The following are excerpts from a news release from the CCRA.

Elinor Caplan, Minister of National Revenue, today announced that the purchase of new equipment as well as the implementation of new programs are on schedule to create a
high tech, secure and effective border.

The CCRA has begun a procurement process that will result in the immediate order of 10 units of high-energy x-ray equipment valued at approximately $17 million such as truck-mounted mobile x-ray systems and stationary cargo/pallet x-ray systems for implementation at marine, air and highway ports across Canada.  These systems use a ... Cobalt 60 energy source that allows for better examinations of densely loaded containers.

Since October 2001, the CCRA has doubled its national inventory of x-ray systems, ion mobility spectrometers and other types of contraband detection technology....  This equipment is currently being delivered to customs ports across Canada....

In addition, frequent traveller programs such as NEXUS, the Expedited Passenger Processing System, as well as the Advanced Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record programs will provide travel information to customs officers before people arrive at the border.  These programs are essential to facilitating the movement of low risk travelers without compromising national security.

In the coming months, the CCRA will be making a series of announcements regarding new technology and new programs to be implemented at points of entry across the country.

These investments reaffirm the Government of Canada's $7.7 billion commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, which was outlined in the December 2001 budget.  A total of $433 million was allotted to the CCRA as part of a five-year security package.