CBSA in Atlantic Canada: Highlights from 2025

OTTAWA, ON, Dec. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) highlights results and accomplishments in Atlantic Canada for the period between January 1 and October 31, 2025.

Overview

The CBSA plays a critical role supporting the economy and security of Canada. We enforce laws at our border to protect Canada and facilitate the flow of travellers and goods and to keep our economy strong. We intercept illegal drugs, guns, and weapons and prevent them from entering or leaving the country. We remove people who should not be in Canada, including those involved in terrorism, organized crime, and war crimes. We support Canadian business by administering trade legislation and agreements and collect applicable duties and taxes on imported goods.

In Atlantic Canada, the CBSA operates from many sites across New Brunswick (NB), Nova Scotia (NS), Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) and Prince Edward Island (PE). It is the only part of Canada to share an international boundary with France, near the French territory of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, off the coast of Newfoundland.

A strong border: CBSA activities in Atlantic Canada to protect Canadians and keep communities safe

The CBSA serves as Canada's first line of defense by preventing illegal weapons and illicit substances from entering our communities.

Key statistics for New Brunswick:

• 728 illegal narcotic seizures, including:
• 4 g of methamphetamines
• 20 g of cocaine
• 32 kg of opioids
• 13,985 kg of illegal cannabis
• 135 firearms and prohibited items seizures, including:
• 29 firearms
• 350 miscellaneous parts for firearms or magazines
• 154 prohibited weapons
• 27 prohibited devices
• $230,142 in currency seizures and suspected to be proceeds of crime
• 14 arrests of impaired drivers
• Seven stolen vehicles intercepted
• 664 detector dog searches, leading to 12 seizures of drugs or firearms

Activity highlights for New Brunswick

• A significant cannabis seizure by officers in Saint John in May during an export examination, accounted for close to half the cannabis seized by the CBSA in Atlantic in 2025. The 6,700 kg shipment destined for Scotland was concealed in nearly 400 boxes inside the shipping container.
• Interception by CBSA officers in Saint John of 31.5 kg of opium arriving from the United Arab Emirates, concealed in two antique record players. The shipping container was identified and targeted by CBSA intelligence analysts in the Atlantic Region and was examined upon arrival in Canada.
• Detection and arrest by the CBSA of 14 suspected impaired drivers at ports of entry in New Brunswick. When travellers show signs of impairment at the border, CBSA officers have the authority to administer field sobriety testing and take appropriate action to protect our communities.

Key statistics for Newfoundland and Labrador:

• 17 illegal narcotic seizures
• Three prohibited weapons

Activity highlights in Newfoundland and Labrador

• CBSA officers in Newfoundland and Labrador supported public safety by responding to 67 air diversions this year. At times, flights crossing the Atlantic Ocean need to divert to airports on the eastern coast of Canada due medical, mechanical or other types of emergencies. Border services officers risk assessed these flights, provided clearance, examined travel documents and processed travellers who needed to remain in Canada.
• At the Fortune port of entry, CBSA officers seized an undeclared prohibited stun gun and mace from two boaters arriving in Canada.
• A resident of Conception Bay South was convicted under section 104 of the Criminal Code, for the unauthorized import of prohibited devices into Canada and was sentenced to eight months house arrest. The prohibited devices (firearm suppressors) were shipped from China in 2023 and were intercepted by CBSA officers. A joint CBSA and RCMP investigation followed and resulted in the individual facing numerous charges under the Criminal Code and Customs Act.

Key statistics for the province of Nova Scotia:

• 62 illegal narcotic seizures, including 2,415 kg of illegal cannabis
• Four firearms and prohibited items seizures, including:
• 8 firearms
• 4,701 miscellaneous parts for firearms or magazines
• 1 prohibited weapon
• 16 prohibited devices
• $74,497 in currency seizures and suspected to be proceeds of crime
• 107 stolen vehicles intercepted
• 311 detector dog searches, leading to 374 interceptions of prohibited food, plant or animals

Activity highlights for Nova Scotia:

• In July, the CBSA celebrated the opening of the new Africville Seasides Marine Container Examination Facility in Halifax. The new space is being used by CBSA officers to examine shipping containers and cargo for drugs, weapons, stolen vehicles and other dangerous contraband.
• In January, CBSA officers seized $30,000 in fake Canadian bank notes and holographic stickers being shipped from China to an address in Glace Bay, Cape Breton. In September, the NS RCMP charged a Glace Bay man with multiple counterfeiting, firearm, and drug offences. CBSA intelligence officers in Halifax worked closely with the Nova Scotia RCMP and the Bank of Canada on this investigation. This case is currently before the courts.
• This year, CBSA officers in Halifax intercepted 107 stolen vehicles and large shipments of illegal cannabis before they were shipped abroad. This includes 1600 kg of cannabis destined for Barbabos and 800 kg bound for the United Kingdom. Cannabis smuggling funds other illegal activities, like narcotics and weapons smuggling. By intercepting illegal cannabis, CBSA officers are disrupting organized crime.
• In February, a Nova Scotia resident was convicted of smuggling and firearms-related offences, following an investigation related to manufacturing 3D firearms led by the CBSA and Nova Scotia RCMP in 2022. He was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison, and issued a lifetime firearms prohibition order.
• CBSA's Atlantic Region Inland Enforcement team working with Halifax Regional Police disrupted a group of travelling con men soliciting door-to-door home renovation work. Four individuals were charged for theft under $5,000 and the group's leader was found to be inadmissible to Canada for organized crime under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The individual was subsequently removed from Canada. As a result of evidence gathered by inland enforcement officers, this marked the first time in Atlantic Canada that a member of a travelling con men group was found to be inadmissible for organized criminality.

Activity highlights for Prince Edward Island:

• In Spring 2025, CBSA investigators completed a multi-year investigation involving four local agricultural businesses and their alleged hiring and documentation practices related to foreign workers. As a result of this investigation, the CBSA laid charges against seven individuals and six businesses under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Criminal Code. This case is now before the courts. A trial date is expected to be set in the coming months.

Facilitating the flow of travellers into Canada

In the province of New Brunswick, the CBSA:

• welcomed more than 1.9 million travellers, nearly 600,000 less travellers than last year, including returning Canadians and international visitors.
• processed 52 cruise ships at their first port of arrival in Canada, including nearly 178,000 passengers and crew.
•  processed 53 asylum applications as of November 30, 2025. By the same date last year, the Agency had processed 28 asylum applications in New Brunswick.

In the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the CBSA:

• welcomed more than 130,000 travellers, nearly 20,000 less travellers than last year, including returning Canadians and international visitors.
• processed 38 cruise ships at their first port of arrival in Canada, including over 47,000 passengers and crew.
• processed 7 asylum applications as of November 30, 2025. By the same date last year, the Agency had processed 3 asylum applications in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In the province of Nova Scotia, the CBSA:

• welcomed more than 670,000 travellers, which is almost the same number as last year, including returning Canadians and international visitors.
• processed 91 cruise ships at their first port of arrival in Canada, including nearly 264,000 passengers and crew.
•  processed 33 asylum applications as of November 30, 2025. By the same date last year, the Agency had processed 35 asylum applications in Nova Scotia.

In the province of Prince Edward Island, the CBSA:

• welcomed more than 16,000 travellers, including returning Canadians and international visitors.
• processed four cruise ships at their first port of arrival in Canada, including over 15,000 passengers and crew.

Supporting the economy

The CBSA's work helps keep Canada's trade routes open and resilient, ensuring that our economy remains strong and responsive to the needs of Canadians.

In the province of New Brunswick, border services officers:

• processed 115,046 commercial trucks and 61,222 marine containers.
• assessed a total of $ 671,960,066 in duties and taxes and $446,755,766 in value for duty on goods imported by Trusted Traders.

In the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, border services officers:

• processed 1,530 marine containers.
• assessed a total of $ 277,483,790 in duties and taxes and $34,428,030 in value for duty on goods imported by Trusted Traders.

In the province of Nova Scotia, border services officers:

• processed 122,938 marine containers.
• assessed a total of $ 545,536,889 in duties and taxes and $926,296,668 in value for duty on goods imported by Trusted Traders.

In the province of Prince Edward Island, border services officers:

• processed 11 marine containers.
• assessed a total of $5,445,072 in duties and taxes and assessed $74,233,750 in value for duty on goods imported by Trusted Traders.

Quotes

"I have visited CBSA officers at ports of entry across the country and seen up close their commitment and dedication. I have also seen the enthusiasm of the newest cohort of CBSA graduates as we begin to hire the 1,000 new border officers we promised. I want to thank all those who work for the CBSA for their extraordinary work this past year and for all they do to protect our communities and support our economy. We are continuing to bolster these efforts by hiring more officers and investing in our Border Plan to keep Canadians safe."

– The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety

"I cannot overstate the importance of the work CBSA officers do each and every day.  Their vigilance in intercepting fentanyl and other illicit substances before they reach our communities has had a profound impact on the safety of all Canadians.  As a vital part of Canada's enforcement ecosystem, their work with partners helps stop harm before it starts.  I thank them for their professionalism and the very real role they play in saving lives, strengthening our borders, and reinforcing the trust of Canadians."

– Kevin Brosseau, Canada's Fentanyl Czar

"CBSA officers stand on guard for Canada every hour of every day. They work diligently to protect our communities and our prosperity. In 2025, the CBSA stopped transnational organized crime networks at our front door, found foreign companies that undervalue their goods and charged them, and stopped and removed inadmissible foreign nationals who try to come to Canada under false pretenses. And we are gearing up to do the same and more in 2026."

– Erin O'Gorman, President, Canada Border Services Agency

National results

For an overview of 2025 CBSA results and accomplishments across Canada:

• National 2025 CBSA year in review news release
• National 2025 CBSA year in review "Accomplishments by the numbers"

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SOURCE Canada Border Services Agency