OTTAWA, Ont. — The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is intrigued by reports the feds are working with the US to pursue a Canada-US security perimeter strategy.

Yesterday, media reports were circulating that pointed towards a perimeter security agreement being worked on with the US.

The CTA says it has been involved in discussions on the subject since 9/11 and is now hopeful there may be progress towards a perimeter option that focuses on the supply chain. The organization also says any perimeter strategy should continue to provide benefits to carriers that are involved in existing border security programs.

“CTA has supported in theory the perimeter strategy. The historical concern for the Alliance has been that a perimeter strategy implies harmonized laws and regulations as well as the outright – at least in some scenarios – elimination of the Canada-US border,” said CTA vice-president of Customs, Jennifer Fox. “Since 9/11 a number of programs have been put in place at the Canada-US border to identify low-risk goods, carriers and drivers and we encourage alignment between the Canadian and US border programs. Given that the development and implementation investments made by governments and the supply chain amount to billions of dollars, we don’t envision such programs disappearing over the short to medium term. As such CTA would like to see in any upcoming announcement regarding a perimeter strategy consideration of extended benefits for existing trade security participants.”