The fee to use for the Nexus trusted-traveller program will enhance from $50 US to $120 US on Oct. 1 of this 12 months, the federal authorities introduced Tuesday.

The Canada Border Companies Company (CBSA) says the present $50 payment was set twenty years in the past and now not covers the price of this system.

“The brand new payment would replicate extra precisely the price of administrating this system and the funding required for future program enhancements, together with expertise and infrastructure enhancements,” the company mentioned in a press launch.

The Nexus program, which eases the stream of individuals throughout the Canada-U.S. border, absolutely reopened in Canada final 12 months following a year-long standoff between Ottawa and Washington over U.S. brokers’ proper to hold weapons on Canadian soil.

A compromise was reached that allowed Canadian border brokers to interview Nexus candidates individually from U.S. brokers at eight Canadian airports, somewhat than collectively as they did earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since then, the CBSA says it has acquired over half 1,000,000 purposes and famous that the payment enhance will assist the company sustain with that demand.

The CBSA mentioned it anticipates an increase in purposes forward of the Oct. 1 payment enhance and is encouraging candidates to e book an interview as quickly as potential.

U.S. has been calling for a payment enhance

The present $50 Nexus payment is considerably decrease than charges for 2 different pre-clearance traveller applications operated by U.S. Customs and Border Safety (CBP).

The U.S. signalled in 2020 that it will be making regulatory adjustments to harmonize the applying charges of all three applications.

The CBP echoed the CBSA’s feedback in regards to the want for a Nexus payment enhance in its personal press launch on Tuesday.

“As these applications have matured and expanded, updating the payment buildings is crucial to the continuation and administration of the applications,” the assertion mentioned.

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A serious earthquake struck Taiwan in the course of the morning rush hour on Wednesday, collapsing buildings and triggering tsunami warnings in Japan and the Philippines.

A minimum of 9 individuals have been reported lifeless and 963 have been injured within the strongest earthquake that has not seen since 1999, Taiwanese officers stated.

The quake hit close to the japanese metropolis of Hualien at 7:58 a.m. native time (2358 GMT) and had a magnitude of seven.4, in keeping with the U.S. Geological Survey, making it the strongest quake to hit since 1999. The depth was about 35 kilometers (22 miles), which is taken into account shallow. Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring company gave the magnitude as 7.2.

Robust shaking was felt in Taipei, the capital, some 100 miles away, with aftershocks continued for roughly two hours. And there have been reviews in China that individuals as distant as Shanghai, about 500 miles to the north, may really feel the earthquake.

Pictures on tv confirmed intensive injury, together with buildings itemizing to the aspect after having been shaken off their foundations. The authorities suspended work and faculty in Hualien, an space with about 300,000 residents. Officers additionally closed down eight energy vegetation for security, and 87,000 residents in Hualien, the epicenter, have been with out energy, although electrical energy stays on for the remainder of the island.

Bloomberg Information reported that TSMC, the world’s main maker of leading edge microchips, evacuated manufacturing traces after the quake.

On this picture taken from a video footage run by TVBS, {a partially} collapsed constructing is seen in Hualien, japanese Taiwan on Wednesday. A strong earthquake rocked the complete island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in a southern metropolis and making a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands.

TVBS through AP

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TVBS through AP

On this picture taken from a video footage run by TVBS, {a partially} collapsed constructing is seen in Hualien, japanese Taiwan on Wednesday. A strong earthquake rocked the complete island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in a southern metropolis and making a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands.

TVBS through AP

Taiwan’s transportation authorities stated practice service was suspended island-wide, in addition to subway service in Taipei. Movies from the epicenter present rockslides overlaying roads and homes that have been knocked off-kilter.

An preliminary tsunami warning issued by the Japan Meteorological Company was lifted in a while Wednesday. The AP reported {that a} wave of 30 centimeters (about 1 foot) was detected on the coast of Yonaguni island about quarter-hour after the quake struck. JAMA stated waves seemingly additionally hit the coasts of Miyako and Yaeyama islands.

Within the Philippines, no tsunami warning was issued, however residents in numerous coastal areas have been suggested to maneuver to larger floor or transfer inland.

Based on Taiwan media, the final earthquake of a magnitude 7 or larger to hit the island was the Sept. 21, 1999, “Jiji” earthquake that measured 7.3, which destroyed 1000’s of buildings and killed greater than 2,400 individuals.

John Ruwitch contributed reporting from Beijing.

It’s going to quickly value extra to affix the NEXUS trusted-traveller program, Canadian and American border officers say.

In a information launch Tuesday, officers with the Canada Border Providers Company (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Safety (CBP) stated the present utility payment – set greater than 20 years in the past – not covers the price of this system.

“The brand new payment would replicate extra precisely the price of administrating this system and the funding required for future program enhancements, together with expertise and infrastructure enhancements,” they stated.

“The proposed enhance would assist sustain with the excessive demand for this system and proceed to enhance NEXUS.”

4:49
Busy first week for NEXUS enrolment centres

The NEXUS program hastens border crossings for frequent travellers from Canada and america, the officers stated. It really works by expediting the crossing of pre-screened travellers and permitting border officers to focus extra consideration on stopping unlawful actions and criminals.

NEXUS enrolment centres have been closed in March 2020 as a result of onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a wait-list for membership started to develop.

The U.S. totally reopened its 13 NEXUS enrolment workplaces in April 2022, however Canada’s 13 services solely resumed joint interviews with U.S. and Canadian officers final April given a dispute over authorized protections for American customs officers in Canada, together with the authority to have the ability to carry a gun.

2:54
Travellers annoyed by new NEXUS procedures

Since then, officers have acquired greater than 510,000 NEXUS purposes and accomplished nearly 10,000 interviews each two weeks, they stated. The NEXUS program presently has greater than 1.8 million members.

On Oct. 1, the NEXUS utility payment will value US$120 (presently C$162), topic to approval of regulatory amendments in america and Canada. The present utility payment is US$50 (C$67).

The officers stated the brand new payment would work out to US$24 (C$32) per yr for the five-year membership.

0:33
NEXUS program to return to full capability

Candidates who’ve submitted their utility and paid the US$50 payment, however haven’t accomplished their enrolment interviews by Oct. 1, 2024, is not going to should pay the proposed US$120 payment, the officers added.

“In anticipation of a rise in demand between now and October, the CBSA and U.S. CBP stay able to course of purposes and can proceed to make interviews obtainable,” they stated.

“Candidates are inspired to e-book their interview as quickly as attainable. Appointments are all the time obtainable on the Trusted Traveller Packages System. Many enrolment centres provide next-day availability for scheduling interviews, permitting candidates to e-book their appointments rapidly.”

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