Canada Scraps Remote Entry Program Mostly Used by Americans in Favour of Telephone Reporting

A patch is seen on the shoulder of a Canada Border Services Agency officer's uniform in Tsawwassen, B.C., on Dec. 16, 2022. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

Canada is shuttering a border entry program next fall that has simplified travel for thousands of Americans into the remote regions of Ontario and Manitoba without having to report to a customs checkpoint.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced last week its plans to end its Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) permit program as of Sept. 14, 2026.

The program allowed approximately 11,000 pre-approved program members to freely cross the border in five remote and sparsely populated areas, the agency said in a press release. These individuals will soon need to make their way to a border station or use one of the designated telephone reporting sites, that have yet to be established, before entering Canada.

The end of the RABC program in favour of telephone reporting sites will primarily impact Americans, the CBSA said. Approximately 90 percent of the people using the program are from the United States.

The location of the new telephone reporting sites will be decided in the coming months, the border agency said, adding that they will be placed in the areas covered by the RABC program.

In Ontario, these areas consist of Cockburn Island and the upper lock system of Sault Ste. Marie at the Michigan border, waterways that stretch from Pigeon River to the Lake of the Woods, and the full expanse of the Canadian shores on Lake Superior.

The Northwest Angle region of Minnesota, which shares a border with southern Manitoba, is also impacted. This area can only be reached by water or by driving through a small section of the province.

The agency said the change will build on “processes already in place” in Canada that require travellers to report to the CBSA from designated sites every time they enter Canada.

“This process ensures a consistent level of security and expectations of compliance for everyone,” the agency said. “It is a measure that will also more closely align with how travellers report to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when entering the U.S. in remote areas.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does not have one specific land-based reporting system, but instead uses several integrated systems and mobile applications to manage travellers, including a free app called CBP ROAM.

The app offers a feature in select regions for travellers arriving in isolated areas to notify the CBP of their entry into the United States, according to the agency’s website.

Letter of ‘Disappointment’

The CBSA decision ends more than a year of uncertainty for RBAC permit holders after Ottawa paused the program last September, while it underwent a review.

Active RABC permits have been extended and will remain valid until 11:59 p.m. on Sept, 13, 2026 to ensure a smooth transition, the CBSA said.

The change to the federal program was described as a “disappointment” by three U.S. officials, in a letter sent to Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, outgoing Canadian Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman, and CBSA President Erin O’Gorman.

The Dec. 19 letter penned by Minnesota Congressman Peter Stauber and co-signed by Republican Michigan congressman Jack Bergman and North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer, expressed their disappointment that RABC was ending, but said they were encouraged by the prospect of the telephone reporting system.

They noted that the change will impact Americans who rely on the RABC permits to operate small businesses and manage properties.

“As you know, these permits are vital to Americans and Canadians who own property and operate small businesses along our shared border,” the letter reads.

“Unfortunately, the nearly two-year review of the RABC program has been marred by uncertainty and retracted statements. During this time, the Canadian government has been unable to respond to the questions permit holders have posed.”

The letter also requests that Canadian authorities clarify how the needs of stakeholders will be addressed both during and after the conclusion of the program as well as if there will be any restrictions on access for current members. It also suggests officials travel to the remote communities that will be impacted to “engage with local elected officials, businesses, and property owners” impacted by the change.

The CBSA already uses a telephone reporting system for general aviation and private boats entering Canada. It resulted from the Canada-United States Accord on Our Shared Border, an accord designed to promote trade, tourism, and travel, as well as to enhance border security between the two countries.

Telephone reporting was expanded by the CBSA in 2022 with the creation of the telephone reporting site/land site designation to allow travellers to enter Canada at “designated sites by way of other non-commercial conveyances.”

Only the operator of the boat or aircraft can exit the vehicle to report arrival via a phone on site, or they can use their personal device to reach the telephone reporting centre.

They are then required to provide all essential information regarding themselves and all passengers, including identification, duration of stay, purpose of travel, any necessary declarations, similar to a typical border crossing.