MONTREAL--The Lacolle border crossing is slated for a multi-million-dollar makeover in an effort to make travel and trade more efficient.
Federal Transport Minister Denis Lebel made the announcement Wednesday at the site of a Quebec trucking company, saying the federal government will spend $47 million over the next three years.
"Lacolle is a critical commercial border crossing for Canada-US trade with over $21 billion in two-way trade in 2012," said Lebel. "We will make it efficient, reliable and secure for trade and travel."
Last year 780,000 vehicles came through the Lacolle border crossing, which is one of the busiest in Canada.
Canada and Quebec spent $86 million on upgrades at Lacolle in 2006, now a new phase.
To make traffic flow faster the government will add nearly double the number of customs and immigration checkpoint lanes for cars, buses and trucks.
Within three years there will be 13 lanes for the border-crossers, plus an additional two Nexus express lanes.
However Lebel could not say how many additional border and customs officials would be hired to staff those inspection booths.
Truck company owner Claude Robert was grateful for the federal promises which will help long-distance ground shipping from the United States.
"Delays are critical and people don't realize how critical it is," said Robert.
"We've been saying this loud and clear but certainly with new developments and new facilities it is going to help and make things better."
The expansion will also include new, larger facilities for people coming through customs on a bus.
Lebel said work will begin later this year, after an environmental assessment is finished.
