Nearly eight months after it opened to traffic, an official ceremony and ribbon cutting were held for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) port of entry facility at Kingsgate yesterday.
Kootenay-Columbia member of Parliament David Wilks announced the opening on behalf of Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, the culmination of more than a year of work on the $20 million project.
“Today’s announcement serves as a clear demonstration of our government’s commitment to create jobs and investing in the infrastructure that our country needs,” said Wilks. “Our government is committed to the free flow of legitimate goods, travel and trade across our shared border with the United States, and improvements to CBSA facilities such as this one help ensure that this gets done in an efficient and effective manner.”
Completed on time and within budget (previously reported as $16 million), the facility will improve efficiency at the port — the busiest commercial port between Osoyoos and Coutts, Alta. — which processed, from January-November 2012, 45,000 commercial vehicles, 90,000 automobiles and 250,000 travellers. During the same period, border services officers made 113 personal seizures, including 17 related to firearms, ammunition and weapons, 11 tobacco, 25 drug or narcotic and 20 alcohol seizures.
“By improving the quality of the Kingsgate crossing, we are ensuring that Canada, and in particular British Columbia, continues to be a destination of choice for tourists and commercial importers alike,” said Wilks. “We are all committed to making travel easier for Canadians, while ensuring their security and safety.”
The new facility (photos here) has a primary inspection canopy over three lanes with bi-level booths featuring a standard-level window and one at a height suitable for semis.
Attached to the new 4,186-square-foot (1,276-square-metre) main building is a canopy at the north end that allows shelter for secondary searches, and for travellers to park for examination or to pay taxes or duties. Beyond that is a tertiary garage for holding vehicles.
A separate 1,856-square-foot (566-square-metre) commercial warehouse has two bays to allow the complete offloading of two semis, in the event that a total search is necessary. On occasions when semis crossing at Rykerts or Roosville, south of Jaffray, must be searched, they are escorted by the RCMP to the Kingsgate facility.
“I am proud to note that the Kingsgate port remained open to all traveller and commercial traffic throughout the construction period,” said Wilks. “That said, I would like to thank the travellers, truckers and others who use this port of entry facility for their patience during the construction phase.”
The Kingsgate port of entry, located south of Yahk between Creston and Cranbrook, was established in 1906, primarily processing passengers and freight into the mining communities of the east and west Kootenays, explained CBSA district director Anita Andersson.
“The building that stood here before the reconstruction was built in 1953,” said Andersson. “It underwent a number of renovations to accommodate the evolving roles and functions of customs and immigration.
“This port has been an important part of our history, and this new facility ensures that Kingsgate will continue to be a valuable part of our future.”
