Governments lay groundwork for improvements at St. Stephen-Calais border crossing

FREDERICTON (July 23, 1999) — Officials from Maine, New Brunswick, and the U.S. and Canadian governments met last week to begin planning a new border-crossing facility at St-Stephen, N.B., and Calais, Maine.

The meeting was meant to be a preliminary discussion about the issues revolving around the new crossing, said New Brunswick Transportation Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney.

Blaney said an improved facility could be built by 2004. No location has been determined.

Meeting participants included officials from Canadian and U.S. customs agencies, Canadian and U.S. immigration agencies, the U.S. General Services Administration, Public Works Canada, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, the Town of St. Stephen and the City of Calais.

The Calais-St. Stephen border crossing is the eighth-busiest crossing on the U.S.-Canadian border.