Kiosk failures causing delays for travelers at various Canadian airports are “unacceptable,” as stated by the leader of Canada’s border agency.
Toronto Pearson Airport announced on Friday that a malfunction at its inspection kiosks had caused passenger delays in two terminals, marking the latest challenge for the aging IT systems of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
“We are dealing with legacy systems. Contingency plans are in place. However, it is unacceptable for them to fail,” remarked CBSA President Erin O’Gorman.
Just last month, a technical failure hindered border officers from reviewing potential security issues concerning truck drivers entering Canada from the United States, as reported by the officers’ union.
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree mentioned that he has instructed O’Gorman to provide an update within 90 days regarding the recent technological difficulties.
“I can assure Canadians that our systems are functional,” Anandasangaree stated. “There may be occasional outages, and we strive to rectify them as quickly as possible once we become aware.”
Government to recruit 1,000 border personnel
These remarks were made during a press conference at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls, Ont., where Anandasangaree announced the federal government’s initiative to honor a campaign pledge to recruit 1,000 new staff members.
Anandasangaree also indicated that the government would raise the weekly stipend for new hires and simplify retirement processes for current officers to avoid pension penalties.
The Public Safety department has allocated $617.7 million over five years to fund these initiatives. This expenditure is in addition to an existing $1.3-billion border security initiative announced last winter.
Gary Anandasangaree, minister of Public Safety, has announced $617.7 million in border security funding. The funding, to be included in the Nov. 4 budget, will facilitate the hiring of 1,000 new Canada Border Services Agency officers, and provide enhanced benefits and stipends for recruits.
“These individuals will perform vital duties at our borders, ensuring the efficient flow of people and goods while preventing illegal items, firearms, and drugs from entering, as well as apprehending those involved in trafficking,” Anandasangaree informed reporters at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls, Ont.
The initiative to bring in 1,000 new border staff—who will not all be officers—was part of a broader public safety strategy introduced by the Carney campaign prior to the April elections. The Conservative party had promised to add 2,000 new border officers if elected.
Among the 1,000 new hires, 80 percent will be armed officers, while 20 percent will consist of intelligence officers, investigators, and security screening personnel.
Conservative Public Safety critic Frank Caputo remarked that the promise for new hires was made months ago.
“Remember the claims about keeping you as safe as possible and that the border would be more secure than ever? All of that was merely a facade,” Caputo stated in a post on X.
Another measure, aimed at reforming retirement for various front-line government workers including border officers, was already announced by the Trudeau government last June. This reform allows front-line workers to retire after 25 years of service without impacting their pension, regardless of age.
The Public Safety department will also boost the weekly stipend for newly recruited border officers from $125 to $525.
Concerns over training program
Opposition MPs are pressing the government for clarification on how the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) plans to train the influx of new officers.
During a meeting of the federal standing committee on public safety and national security on September 23, CBSA’s vice-president for intelligence and enforcement, Aaron McCrorie, indicated that the agency is exploring ways to enhance “throughput” at its primary officer training college in Rigaud, Quebec.
“We understand that, due to attrition, we must increase the number of trainees at the college, and we are currently developing that plan,” McCrorie stated.
At a committee meeting last week, O’Gorman shared that the Rigaud college can accommodate approximately 250 agents in the first two years, with 300 in the final year.
“I am confident about our capacity to train agents,” O’Gorman noted. “The college has the ability to handle more trainees. In fact, our attrition rates this year are slightly lower, allowing us to exceed our previous capacity estimates.”
Fentanyl concerns at the U.S. border
The initiative to hire additional officers is occurring as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to direct attention towards the U.S.-Canada border.
Trump has consistently justified tariffs on Canadian products by alleging that fentanyl is “pouring” into the United States from Canada, despite the fact that only a small fraction of the drug entering the U.S. crosses the northern border.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, center, and Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree, second from right, walk alongside government officials and border staff at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls, Ont., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette)
The CBSA has reported seizing 2.48 kilograms of export fentanyl so far this year.
Anandasangaree remarked that even “an ounce” of fentanyl is excessive, but he emphasized that Trump’s assertions are false.
“We recognized from the beginning that this was incorrect and unfounded. There was never any evidence to support it,” he remarked. “We are aware that the main source of fentanyl is from several Asian countries.”
While Anandasangaree refrained from directly connecting Trump’s stance on border issues to the new recruitment, Liberal MP Wayne Long made a clear correlation.
“Clearly, the U.S. has raised concerns regarding drug trafficking and fentanyl,” he noted.
“This is part of our response to address their concerns and ensure that we can progress collaboratively.”
