A Matter of Trust: Expanding the Preclearance of Commerce between Canada and the United States

Michael Hart
Additional contact information
Michael Hart: Carleton University

C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, 2010, issue 309

Abstract: The thickening of the Canada-US border in response to post 9/11 security challenges has created new obstacles to cross-border trade and investment. However, preclearance of people and goods before they arrive at the physical border offers one of the best ways to address crossborder obstacles while ensuring public safety. Preclearance has a track record of success where it has been applied. It has proven to be a cost-effective way to provide air travelers with an economical way to clear customs and immigration before entering the United States from Canada. EU members are satisfied that they have succeeded in guarding their security, while promoting an integrated single market, by relying on a perimeter approach to preclearance. Canada and the United States currently rely on preclearance for trusted traveler and shipper programs. Building on these successful models, Canada and the United States should proceed to designing and implementing ambitious programs that use preclearance to cost-effectively ensure a secure and economical border crossing, for most travelers and shippers.

Keywords: Border Papers. Canada; United States; Canada-US border; cross-border trade; preclearance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F13 F15 O24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.cdhowe.org/public-policy-research/matt ... da-and-united-states (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cdh:commen:309

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in C.D. Howe Institute Commentary from C.D. Howe Institute Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Kristine Gray ().