Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees were involved in numerous cases of misconduct last year, ranging from interfering in immigration procedures to associating with a known drug trafficker, as per a recent report. The agency’s inaugural annual misconduct and wrongdoing report, released on Thursday, reviews investigations conducted from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
During the 2024-25 fiscal year, CBSA concluded 364 investigations, with 71% of them being substantiated. This represents a slight decrease from the previous year’s 319 substantiated allegations but an increase from the 238 cases in 2022-23. A substantiated allegation indicates that there is adequate evidence to support the claim.
The majority of the 259 substantiated cases were related to “accountability and professional conduct.” The report, following direction from the clerk of the Privy Council, highlighted instances of misconduct involving CBSA employees who failed to conduct proper searches during arrests, provided false information, misused law enforcement databases, interfered in immigration processing, and engaged in preferential treatment towards family members.
Additionally, there were 15 substantiated cases falling under the category of “criminality and/or criminal association, private, off-duty conduct, and outside activities.” These cases included associating with a known drug trafficker, possession of illegal substances while off duty, theft, and driving a CBSA vehicle while intoxicated.
The report also identified 21 cases of harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and workplace violence. However, detailed information about the cases, including locations, was not disclosed due to privacy concerns.
As a result of the misconduct, four individuals were terminated, and 14 left the agency. Most corrective actions taken were below termination level, with employees receiving counseling, additional training, or written reprimands.
Despite the incidents, the report emphasized that misconduct and wrongdoing are limited to a small fraction of CBSA’s workforce. CBSA President Erin O’Gorman stated that the release of the report aims to enhance transparency and build trust with the public.
The CBSA, comprising approximately 17,000 employees, including 8,500 frontline border officers, currently lacks an active public complaints body, even though legislation was passed over a year ago to establish one. The government intends to expand the mandate of an existing watchdog responsible for public complaints against the RCMP to include oversight of the CBSA, pending the appointment of a chairperson following royal assent in late 2024.