Federal government to push ahead with plan to hire 1,000 border workers

9 months ago 86

The federal government is moving forward with existing plans to beef up border security, including a campaign promise to hire 1,000 new personnel.

Government will also bump recruit stipend, expand retirement eligibility

Ben Andrews · CBC News

· Posted: Oct 17, 2025 1:06 PM EDT | Last Updated: 23 minutes ago

A group of government officials and border staff walk at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing.

The federal government is moving forward with existing plans to beef up border security, including a campaign promise to hire 1,000 new personnel.

At a Friday news conference, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the government will also increase the weekly stipend for new recruits and make it easier for existing officers to retire without taking a pension hit.

The Public Safety department is setting aside $617.7 million over five years to pay for the measures. That spending is separate from an existing $1.3-billion border crackdown from last winter.

"These people will do critical work at our borders, ensuring the smooth movement of people and goods, all the while ensuring that illegal goods, guns and drugs are stopped, and those who are trafficking in them are arrested and charged," Anandasangaree told reporters at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls, Ont.

WATCH | Public Safety minister announces $617.7 million for CBSA:

Public Safety minister announces $617.7 million to 'bolster' CBSA

Gary Anandasangaree, minister of Public Safety, has announced $617.7 million in border security funding. The funding, to be included in the Nov. 4 budget, will facilitate the hiring of 1,000 new Canada Border Services Agency officers, and provide enhanced benefits and stipends for recruits.

The plan to hire 1,000 new border personnel — not all of whom will be officers — was one of several public safety measures the Carney campaign announced ahead of the April election. The Conservatives had pledged to hire 2,000 new border officers had they been elected.

Retirement reform for a range of front-line government workers including firefighters, search and rescue technicians and border officers was already announced by the Trudeau government last June. That reform will allow front-line workers to retire after 25 years of service without taking a hit to their pension, regardless of age.

Public Safety will also increase the weekly stipend for new border recruits from $125 to $525.