The announcement of the program was led by Transport Minister John Baird at Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport, and also included Public Safety Minister Vic Toews in Winnipeg, Defence Minister Peter MacKay in Halifax, Heritage Minister James Moore in Vancouver, Environment Minister Jim Prentice in Calgary, and Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis in Montreal. The program builds on the original air cargo plan unveiled by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2006, and it aims to protect Canadians while helping exporters continue to move cargo in a timely and efficient way.

“While regulated screening has been in place for a number of years, under the enhancements to the Air Cargo Security Program announced in May 2010, there will be ”˜smarter’ and more effective screening of cargo,” says Maryse Durette, senior adviser of media relations at Transport Canada.

“Under the new program, shippers will be required to use specific, approved screening methods and processes depending on the origin/packaging/contents of the cargo.”

There are four significant goals that the program will enforce. These include all cargo shippers, freight forwarders and air carriers being responsible for ensuring that the screening of all cargo is completed and verified; the installation of newer and more effective technologies to be used during the screening process; all companies taking part in the cargo screenings being subject to security checks; and ensuring that the cargo screening is compatible with other trading partners.

“The initial phase of the program requirements have been implemented with the full support of the air cargo industry,” says Durette.

“While the enhances program requirements are being phased in, the stricter requirements already apply to a significant portion of the higher risk cargo carried on Canadian passenger aircraft.”