Free and Secure Trade

The Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program is a commercial clearance program designed to ensure safety and security while expediting legitimate trade across the Canada-U.S. border.

About FAST

FAST is a joint initiative between the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection that enhances border and trade chain security while making cross-border commercial shipments simpler and subject to fewer delays.

It is a voluntary program that allows the CBSA to work closely with the private sector to enhance border security, combat organized crime and terrorism, and prevent contraband smuggling.

The CBSA and industry are mutually committed to maintaining the FAST program requirements and they work together to achieve compliance and to find solutions to problems.

How it works

All FAST program participants (drivers, carriers, importers) must undergo a risk assessment. FAST-approved participants are identified as low risk, which allows the CBSA to focus resources and security efforts on travelers of high or unknown risk.

When a FAST-approved driver arrives at the border, he or she presents three bar-coded documents to the border services officer (one for each of the participating parties: the driver, the carrier and the importer). The officer can quickly scan the bar codes while all trade data declarations and verifications are done at a later time, away from the border.

Eligible goods arriving for approved companies and transported by approved carriers using registered drivers are cleared into Canada or the United States with greater speed and certainty, resulting in reduced cost for compliance.

Where it is available

Dedicated FAST lanes have been established at a number of major border crossings .
Benefits

• Access to dedicated lanes (where available) for faster and more efficient border clearance;
• A streamlined process that reduces delivery times and landed costs of imports;
• No need to transmit transactional data for every transaction;
• Minimal documentation required to clear the border;
• Increased certainty at the border resulting in fewer delays;
• A unified, ongoing partnership with the CBSA;
• Promotion of Canadian competitiveness; and
• Advancement of voluntary compliance and self-assessment.

FAST-eligible goods

In order to qualify for the streamlined FAST process, goods imported into Canada must meet these conditions:

• They must not be prohibited, controlled or regulated importations as set out in any act of Parliament or provincial legislation;
• They must not be subject to the release requirements of any other government department; and
• They must be shipped direct to Canada from the continental United States (and from Mexico for automotive goods).

Eligibility requirements

Carriers must meet these conditions to become authorized FAST participants:

• They have a demonstrated history of complying with all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements;
• They have entered into an undertaking with the CBSA and signed a Partners in Protection (PIP) memorandum of understanding (in Canada only);
• They have made a commitment to security-enhancing business practices as required by Canada’s PIP program and by the U.S. Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT);
• They provide drivers that have a valid FAST or CDRP (Commercial Driver Registration Program)* membership card when using FAST clearance;
• In the case of carrier companies seeking FAST clearance into Canada, they are approved by the Customs Self Assessment (CSA) program; and
• They submit a separate application to the country they are seeking to import goods into (Canada or the United States). Although Canada and the United States have endeavored to create similar requirements, separate FAST applications are required for carriers.

*Note: CDRP cards were first created to handle CSA shipments before FAST was established. The CDRP is a Canadian program and therefore its membership cards are only valid for coming into Canada. FAST is a joint program between the United States and Canada so its membership cards are recognized on both sides of the border.

Application

Certification that the information submitted is true and complete must be made on company letterhead and bear the date and original signature of an authorized officer of the company. Applications are only accepted by mail.

Carriers have three options:

FAST participant for expedited clearance into Canada only

Applicants must do the following:

• successfully complete Section A to F of the highway carrier application (RC4299);
• enter into an undertaking with the CBSA (see Section E of RC4299) and agree to complete and send in the security questionnaire; and
• enter into a PIP memorandum of understanding (carriers).

FAST participant for expedited clearance into the United States only

Applicants must do the following:

• successfully complete Section A to F of the highway carrier application (RC4299); and
• sign the C-TPAT highway carrier agreement.

FAST participant for expedited clearance into both Canada and the United States
Applicants must do the following:

• successfully complete Section A to F of the highway carrier application (RC4299);
• enter into an undertaking with the CBSA (see Section E of RC4299) and agree to complete and send in:
• the security questionnaire;
• the PIP memorandum of understanding (carriers); and
• the C-TPAT highway carrier agreement.