Beginning in 2025, US Customs and Border Protection will be introduced at Toronto’s downtown Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.
Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra confirmed that funding for the capital expenditure associated with the preclearance facility will be provided by the federal government. The facility will take between 18-24 months to complete and, once constructed, will provide YTZ passengers with the opportunity to clear customs in Toronto, rather than having to clear customs upon landing at U.S. airports.
Preclearance will also open up new U.S. markets, as travellers can now access smaller American airports that do not currently have US CBP, and therefore cannot accept travellers that have not been precleared.
There are currently 15 US CBP preclearance locations in six countries around the world including Canada. Eight Canadian airports currently offer preclearance, with Billy Bishop Airport becoming the ninth such facility.
The new facility will also offer next-generation travel technology, including facial recognition that is designed to make the process more efficient for travellers.
In today's announcement, Minister Alghabra confirmed that the federal government will provide up to $30 million towards capital funding for planning, design and construction of the preclearance facility. The funding will assist airport operator PortsToronto and its partners in delivering this facility within the planned timeframe.
Billy Bishop Airport is the ninth busiest airport in Canada and the fifth busiest serving U.S. markets. The airport traditionally welcomes approximately 450,000 U.S. passengers per year.
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