New NEXUS lane now open at Abbotsford-Huntingdon border crossing

Abbotsford, British Columbia, July 25, 2012 — The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) today announced that NEXUS members can now enjoy crossing simply and smoothly into Canada at a new NEXUS lane at the Abbotsford-Huntingdon, British Columbia and Sumas, Washington border crossing. The lane is open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., seven days a week for entry into Canada.

NEXUS members must show their membership cards upon arrival at the border until electronic card readers are installed later in the year. The CBSA decided to open the lane before it is fully functional given the enormous popularity of the NEXUS program, particularly in British Columbia. This opening allows NEXUS members the benefit of entering both Canada and the U.S. at this crossing.  

"This new NEXUS lane means a smoother crossing for pre-approved, low-risk travellers in British Columbia just in time for the long weekend in August," said the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway. "It's another example of how Canada is working to improve the flow of legitimate travel and trade across our shared border."

The addition of the new NEXUS lane is part of a number of enhancements that Canada and the United States are making to the NEXUS program as part of the Canada/U.S. Action Plan on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. These Action Plan achievements include:

• starting enrolment blitzes to assist with increasing application volumes;
• streamlining the membership renewal process;
• launching an outreach and awareness plan to increase membership; and
• lifting the three-year residency requirement in Canada for Canadian and American citizens to apply to NEXUS.

Currently there are over 700,000 NEXUS members who expedite their travel across the Canada-U.S. border at designated air, land and marine locations.

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For more information on NEXUS, go to www.nexus.gc.ca.

For more information on the Action Plan on Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness, please visit the Web site www.borderactionplan.gc.ca.

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For further information:

Media Relations
Canada Border Services Agency
613-957-6500

Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657