Starting with January 2021, Statistics Canada combined its leading indicators of non-resident visitors and Canadian residents returning from other countries by automobile and by air. Counts are based on two sources of administrative data from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), available within days after the reference month.
The first source is counts of cross-border travel by automobile through 111 land ports equipped with the automated Integrated Primary Inspection Line (IPIL) system. These counts are a subset of United States (US) residents and returning Canadians entering Canada by automobile. In 2020, the 111 IPIL ports captured around 80% of cross-border automobile traffic between Canada and the US. IPIL counts exclude automobile travellers who cross the border using a NEXUS card and at ports not equipped with the system as well as for other administrative reasons.
The second source is counts of international arrivals at airports equipped with the Primary Inspection Kiosk (PIK) system, installed at major airports starting in 2017 to replace the paper E311 declaration cards. These counts are a subset of international air arrivals, excluding travellers who use a NEXUS card and those arriving by private aircraft as well as airports not equipped with the system. Deployment of PIK has been phased in and, during 2020, captured about 59% of international air arrivals. It currently excludes Toronto/Pearson Terminal 1, scheduled to be deployed in the fall of 2021.
See more about the Leading indicator of international arrivals to Canada, February 2021