WINDSOR, Ont. – Starting on April 1, all Canada-bound commercial shipments entering via the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit-Windsor, Ont. will be subject to Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) existing line release clearance options, including CSA/FAST, PARS, FIRST, A49, Post-Audit and In-Bond.

CBSA stated in a press release that the joint initiative with the bridge company will enhance security controls and expedite the processing of commercial trucks entering Canada at the Ambassador Bridge.

According to CBSA, the new mandatory Security and Service Enhancement Initiative, as it’s called, is in partnership with the Ambassador Bridge in an effort to expedite processing at the border.

With the rule, the number of vehicles required to report to an offsite facility will be significantly reduced.

The Ambassador Bridge has established an Advanced Border Processing Center in Detroit, Mich., which is intended to assist carriers and importers to prepare for and comply with the new requirements.

Only the small percentage of commercial importations that are not able to use line release clearance options will be exempted and continue to be processed at the offsite facility. These shipments, however, will be strictly monitored between the bridge and offsite.

Meanwhile, in related news, the fee to cross the border into the U.S. is also being raised on April 1. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will hike the cost by 10 percent, from US$5.00 to US$5.50 per crossing. The annual truck decal will continue to be US$100, however.