Canada’s Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra has announced a government investment of up to 30 million CAD to construct a US preclearance facility at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ).
A US preclearance facility is a designated space in a Canadian location that enables US-bound passengers to complete all immigration, customs and agriculture requirements prior to departure.
This investment builds on contributions made by PortsToronto to help increase capacity for the growing numbers of business and leisure passengers transiting in Toronto.
Roelef-Jan Steenstra, President and CEO of PortsToronto, Billy Bishop Airport Owner and Operator said:PortsToronto and its partners, including Nieuport Aviation and Porter Airlines, have been working towards securing preclearance for nearly a decade, as it will further enhance the passenger experience by offering passengers the ability to clear customs on home soil using next-generation technology intended to make the process quick and convenient.
The fast and secure movement of people and goods across the Canada-US border is key to boosting tourism, business and trade. To facilitate this goal, the new facility will:
- Increase security and connectivity for travellers at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
- Reducing airport congestion and transportation bottlenecks by increasing Canada’s airport pre-clearance facilities
- Improving fluidity and capacity in the transportation system
The Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport said:The investment in the new United States preclearance facility for the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport will provide travellers in the Greater Toronto area more options when flying to the United States and will support the reduction of airport congestion. Investing in this facility is great news for the airport and for Canadians!
