Originally Posted by
xobile
There used to be a Canada only program called CANPASS, but it was so little used compared to nexus that it was shut down. There was something like only 5,000 crossings in a year using it, while it was costing the government $250,000 a year to maintain—$50 per crossing vs less than 50 cents for NEXUS, which most former CANPASS members had moved on to.
A program like Precheck in the US for security only may have its uses to some, but the infrastructure to accept those members at an economical rate needs to be justified.
I had CanPass back in the day until the time it was discontinued. Primarily to be able to use the whirlpool bridge in Niagara Falls. The thing I hated the most was having to fill the declaration form and dropping it in the box at the crossing. There was also no leeway on the amount you declared before getting charged duty. If I marked $50 for a day trip, I would be charged no matter what. In the end I ended up just using the regular lanes and they usually don’t care about small amounts (as long as you declare, if course). When it was discontinued, I switched to Nexus. Best decision ever!