March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Canadians outpace Americans in crossings

MADAWASKA — Long lines at Canadian ports of entry and high taxes on Canadian goods and services have slowed Americans from shopping and traveling in Canada, but Canadians are coming to Maine in greater numbers month after month.

While 35.9 percent less Americans used St. John Valley ports of entry in January 1992 than in January 1991, the number of Canadians entering Maine at the seven St. John Valley ports of entry climbed 14.2 percent during the same months.

According to traffic figures from J.B. Hillard, area port director for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service at Madawaska, 66,766 fewer American citizens entered the United States in January this year than during the same period in 1991.

At the same time, using figures for ports of entry at Madawaska, Van Buren, Fort Kent, Limestone, Hamlin, Estcourt and St. Pamphile, the number of Canadians entering the United States grew by 55,920 people.

Hillard said after a year of dramatic change in traffic flow patterns experienced at St. John Valley border crossings, “it appears the huge increase of Canadians entering the St. John Valley is about to level off.”

During the last several months of 1991, increases in the number of Canadians entering northern Maine ports was increasing by more than a hundred thousand a month. “Now that we have completed a one-year cycle, the differences are beginning to drop,” said Hillard.

Hillard said the actual number of inspections done, for both Canadians and Americans, at the Madawaska border crossing, increased slightly from January 1991, which had 311,919, inspections to January 1992, which had 312,356 inspections.

While the increase was slight, he said, the change in who is now crossing the border is the big news. Canadians making trips to the (St. John) Valley are now more than 80 percent of those numbers. While in previous years they numbered about 60 to 65 percent.

He said the one-year cycle has been completed and changes in the monthly rates are expected to be less dramatic.

Traffic backups entering all ports, said Hillard, have been practically non-existent. Traffic going to Canada has experienced fewer and shorter delays entering at Edmundston, New Brunswick, said Hillard.

In October 1992, it is expected that Edmundston’s new customs and immigration building will be completed. The 18,000 square foot, two-story facility, will ultimately cost nearly $7 million. The Meridian Construction Co. is building the structure. It was the lowest bidder, at $2.9 million, of nine bidders for the building project. Other costs in the project included the purchase of four apartment buildings and two commercial buildings adjacent to the present facility and along St. Francois Avenue.

Construction of the building started two weeks ago. The buildings at the site were demolished last fall. The new facility will see different traffic patterns from what people have been used to for more than 70 years. The new facility will be located at the center of the site and traffic entering and leaving Canada will travel on opposite sides of the building.

During the month of January 1992, St. John Valley Immigration officials denied entry to 106 people because they had criminal records. Entry was also refused to 205 other people because they did not possess the necessary documents.

The highest increase in Canadian entries was at Madawaska, 199,132 in January 1991 and 247,989 in January 1992, an increase of 48,857 more than the previous year. Limestone’s port of entry had the highest percentage increase with 39.5 percent.

Actual traffic at the seven American ports of entry slowed in January 1992, to 568,250, compared to 578,096 in January 1991. While the number of Americans using the ports decreased by 66,766 people, Canadians entering Maine increased by 55,920 during the same period.

Canadians crossing at the Madawaska port of entry outnumbered Americans by nearly four to one last month, 247,898 to 64,367.

In January 1991, the disparity was less than two to one, 199,132 Canadians to 112,787 Americans.


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