They gathered at the future site of the airport’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility, which has been made possible, at least in part by a $30 million investment by the Government of Canada.
The Preclearance ability offers enhanced security to the border-crossing process while boosting the economies of both countries through facilitated travel between Canada and the United States.
According to recent figures, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is the 5th-busiest Canadian airport serving the United States, and the planned expansion of Preclearance to the airport will enhance passenger convenience by allowing U.S.-bound travellers to clear U.S. Customs, Immigration, and Agriculture inspection prior to takeoff. That would then mean passengers can bypass the customs and border protection inspections upon arrival in their U.S. destination.
Preclearance also allows for a shared approach to security, which allows both countries to manage the border in a way that addresses shared security concerns, including managing threats early.
For the past year, DHS and CBP, in coordination with Transport Canada and Public Safety Canada, have been monitoring plans for the preparation of future Preclearance facilities at Billy Bishop Airport. DHS feels confident in the steps being taken and is now incorporating Billy Bishop in staffing and resource allocation planning and decisions. While the start of operations must depend on the completion of each project milestone, progress is moving in the right direction.
RJ Steenstra, President and CEO, PortsToronto said: "The ability to clear U.S. Customs on home soil will greatly enhance the passenger experience, and offer tremendous benefit to the City of Toronto and surrounding region as it will open new markets and amplify the benefits associated with the airport’s contribution to facilitating trade and tourism, creating jobs, supporting healthcare and driving innovation."
Steenstra continues: "We would like to recognize the Federal Government for its commitment to the long-term future of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, and for its investment of $30 million in capital funding to bring U.S. Preclearance to Toronto’s downtown airport. We look forward to continued collaboration with all levels of government on both sides of the border to ensure Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport remains a vital piece of transportation infrastructure and an economic driver for Toronto and the surrounding region for many years to come."
Neil Pakey, President and CEO, Nieuport Aviation said "Today’s event and the collaborative work from so many partners to bring U.S. Preclearance to the airport positions YTZ to better deliver on the needs of our travellers. - The increased convenience and choice that Preclearance facilitates must be underpinned by a long-term future for the airport—one that will allow us to continue to be a strong economic driver for Toronto, Ontario and Canada for decades to come."
Robert Silvers, Under Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security commented: "Today we double down on our commitment to streamlining the travel experience, bolstering security, and building on the strong partnership between the United States and Canada. Expanding preclearance to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport will benefit the travelling public from both our countries."