Civil-society watchdog Peace Brigades International reports that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has deployed a second Black Hawk helicopter to bolster aerial surveillance along Quebec’s porous stretches of the U.S. border—an escalation that comes amid Washington’s threats of trade tariffs if Canada fails to curb irregular crossings.
The aircraft, leased at CA$5.3 million until March 31, 2026, will operate from temporary bases near Roxham Road and key forested corridors in the Eastern Townships. According to RCMP sources quoted by the Montreal Gazette, flights began January 22 along the Manitoba-North Dakota frontier and were expanded to Quebec last week after a 14 per cent month-on-month rise in asylum claims at unofficial crossings.
![RCMP expands Black Hawk helicopter patrols along Quebec–U.S. border to deter irregular migration]()
For mobility managers, the intensification of aerial patrols signals a tougher enforcement environment that could impact employees or contractors who transit land borders frequently, especially dual citizens or U.S. L-1 commuters unfamiliar with the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) rules. The RCMP says the helicopters will use thermal imaging to relay real-time data to ground units, reducing response times from 45 minutes to under 10.
Critics argue the move militarizes what is fundamentally a refugee-protection issue. Advocacy groups warn that clamp-downs could push migrants toward more dangerous entry points, increasing humanitarian risks. Businesses operating near the border—such as logistics hubs in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle—should anticipate temporary roadblocks when aerial units coordinate interceptions.
Practical takeaway: brief cross-border commuters on heightened patrols, review STCA compliance, and build contingency time into travel schedules to account for ad-hoc road closures during RCMP operations.
The aircraft, leased at CA$5.3 million until March 31, 2026, will operate from temporary bases near Roxham Road and key forested corridors in the Eastern Townships. According to RCMP sources quoted by the Montreal Gazette, flights began January 22 along the Manitoba-North Dakota frontier and were expanded to Quebec last week after a 14 per cent month-on-month rise in asylum claims at unofficial crossings.
For mobility managers, the intensification of aerial patrols signals a tougher enforcement environment that could impact employees or contractors who transit land borders frequently, especially dual citizens or U.S. L-1 commuters unfamiliar with the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) rules. The RCMP says the helicopters will use thermal imaging to relay real-time data to ground units, reducing response times from 45 minutes to under 10.
Critics argue the move militarizes what is fundamentally a refugee-protection issue. Advocacy groups warn that clamp-downs could push migrants toward more dangerous entry points, increasing humanitarian risks. Businesses operating near the border—such as logistics hubs in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle—should anticipate temporary roadblocks when aerial units coordinate interceptions.
Practical takeaway: brief cross-border commuters on heightened patrols, review STCA compliance, and build contingency time into travel schedules to account for ad-hoc road closures during RCMP operations.
