Ontario’s top cop says a “surge” in border security outside of the province’s 14 ports of entry is needed, as political rhetoric about the issue swirls in the days leading up to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
In an interview with CBC Toronto, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique defended a new provincial border security push announced last week.
He says the operation will see an “intelligence-led” approach to border enforcement and stressed that even before the announcement, the police service had bolstered its visible presence in border communities across the province, with 200 emergency response team officers working to stem the flow of illegal guns, drugs and human trafficking.
“Being visible is a deterrent in itself,” Carrique said. “If we can have a greater visible presence and we can deter criminal activity, that is the best way to keep communities safe.”
The Ontario government has enhanced security measures along its border with the United States as part of its response to tariff threats from Donald Trump. As CBC’s Shawn Jeffords reports, Ontario Premier Doug Ford made several appearances on international media to make his case.
Premier Doug Ford has said the beefed up police presence is a direct response to pressure from Trump, who has threatened 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods if border security between the two countries isn’t increased.
Regardless of the politics, Carrique said there are legitimate reasons to increase border enforcement. Canada has seen an increase in the flow of illegal guns from the U.S. and, he said, knows that drugs, illegal tobacco and people are being smuggled over the borders between the two countries.
“This enforcement is absolutely required,” Carrique said. “It is our responsibility to ensure that we are putting our best effort towards keeping Ontarians, Canadians and people on the U.S. side of the border safe.”
OPP work already showing results: commissioner
Carrique said the work, which has been underway since Dec. 6, 2024, is in coordination with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Royal Canadian Mounted Police and U.S. law enforcement agencies.
It has already shown promising results, he said, pointing to the arrest of four people near Cornwall, Ont., last week on human trafficking charges.
The OPP will staff the operation with existing emergency response team officers, but look to shift the program in the coming months and years depending on need.
“We are very fortunate to have a number of officers that we can rely upon in their day-to-day duties,” Carrique said. “But we also have some surge capacity to be able to deal with critical concerns as it relates to border activity.”
It’s not immediately clear what the current operation will cost Ontario or what kind of spending future iterations of the program will require. But Carrique said the OPP is working with several provincial ministries to come up with those figures.
“We need to ensure that presence is scalable, it’s sustainable, it’s intelligence-led,” he said. “What we have seen over the last six weeks is not necessarily going to be the same presence that we’ll see for the next six months or next six years. But this is something that requires long-term solutions, a long-term commitment.”
Officers to have access to drones, helicopters, boats: Ford
Ford said last week that Ontario has a responsibility to step up and increase border security. The officers will have access to drones, helicopters, fixed-wing aircrafts and boats to patrol the border communities.
“(They are) all dedicated to protecting the safety and security of families and communities on both sides of the border,” he said.
Liberal MPP John Fraser said while he supports increasing border security, the province also needs to make sure it isn’t taking the 200 officers away from their core duties.
“The concern would be if you started to lose some community policing,” he said. “It’s going to require an extra investment.”
The increased policing will help fill gaps that exist in current border enforcement, according to Marta Leardi-Anderson, executive director of the University of Windsor’s Cross Border Institute. Right now, the CBSA does not have jurisdiction outside of ports of entry, something the OPP can address.
“In those areas where there is no authority or mandate, that’s a gap area,” she said. “So, how are we addressing that? And if the premier has the authority, through the OPP, to enforce those areas of jurisdiction then that’s a good thing.”
But Leardi-Anderson said there are challenges that come with increasing border security.
“We always run the risk of thickening the border, which means we are putting more barriers in the way of the good actors, the legitimate trade and legitimate movement of people,” she said.
Petra Molnar, associate director at York University’s Refugee Law Lab, said she’s worried all of the political rhetoric about the borders will harm asylum seekers exercising their legal rights.
“The concern is that when people learn about the ways that the border is being securitized and controlled again, they’re not going to stop coming necessarily,” she said. “They’re just going to make riskier decisions, potentially even leading to loss of life.”
