Ontario has launched Operation Deterrence, a new security framework aimed at curbing illegal crossings and criminal activity along the Ontario-U.S. border, the province said Monday. Premier Doug Ford said Ontario has been urging the federal government to address safety concerns at the border, and the province is now taking further action on its own.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have engaged a 200-officer emergency response team, along with frontline and speciality officers, to bolster border patrols. According to provincial officials, the OPP has conducted more than 6,000 hours of focused patrols since Dec. 6, 2024, using fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, remotely piloted aircraft, boats, off-road vehicles, patrol vehicles and foot patrol. The initiative will also involve partnerships with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in areas such as canine units, commercial motor vehicle inspections and criminal investigations, Ford said.
“This is the only way to detect, deter and disrupt illegal activity and ensure the safety and security of Canadian and American communities,” Ford said.
Operation Deterrence will concentrate on regions outside the 14 official border crossings staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency. Solicitor General Michael Kerzner said the goal is to stop guns and drugs from entering Ontario and to protect communities on both sides of the border.
The province said the plan builds on existing efforts to address illegal cross-border activity, including the OPP’s Joint Forces Border Drug Interdiction Task Force, which works with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the RCMP, the CBSA and several municipal police services.
Ontario officials also took part in a joint planning exercise on Jan. 3 with federal authorities to improve coordination on illegal crossings and smuggling. Provincial representatives have called on Ottawa to address U.S. economic and security concerns, including matching U.S. tariffs on China, banning Chinese software in cars on Canadian roads and meeting Canada’s two per cent NATO spending commitments. The province said it is uniquely positioned to support U.S. efforts to grow critical mineral supply chains and expand nuclear power.
If Ontario were a standalone country, it would rank as the third-largest trading partner of the U.S., with two-way trade totalling $493 billion in 2023 and supporting millions of jobs in both jurisdictions, provincial officials said.
