Canadian Border Services Agency

What Canadian Border Services Agency does

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is a Canadian federal government agency established on December 12, 2003, that holds statutory responsibility for border enforcement, immigration enforcement, and customs services across Canada. The agency operates more than 1,200 land, air, and marine ports of entry, processing 82 million travelers in 2025, and administers more than 100 acts and regulations. CBSA is led by President Erin O'Gorman, reports to the Minister of Public Safety, and is part of the Public Safety Canada portfolio.

CBSA's operational platform combines traveller processing programs (ArriveCAN Advance Declaration, NEXUS, CANPASS), commercial trade facilitation systems (Electronic Data Interchange, eManifest, Customs Self Assessment, Free and Secure Trade, CARM/GCRAA), and enforcement mechanisms (anti-dumping and countervailing duties under the Special Import Measures Act, Partners in Protection). Core technology includes advanced imaging technology for cargo examination, intelligence-driven targeting systems at the National Targeting Centre and Pacific Regional Intelligence Section, specialized fentanyl detection canine teams, and electronic manifest systems. The agency collected duties on $3.3 billion in imports protected under SIMA in 2025 and intercepted 83,200 kg of illegal drugs and 17,700 weapons during the same year.

CBSA is funded through Canadian parliamentary appropriations rather than commercial revenue, with Budget 2025's Border Plan allocating C$1.3 billion to strengthen border security and hire up to 1,000 new officers over three years. It collects customs duties and tariffs as a pass-through revenue stream, charges user fees for specialized programs like NEXUS, and has partnerships with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, UK Border Force, Australia Border Force, and the RCMP for joint enforcement and intelligence sharing. The agency is currently participating in an AI-enabled Track and Trace pilot in British Columbia with Redwood AI and Aidos Innovations, signaling the early buildout of AI-driven intelligence capabilities.

Name

Canadian Border Services Agency

Legal name

Canada Border Services Agency

Website

https://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is a Canadian federal government agency that enforces border security, immigration, and customs services across more than 1,200 ports of entry, processing 82 million travelers annually and administering over 100 acts and regulations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Border Security and Customs Enforcement

NAICS

National Security and International Affairs (9281), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922), Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (92612)

akta.pro primary industry

Border Security & Homeland Security (BPAIAHAI)

Keywords

• Border security services
• Customs enforcement
• Immigration processing
• Trade compliance
• Trusted traveler programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Customs Duties and Tariffs: The CBSA collects customs duties and tariffs on imported goods, administers trade remedies including anti-dumping and countervailing duties under the Special Import Measures Act, and processes trade compliance through the Customs Tariff system.
2. Trade Enforcement and Compliance: The CBSA enforces trade laws including tariff classifications, valuation, and origin requirements, collecting duties and administering penalty systems for non-compliance under the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) is Canada's federal border agency that administers border enforcement, customs, and immigration services at over 1,200 land, air, and marine ports of entry. It facilitates legitimate international travel and trade while enforcing more than 100 acts and regulations, collecting customs duties and tariffs, administering trade remedies including anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and intercepting contraband such as illegal drugs and weapons.

Product overview

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) operates as a unified border agency providing multiple interconnected services rather than a single product. The core offering consists of traveller processing programs (Advance Declaration via ArriveCAN, NEXUS, CANPASS), commercial trade facilitation systems (Electronic Data Interchange, eManifest, Customs Self Assessment, Free and Secure Trade, CARM/GCRAA), and enforcement mechanisms (Anti-Dumping/Countervailing duties, Partners in Protection). These services collectively enable travellers and businesses to cross the Canadian border, declare goods, pay duties, and facilitate legitimate trade while CBSA enforces over 100 acts and regulations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advance Declaration (ArriveCAN)

Quantifiable outcome

• 82 million travelers processed in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• UK Border ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026International cooperation resulted in UK's record 12-tonne cannabis seizure at Southampton Port from shipping containers originating from Canada. The operation was part of wider international efforts with CBSA and UK law enforcement partners.
• Redwood AIflagshipTechnology or Integration · 10 June 2026Redwood AI serves as a key technology partner in British Columbia's Track and Trace program, a C$600,000 two-year AI-enabled pilot to combat illicit drug trafficking, collaborating with Aidos Innovations, the RCMP, Victoria Police Department, and CBSA.
• Aidos InnovationsflagshipTechnology or Integration · 10 June 2026Technology partner in British Columbia's Track and Trace program for AI-enabled drug trafficking detection alongside Redwood AI, RCMP, Victoria Police, and CBSA.
• U.S. Customs and Border ProtectioncoreTechnology or Integration · 14 January 2026Intelligence sharing partnership for border security. The U.S. CBP provided intelligence that flagged the marine container containing 520.6 kg of opium at Tsawwassen Container Examination Facility for examination. This collaboration demonstrates ongoing Canada-U.S. cooperation in combating drugs and organized crime.
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2025Joint enforcement operations including Operation Meridian in Southern Ontario for drug and firearm smuggling, and coordinated operations at Coutts border crossing. The RCMP and CBSA work together on integrated border enforcement teams and criminal investigations.
• Australia Border ForcecoreTechnology or Integration · 19 November 2025CBSA announced a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement with Australia on November 19, 2025, during a signing ceremony in Wellington, New Zealand. The agreement aims to enhance cooperation in customs information sharing and law enforcement to prevent violations and facilitate trade.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• SITA: IT and communications provider for the air transport industry with border-management and government services offerings (e.g., iBorders, Advance Passenger Information systems) integrated into airport-level border processes where CBSA officers operate.
• Thales Group: Provides border-management technology, e-gates, biometric enrollment, and secure document issuance to customs and immigration agencies globally, including solutions used in border operations functionally adjacent to CBSA's ArriveCAN and Advance Declaration stack.
• NEC Corporation: Supplies biometric border-control systems (NeoFace) and immigration kiosks used by customs and immigration authorities worldwide, including airport primary inspection lines comparable to CBSA's Trusted Traveler Program infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Japan Customs (Ministry of Finance): Operates Japan's customs, duty collection, and anti-smuggling enforcement, and runs passenger/crew NACCS electronic clearance analogous to CBSA's eManifest and ArriveCAN systems.
• New Zealand Customs Service: New Zealand's border and customs agency and host of the November 2025 CBSA-Australia signing ceremony; performs traveller processing, duty collection, and trade compliance analogous to CBSA's functions.
• UK Border Force: United Kingdom agency responsible for customs and border security operations, including port and inland enforcement; partnered with CBSA on a December 2024 / 2025 multi-tonne cannabis interdiction operation originating from Canada.
• Australian Border Force: Australia's federal customs and border enforcement agency; signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement with CBSA in November 2025 covering information sharing and joint enforcement.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection: The U.S. federal agency with the analogous mandate of border security, customs enforcement, and trade compliance at U.S. ports of entry; cited as an active intelligence-sharing partner and the most direct functional counterpart to CBSA.
• Singapore Customs: Customs and trade facilitation agency operating trusted-trader programs (e.g., STP) and pre-arrival processing analogous to CBSA's NEXUS, CANPASS, and Advance Declaration services.

Broad incumbents

• Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency): EU-level agency coordinating border security across member states; serves a supranational coordination role comparable to CBSA's national mandate but with broader geographic and operational scope, including external border management.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CanBorder
• YouTubeyoutube.com/canborder
• Facebookfacebook.com/canborder
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cbsa-asfc
• Instagraminstagram.com/canborder

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Canadian Border Services Agency