The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced its intention to launch its first preclearance operation in 2025.
The initiative will have Canadian border services officers working at a shared facility at the Cannon Corners port of entry in New York (adjacent to the Covey Hill, QC port of entry).
For the two-year duration of the operation, travellers entering Canada will go through Cannon Corners instead of the Covey Hill port of entry, which will be closed to travellers during that time.
At the preclearance site, Canadian officers will examine travellers and goods to decide whether they are admissible into Canada, as they currently do at ports of entry in Canada.
This includes screening for dangerous goods, such as firearms and drugs, before they leave the U.S. While officers will be able to conduct most types of immigration processing at this site, claims for refugee protection cannot be processed at preclearance. Travellers seeking refugee protection in Canada will need to use a Canadian port of entry.