Canada and the United States must restore service to NEXUS and FAST applicants – an open letter from the business community

November 7, 2022

November 7, 2022

Vancouver, B.C. – The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade has joined nearly 60 business associations from across Canada, calling on the federal government to work with their U.S. counterparts to restore service to NEXUS and Free and Secure Trade (FAST) applicants as quickly as possible.

The letter’s full text and complete list of signatories is included below:

Hon. Marco Mendicino, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety
365 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 1L1

Hon. Alejandro Mayorkas
Secretary of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528

Re: Restoring service to NEXUS and FAST applicants

Dear Minister Mendicino and Secretary Mayorkas:

Over twenty years ago, the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the United States came together at the Ambassador Bridge to announce a safe and secure way for our citizens to cross the border more securely and efficiently. 

NEXUS has since grown to service nearly 2 million low-risk travellers who are pre-cleared by both governments to travel between our two countries.

Both the Canadian and American economies have benefited enormously from the expedited and enhanced security protocols. Trusted Traveller programs like NEXUS and the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program have allowed our citizens and goods to pass across our shared border more efficiently at the same time as they enhanced security by allowing government border security resources to be deployed where they are most needed, focusing on unknown people and goods, as opposed to hindering low-risk travellers and carriers at our borders.

In 2019, tourists from the U.S. represented over two-thirds of all international tourist arrivals to Canada, reaching 25 million visitors in the year before the global pandemic. The same year saw 44 million trips by Canadians to the U.S. Having a jointly managed trusted traveller program is essential, both to foster economic growth and to deepen the ties between our countries’ citizens.

The Canadian business community is deeply concerned about the failure of the two governments to agree to the reopening of NEXUS and FAST enrollment facilities in Canada. Published reports indicate that the backlog for processing NEXUS applications currently exceeds 350,000 and is continuing to grow because of the delay in restoring the full service.

We understand that the two countries are considering the possibility of allowing officials to conduct video interviews with applicants instead of requiring that they take place in person. We support implementing such a process, which would be more efficient and less costly for both the applicants and the two governments. We urge the governments to implement such a system as rapidly as possible. If there are impediments to the immediate enactment of video interviews, such as a need to amend the legislation under which the processing of applications is conducted the governments should put temporary measures in place to prevent Canadian applicants from having to leave the country to have their applications processed. 

We understand that officials in both Canada and the U.S. have expressed concerns about the positions taken by the other country. However, the urgent need of our countries’ citizens and 

businesses to benefit from a system that is both secure and efficient should take priority over bureaucratic disputes. Just as our countries did in creating the Smart Border Accord two decades ago, we ask our leaders to demonstrate the creativity and commitment to urgently resolve the outstanding issues and to restore and strengthen a bilateral relationship that is the envy of the world.

Sincerely,

Aerospace Industries Association of Canada

Air Canada

Airports Council International North America

American Express Global Business Travel

Association of Canadian Travel Agencies

Calgary Chamber of Commerce

Canadian Airports Council

Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

Canadian Automobile Dealers Association

Canadian Business Aviation Association

Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Canadian Federation of Independent Business

Canadian Food Exporters Association

Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association

Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters

Canadian Meat Council

Canadian Produce Marketing Association

Canadian Rental Association

Canadian Trucking Alliance

Edmonton Chamber of Commerce

FETCO

Food Producers of Canada

Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada

Forest Products Association of Canada

Freight Management Association of Canada

Frontier Duty Free Association

Greater Fort Erie Chamber of Commerce

Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce

Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce

Greater Toronto Airports Authority

Greater Vancouver Board of Trade

Greater Vancouver Gateway Council

Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce

Halifax Chamber of Commerce

Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association of Canada

Hotel Association of Canada

Innovative Medicines Canada

Institute of Canadian Agencies

Kelowna Chamber of Commerce

Mississauga Board of Trade

National Airlines Council of Canada

Nieuport Aviation

Port Colborne-Wainfleet Chamber of Commerce

Regroupement des gens d’affaires de la capitale nationale

Retail Council of Canada

Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce

Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce

Spirits Canada

The Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters

The Chamber of Commerce Niagara Falls, Canada

The Mining Association of Canada

The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce

Toronto Region Board of Trade

Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)

Vancouver Airport Authority

Welland/Pelham Chamber of Commerce

WestJet Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce

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