Canada ending Remote Area Border Program: Canada cracks down at the border, ending remote crossing option many Americans used
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What was the Remote Area Border Programme?
The Remote Area Border Program, commonly known as RABC, allowed pre-approved Canadian and U.S. residents to cross into certain remote areas of Ontario and Manitoba without reporting to a staffed customs checkpoint. Instead, permit holders will be able to freely enter designated areas as part of an annual permit issued by the Canada Border Services Agency, according to a report by the National Post.
The program covered five sparsely populated border regions. In Ontario, these include Cockburn Island, Sault Ste. Marie upper lock system near Michigan, waterways from the Pigeon River to Lake of the Woods, and the entire Canadian shoreline of Lake Superior. The program also applied to Minnesota’s Northwest Angle, a geographically isolated region bordering southern Manitoba.
The CBSA says the program has historically attracted about 11,000 participants each year, about 90 percent of whom are Americans, according to a report by the National Post.
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Why is Canada ending the program?
The CBSA has confirmed that the RABC program will officially end on 13 September 2026 at 23:59. Starting next month, travelers entering these remote areas will be required to report their entry at a staffed border station or through designated telephone reporting sites.
Replacing RABC with telephone reporting will improve border security and create consistent expectations for all travelers, according to the agency. In a press release, CBSA said the change “ensures a consistent level of safety and expectation of compliance for all.”
According to a report by the National Post, a CBSA spokesperson added that phone reporting allows greater oversight of when and where travelers enter Canada in remote areas and strengthens accountability.
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How will travelers report their next check-in?
Under the new system, travelers arriving in designated land or sea reporting areas must contact CBSA’s Telephone Reporting Center at check-in. Only the vehicle operator can exit to report using the phone provided or their own device.
As with traditional border crossing, the caller must provide identification information, purpose of travel, length of stay, passenger information and any required declarations, according to a report by National Post.
Telephone reporting for private vessels and general aviation has been available for years under the CANPASS program. The land-based version is expanded in 2022, and the CBSA says the upcoming facilities will be the first such official land reporting locations in Canada.
The new locations will be the first of their kind in Canada, “to be decided in the coming months in consultation with Indigenous communities, local businesses and law enforcement partners,” the CBSA told the National Post via email.
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The locations of the new reporting sites have not yet been finalized. These will be decided in consultation with Indigenous communities, local businesses and law enforcement partners, CBSA said.
“Replacing the RABC Program with telephone reporting at entry will provide greater levels of security, accountability and consistency in border management by providing CBSA with greater oversight of when and where travelers enter Canada in remote areas,” said a spokesperson for the agency.
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Who was most affected by the change?
Permit holders were mostly paddlers, fishing guides, their guests, and U.S. residents who owned property in Canada. The Ely Echo in Minnesota reported that the program is widely used for entertainment and seasonal access rather than commercial travel.
For those entering Canada by land via Minnesota’s Northwest Angle, travelers were required to contact the CBSA’s Telephone Reporting Center prior to their arrival, according to a report by the National Post; This rule will now apply more widely.
CBSA also said the new system is more compatible with how travelers report to U.S. Customs and Border Protection in remote areas. Although CBP does not operate a specific land-based system, it uses the ROAM app to allow travelers to report entry using personal devices or tablets at local businesses.
Why did the decision receive criticism?
The move comes after more than a year of uncertainty. In September 2024, Canada paused the RABC program, suspending new applications and renewals pending administrative review. Existing permits were first extended until the end of 2025, then extended again until 2026, the program’s final end date.
Many US lawmakers have expressed concerns. According to a report by the National Post, Minnesota Congressman Peter Stauber, along with Michigan Congressman Jack Bergman and North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer, wrote a letter to Canadian officials expressing disappointment in the end of the program.
“Unfortunately, the nearly two-year review of the RABC program has been marred by uncertainty and retracted statements,” the letter said. Lawmakers said permit holders did not receive clear answers during the review period.
They also called on Canadian officials to clarify access rules, explain how stakeholder needs will be met, and communicate directly with affected remote communities.
What do local businesses say?
Some business owners remain cautiously optimistic. Donny Sorlie, owner of the Chippewa Inn on the Canadian side of Saganaga Lake, said the new system could work if implemented properly.
“As long as they tell it, it can be a good thing,” Sorlie told Paddle and Portage Magazine. “Until then, we still feel like we’re a little bit in the dark here.”
FAQ
When does the Remote Area Border Program end?
The program will officially end on September 13, 2026 at 23:59.
Who used the program the most?
About 90 percent of permit holders were Americans; most of them were rowers, fishermen and property owners.
