Travellers who cross into Canada through some of the most sparsely populated stretches of northern Ontario and the Northwest Angle will soon trade paper permits for a phone call. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) confirmed on December 19 that it is shutting down the Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) permit on September 14, 2026 and rolling out mandatory telephone reporting across the affected waterways and islands.
The RABC permit, introduced in the 1990s, allowed boaters, anglers and cottage-owners to enter Canada without physically stopping at a port of entry, provided they pre-registered and carried a laminated pass. CBSA now says modern risk-assessment tools and widespread mobile coverage make the card obsolete. Under the new system, travellers must phone a designated CBSA centre immediately upon arrival to provide passport data and trip details; officers will then confirm admissibility or instruct the caller to report in person.
Travellers who want extra confidence that their passports or any required visas are in order before making that call can turn to VisaHQ. The company’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers quick document checks, application assistance and live support, helping boaters and anglers sort out paperwork well ahead of their trip into remote border waters.
![CBSA Replaces Remote-Area Border Permits with 24/7 Telephone Reporting]()
For businesses operating fishing lodges, seasonal resorts or supply runs in the Lake of the Woods region, the shift has both upsides and headaches. Operators will no longer need to remind international guests to apply for permits weeks in advance, but they must ensure that satellite or cellular phones are available on every vessel. Corporate travel managers should update pre-trip briefings for employees who service remote mines or telecom towers near the U.S. border.
Legal experts note that failure to report by phone will constitute an illegal entry, exposing travellers to fines up to C$5,000 and possible seizure of boats. CBSA plans an outreach campaign next spring and says signage will be posted at popular launch points. Until September 2026, existing RABC permits remain valid, giving stakeholders a 20-month transition window.
The change aligns Canadian practice with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which already requires boaters entering the United States to use the CBP ROAM app or telephone reporting in similar regions. Cross-border tourism groups welcomed the harmonisation but urged both governments to ensure reliable network coverage before the old permits disappear.
The RABC permit, introduced in the 1990s, allowed boaters, anglers and cottage-owners to enter Canada without physically stopping at a port of entry, provided they pre-registered and carried a laminated pass. CBSA now says modern risk-assessment tools and widespread mobile coverage make the card obsolete. Under the new system, travellers must phone a designated CBSA centre immediately upon arrival to provide passport data and trip details; officers will then confirm admissibility or instruct the caller to report in person.
Travellers who want extra confidence that their passports or any required visas are in order before making that call can turn to VisaHQ. The company’s Canada portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) offers quick document checks, application assistance and live support, helping boaters and anglers sort out paperwork well ahead of their trip into remote border waters.
For businesses operating fishing lodges, seasonal resorts or supply runs in the Lake of the Woods region, the shift has both upsides and headaches. Operators will no longer need to remind international guests to apply for permits weeks in advance, but they must ensure that satellite or cellular phones are available on every vessel. Corporate travel managers should update pre-trip briefings for employees who service remote mines or telecom towers near the U.S. border.
Legal experts note that failure to report by phone will constitute an illegal entry, exposing travellers to fines up to C$5,000 and possible seizure of boats. CBSA plans an outreach campaign next spring and says signage will be posted at popular launch points. Until September 2026, existing RABC permits remain valid, giving stakeholders a 20-month transition window.
The change aligns Canadian practice with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which already requires boaters entering the United States to use the CBP ROAM app or telephone reporting in similar regions. Cross-border tourism groups welcomed the harmonisation but urged both governments to ensure reliable network coverage before the old permits disappear.
