the border is crucial for economic development.

The Highway Policy Branch, Surface Transportation Policy directorate at Transport Canada manages the Borders component of the Stratigic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP).

Objectives

All improvements at border crossings for projects considered for funding will need to advance one or more of the following objectives:

• support tourism, trade and traffic flows on surface transportation corridors across the Canada-United States land border;
   
• increase operational and regulatory efficiencies for system users and public agencies;
   
• improve mobility and transportation efficiency, productivity, safety and security for passengers and freight;
   
• improve connections between modes, electronic commerce implementation and other strategic data exchange at transfer points and ports of entry;
   
• reduce environmental impacts including air emissions and increase the use of alternative transportation modes especially in urban areas;
  
• improve traveler information; and,
   
• data collection for more effective policy planning and operational management.

Eligible Recipients and Amount of Contribution

Eligible recipients are provinces, territories, municipalities, First Nations, private enterprises, academia, public or private transportation authorities/agencies (including U.S. authorities/agencies) and not-for-profit organizations.

Federal funding will be capped at a maximum of 50% of total eligible project costs. However, contributions to for-profit corporations are restricted to a maximum of $100,000 per project.

Funding Approach

A portion of the funding will be allocated for national priorities, such as joint projects with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency as well as the establishment of binational border transportation planning entities (national and regional).

The balance of the funding will be allocated on the basis of calls for proposals. Although the number of such calls is still to be determined, an Applicant's Guide will be developed and issued for each call. Committees will be established to review and evaluate proposed projects on the basis of merit and strategic implications.

Eligible Projects

Projects should generally be located at or near one of the land border crossings identified by Canada Customs and Revenue Agency as Designated Commercial Offices. Projects located at high volume passenger or rail border crossings may also be considered. The type of projects that shall be eligible for funding under the agreement include:

• Needs assessments (e.g. studies which ensure that the time-sensitive needs of key users are integrated in transportation investment and infrastructure decisions related to the border and trade corridors);
   
• Highway or rail infrastructure improvements which provide access to and away from the crossing, and related inspection and safety enforcement facilities;
   
• Border crossing infrastructure improvements, either at the border itself or at nearby border processing sites; and,
   
• Operational improvements, including measures relating to pre-arrival electronic data interchange and the use of telecommunications technologies, which further expedite cross border traveler and goods movements.

Project Selection Criteria

Priority shall be given to funding projects that meet the majority of the following criteria:

1. ranking by commercial or passenger traffic volumes (priority will be given to those with the highest commercial traffic volume);
    
2. location on trade/transportation corridor;
    
3. corresponding initiative by U.S. Department of Transportation, state entity or Metropolitan Planning Organizations (or support of Canadian initiative by same);
    
4. address demonstrated need to improve flows at border crossing;
    
5. cost effectiveness (i.e., impact on traffic flow);
    
6. mitigate any adverse impacts on transportation safety and the environment;
    
7. leveraging of public-private partnerships; and
    
8. demonstrate that federal support will enhance the scope and/or accelerate the projects.