Originally Posted by
Radtel
This is very interesting. When we fly back home to YVR (internationally), there always is an announcement that all passengers must pick up their luggage at carousel XX and clear customs before continuing to their next destination.
In fact, I cannot see how you could get out of the international arrivals to go (airside) to domestic departures. This is, of course, just in YVR.
Several major Canadian airports, including Vancouver and Toronto Pearson, now have sterile transit areas. After deplaning you will follow the "Canada Connections" signage which will take you to an airside CBSA checkpoint. You make your declarations there. After this there is another checkpoint where your boarding pass is checked: if you are coming from a place where Canada recognizes their aviation security (such as the UK, EU or US) you do not have to be rescreened and can go right to your gate.
This does not apply to all carriers or all flights. AC is the main participating airline but even with AC not all flights qualify. I recall there were certain exceptions, including flights from Incheon, Mexico City and Shanghai.
Of course, if there is something about your declaration that piques CBSA interest they can still recall your bags for physical inspection. In that case you would have to go downstairs to the main customs hall and after being examined for customs you would have to be resecreened for security purposes before proceeding to the domestic gates.