Canada Should Create Its Own Trusted Traveller Program Instead of Relying on Americans

Senator Paula Simons is calling on the federal government to create a Canadian verified traveller program that would allow passengers to use expedited airport security without relying on the Canada-U.S. NEXUS program.

Simons, an independent senator from Alberta, said Canada’s current system effectively requires many frequent domestic travellers to undergo U.S. security screening to receive expedited treatment at major Canadian airports.

“Why are we one of the only sovereign nations in the world that doesn’t have our own verified traveller program?” Simons said in an interview with Energi Media. “Why are we letting Donald Trump decide if I can go in the good line to fly from Edmonton to Ottawa?”

Canada’s Verified Traveller program provides dedicated security lines at several major airports, including Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. Eligible travellers face fewer security requirements, such as removing laptops, liquids and some clothing.

NEXUS cardholders are among those eligible to use the expedited lines.

Simons stressed that her proposal would not replace NEXUS or provide expedited entry into the United States. Instead, Canadians would undergo a domestic security background check to qualify for expedited screening when travelling through Canadian airports, regardless of their destination.

“This is an internal travel document,” she said. “It does not replace a NEXUS card.”

Simons asked the Parliamentary Budget Officer to estimate the cost of establishing a Canadian program. According to Simons, the PBO estimated a gross cost of $47 million over five years. Charging applicants $50 would reduce the government’s five-year cost to $7 million, while a $100 application fee could make the program fully cost-recoverable.

Simons said the existing NEXUS arrangement has also become more problematic for Canadians who do not want to travel to the United States or submit personal information to U.S. authorities.

She said obtaining NEXUS has become particularly difficult for people living far from the U.S. border because applicants now must enter the United States to complete the U.S. portion of their interview.

Simons has discussed her proposal with Transport Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency but said neither has shown much enthusiasm.

The Canadian Airports Council, however, supports the idea, she said. Simons said NEXUS applications fell after Trump’s election, leaving fewer travellers eligible for expedited security lines and making them harder for airports to staff.

Simons has introduced a Senate motion supporting the creation of a Canadian program and hopes it will come to a vote this fall. The motion would not bind the federal government.

She said she does not believe new legislation is required and argued the federal government could establish the program administratively.

For Simons, the issue has become part of a larger debate about Canada’s relationship with the United States.

“We are a sovereign nation confronting a United States that does not have respect for our sovereignty,” she said. “Why on earth are we allowing the U.S. government to decide who gets to transit through Canadian airports?”

Canada, she added, needs the institutions expected of an independent country.

“It makes no sense in 2026 to still be beholden to American Homeland Security.”