Canpass no more?

[aviatoreb]

Canpass has been a convenient way to enter into Canada at a large number of secondary airports often simply by a phone call once you arrive if they opt not to meet you.  Without then you need to first land and check in at a larger airport with a border patrol unit on field.  More or less - 

Well I read the they are discontinuing canpass.  Really?!! :-(

And then they point at Nexus as the alternative - but that seems as if it is not covering the main function regarding GA which I was referring to above. Am I wrong?

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/canpass/menu-eng.html

or does the wording mean - that I should not worry - what I want is the RABC which is continuing.

"

Discontinuation of the CANPASS Air and CANPASS Private Boats programs

The CANPASS Air and CANPASS Private Boats programs have been discontinued. Current members will be able to maintain privileges until their membership expires. Check to see if you are eligible to join NEXUS instead as it offers similar or even greater benefits when travelling across the Canada-U.S. border.

Other CBSA programs, such as CANPASS – Private Aircraft, CANPASS – Corporate Aircraft, and Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) are not affected by this discontinuation."

 

[Jcmtl]

it says that CANPASS - private aircraft is not discontinued so i think you are fine.

[aviatoreb]

3 hours ago, Jcmtl said:

it says that CANPASS - private aircraft is not discontinued so i think you are fine.

Thanks - I am never confident reading legalese govt stuff.

[Ragsf15e]

On 6/7/2023 at 4:56 PM, aviatoreb said:

Thanks - I am never confident reading legalese govt stuff.

I have been to canada a few times recently and read that as well.  I took it to mean that the GA and corporate air programs were not affected.

I will say that i had my first negative experience going to canada and using our company Corporate Canpass.  I’ve been doing it for a while and I follow the rules exactly as published on their website.  When I arrived in Kelowna, I was ~10 minutes after my scheduled time and well within my 30 minute window.  Iaw the corporate rules, we didn’t need to call, so we exited the airplane and headed to the fbo.  About 15 minutes later, I walked out to supervise fueling and customs officers drove up.  They weren’t pleased that I was outside the airplane.  As politely as I could, I pointed out that I was on corporate canpass.  No change in attitude.  I pulled out the rules.  The officer said, “The people running CANPASS are teenagers and don’t know what they’re doing. Get your passengers back here immediately.”  Since he had the badge and gun, I complied by calling them and they drove back.  They (but not me because I was “only the pilot”) were taken to the cbo office for about 15 minutes and then released.  
Funny, the next day I had to come back to pick up the pax.  Paranoid, I sat in the airplane and called CANPASS (which you don’t have to do on corporate canpass).  Officers (different ones) showed up while I was still on hold about 10 minutes later.  I mentioned that I was on corporate canpass and they asked why I was calling and still in the airplane then?  
 

[Gone]

Yup.  Our guys can be unprofessional too.  Customs clearance going in either direction across our "longest undefended border" is still a crap shoot.  In most instances both CBSA and US CBP officers are good and professional.   They have a job to do, but are not acting stupid about it.  As of today, my instances of running into martinets is about even for y'alls and ours.

Once had a CBSA supervisor officer tell the new person to settle down and let my wife go to the washroom.  Once had a CBP guy tell me to make sure I trained enough US folks to be able to replace me so I did not have to cross the border so often.  Once had a CBSA officer try and tell me that I was 15 minutes early (instead of them being 15 minutes late) when I showed him the time on my iPhone synced to the iridium clocks on the GPS satellites and asked to see his watch for comparison.  Once had a CBP officer start going through the baggage compartment because he said he had to make the trip from the border control point on the bridge to the airport worthwhile.

Today, I only fly into airports that have permanent CBP Customs posts or CBSA Customs posts.  Don't need the agro.

[Ragsf15e]

2 hours ago, Ned Gravel said:

Yup.  Our guys can be unprofessional too.  Customs clearance going in either direction across our "longest undefended border" is still a crap shoot.  In most instances both CBSA and US CBP officers are good and professional.   They have a job to do, but are not acting stupid about it.  As of today, my instances of running into martinets is about even for y'alls and ours.

Once had a CBSA supervisor officer tell the new person to settle down and let my wife go to the washroom.  Once had a CBP guy tell me to make sure I trained enough US folks to be able to replace me so I did not have to cross the border so often.  Once had a CBSA officer try and tell me that I was 15 minutes early (instead of them being 15 minutes late) when I showed him the time on my iPhone synced to the iridium clocks on the GPS satellites and asked to see his watch for comparison.  Once had a CBP officer start going through the baggage compartment because he said he had to make the trip from the border control point on the bridge to the airport worthwhile.

Today, I only fly into airports that have permanent CBP Customs posts or CBSA Customs posts.  Don't need the agro.

Oh yeah, we’ve got some real winners too, I wasn’t trying to single out you guys! Honestly, I’ve had 99% simple and professional interactions up there. Actually, usually they don’t come out to the airplane. This one was just strange.