U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman and Marc Garneau, Canada’s Minister of Transport, announced the completion of a two-year collaboration between U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and air carriers to update the screening process at Toronto Pearson International Airport for passengers headed to the United States.

The project at Toronto Pearson, one of the largest U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ports of entry to the United States, was developed and implemented to meet new U.S. CBP regulatory requirements and improve passenger flow for U.S.-bound passengers using the preclearance process.

The revamped Security in Advance (SIA) protocol requires travellers to first pass through Canadian security, then U.S. customs. Previously, travellers visited U.S. customs first.

“The United States and Canada are both deeply invested in the facilitation of legitimate trade and travel across our shared border, while also working together closely to guarantee the security of our citizens. Security in Advance will provide safer, more seamless and more efficient travel to the United States for Canadian and international visitors traveling through Pearson,” Heyman said in a statement.