Trudeau airport customs delays 'unacceptable,' federal transport minister says
Marc Garneau promises swift action but is vague on details
The long lineups to clear customs at Montreal's Trudeau airport, where passengers can wait for hours, are unacceptable and will be addressed quickly, said federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau.
Throughout the summer, passengers arriving on international flights have complained about lengthy delays in the airport's customs hall. Some have reported standing in line for more than two hours.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre urged the federal government earlier this week to address the situation. On Friday, Garneau agreed the delays pose a problem.
"Waiting two hours or more is totally unacceptable," Garneau told CBC News. He said he is working with Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale to come up with solutions.
Garneau said he hoped to have corrective measures in place quickly, however, he also said the government needed to better understand the problem before drafting proposals.
Union blames budget cuts
"I want to get a sense of what exactly the potential choke points are ... before I propose solutions," Garneau said.
Garneau invoked the approaching anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks to say that any solution wouldn't come at the expense of security.
"We realize that this is a situation that is difficult for passengers arriving," he said.
"Many people travel internationally, and we want to have a reasonable amount of time to ensure the security is done –but certainly not the current times."
The customs officers' union has blamed budget cuts imposed by the previous Conservative government for staffing shortages, which it says contribute to the delays.
Coderre has also suggested the government and airport officials explore updating security technology and spreading out the arrival times of international flights.
