Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a sweeping plan to hire 1,000 new Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers as part of a $617.7 million investment to strengthen border security across Canada.
The announcement, made Friday (Oct. 17) in Niagara Falls, was echoed locally at Surrey’s Peace Arch border crossing, where Veterans Affairs Minister and Delta MP Jill McKnight and South Surrey–White Rock MP Ernie Klassen outlined the details of the initiative.
The new hires are set to begin during the 2025–26 fiscal year and aim to crack down on illegal gun and drug smuggling, stolen goods, and unfair trade practices. “We’re getting started right away so that Canadians feel safe at home,” McKnight said, noting that public safety remains a top priority in the upcoming federal budget.
In addition to hiring, the government plans to increase CBSA recruit stipends from $125 to $525 per week and allow officers to retire on full pension after 25 years of service.
McKnight said it will be up to the CBSA to determine how the new officers are allocated but hopes major crossings like Peace Arch and regional facilities such as Deltaport and the Tsawwassen inspection facility will benefit.
Addressing questions about U.S. concerns, McKnight stressed that the measures are designed for Canadians. “This is an investment in Canada’s safety and sovereignty,” she said.
Carney reinforced that message in his statement: “The world is increasingly dangerous and divided. We are focused on protecting our border, our country, and our way of life.”
The federal budget outlining these measures will be tabled in the House of Commons on November 4.
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