Canada Border Services changing remote border crossing procedures
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DULUTH, Min & OTTAWA – The Canada Border Services Agency is introducing new telephone reporting border crossings for remotes areas of US – Canadian border crossing.
Effective September 14, 2026 the old Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) Program will end.
That program allowed permit holders to cross ports of entry into Canada without physically present themselves at a port of entry. However they had to declare any goods they are bringing into Canada.
The new system will mean travelers will have to go to a telephone reporting system. Travelers will be required to report to Canada Border Services from designated sites every time they enter Canada. This process ensures a consistent level of security and expectations of compliance for everyone.
Areas formerly covered by the Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) Program:
- Northwest Angle Area
- Pigeon River through to and including Lake of the Woods
- Canadian shore of Lake Superior
- Sault Ste. Marie (upper lock system)
- Cockburn Island
The Canada Border Services Agency says the new measures, “will also more closely align with how travellers report to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when entering the U.S. in remote areas”.
The location of the new telephone reporting sites will be decided in the coming months in consultation with Indigenous communities, local businesses and law enforcement partners.
