CANADA BORDER SERVICES AGENCY (CBSA)

Offload policy for highway examinations

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is committed to ensuring that the manner in which commercial examinations are conducted at the land border supports the movement of legitimate trade while recognizing the needs of the importing community and providing Canadians with a secure and efficient border operation. As such, the CBSA national offload policy shall support the following four key objectives:

1. Provide a secure facility in which only persons with pre-approved CBSA security clearance shall be granted access;
   
   
2. Ensure that facilities and resources are conducive to the operation of a responsible compliance verification program;
   
   
3. Maintain operational efficiencies while providing clients with the standard of service that is expected of the CBSA; and
   
   
4. Provide a safe and healthy working environment for employees and others lawfully in its premises.
   
   

It is the CBSA's policy to support responsible border management by ensuring the availability of a national service provider to offload vehicles selected for examination in a timely and efficient manner, while simultaneously supporting the health, safety and security of CBSA employees and users of border facilities.

All persons reporting goods bear responsibility for all costs associated with the unloading and reloading of the conveyance. A time standard of two (2) hours shall be applied for the presentation of goods for examination.

POLICY GUIDELINES

The legal obligation to report and present goods to the CBSA for examination as established in the Customs Act obliges such persons to assume all financial costs associated with the offload process. As such, under no circumstances shall the CBSA bear any responsibility for costs associated with the offload process nor have involvement in the financial transactions between the offload service provider and the clients.

Once a shipment has been identified for examination by the CBSA, the carrier will be notified immediately and provided with the name(s)/phone number(s) of the pre-approved service provider(s).

After a carrier has been notified that their shipment is to be examined, they will have two (2) hours to complete appropriate business transactions with the service provider and present their goods for examination. Failure to present the goods within this time period will be deemed a contravention of the Customs Act and appropriate penalties will be assessed.

In instances where the offload and subsequent examination cannot take place at the DCO (e.g., perishable goods, etc.) the shipment may be convoyed to an appropriate facility for inspection.

At no time shall an employee of the CBSA at a DCO operate forklifts or tow motors, open containers, or engage in the offload or reload process.

The CBSA has awarded a contract to a pre-approved service provider(s) who shall provide offloading services at each of the DCOs. To be approved, the service provider has successfully met or exceeded the following conditions as established by the CBSA: