Canada to end Remote Area Border Crossing program, replacing permits with mandatory phone reporting for US travelers

Canada is preparing to dismantle one of its most quietly relied-upon border systems, ending a decades-old permit program that has allowed thousands of Americans to cross into the country through remote northern regions without stopping at a staffed checkpoint. a move that could reshape cross-border travel, tourism, and small-business activity along some of the most isolated stretches of the US-Canada border.

This move is especially significant as Canada-US relations have undergone major strains amid recent hostilities and a protracted tariff dispute. The changes will take effect next year.

According to Newsweek website, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is set to eliminate its long-standing Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) Program, ending a system that has for years allowed thousands of US travelers to enter Canada through remote northern crossings without reporting to a staffed port of entry.

The change, scheduled to take effect in September 2026, will replace the permit-based system with a telephone reporting requirement, obliging travelers to check in with Canadian authorities after entering the country, the agency said.

Starting September 14, 2026, travelers entering Canada through remote areas of northern Ontario or the Northwest Angle must report to the CBSA in person or by phone.

Under the current RABC system, mostly US residents can enter Canada through designated remote areas without reporting to a staffed border post.

All about the program

About 11,000 people, mostly Americans, use RABC permits annually, and the CBSA says ending the program will strengthen border integrity and align with US procedures. The changes will affect the Northwest Angle, Pigeon River/Lake of the Woods, the Canadian shore of Lake Superior, Sault Ste. Marie (upper locks), and Cockburn Island.

The new telephone reporting sites will be determined in the coming months in consultation with Indigenous communities, local businesses, and law enforcement.

The CBSA said the transition period is meant to give travelers, local communities, and Indigenous groups time to adjust, with existing permits valid until September 13, 2026; noncompliance with the new rules could lead to enforcement under the Customs Act.

Criticism of the move

According to Newsweek website, US lawmakers warn ending the program could hurt cross-border tourism and small businesses, sending a letter to Canada’s government.

“We are disappointed to learn Canada will be ending the Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) permit program. As you know, these permits are vital to Americans and Canadians who own property and operate small businesses along our shared border,” the lawmakers wrote.

The CBSA said the change will better align reporting with US Customs procedures for remote crossings.