Even though border crossings in the Southern Ontario region processed over 17.8 million travellers in 2023 travel between Canada and the US is still below pre-pandemic levels.
The Canadian Border Service Agency's Southern Ontario Region covers the cities of Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, London, Sarnia, and Windsor, as well as surrounding communities.
"Still shy of what our numbers were for 2019, but it's growing incrementally month over month so I would envision that as people get used to back to travelling once again that those numbers are just going to continue to increase," said Michael Prosia, director with the CBSA.
In addition to 17.8 million travellers, the crossing processed over 9.8 million commercial conveyances. This represents 42 per cent of the national total of all highway travellers
With the increase of travel comes an increase of seizures of illicit goods. In 2023, border agents in the southern region seized 1,312 kg of drugs, 352 firearms, 556,993 of tobacco and 8,705 litres of alcohol.
One of the largest seizures was at the Ambassador Bridge in March where border agents seized 300 kg of methamphetamines in the commercial operations. This led to criminal charges against a Toronto couple.
The CBSA is preparing for the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge at the end of 2024.
"We've started to have recruits coming into our region from the CBSA's college in Quebec. We have approximately 72 employees right now that are staffed up for the Gordie Howe, including managers and support staff, two of those cohorts are of new officers," said Prosia.
Recruitment is still underway, they plan to hire just over 200 officers to staff the new border crossing.