**Title: System Outage Causes Delays at Canada-U.S. Border Crossings**

A system outage at Canada-U.S. border crossings in southern Ontario led to significant delays for commercial trucks on Tuesday. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reported that the outage began around 10:15 a.m. and affected processing for commercial drivers at multiple crossings, including the Peace Bridge and Queenston-Lewiston Bridge.

By 1:30 p.m., the CBSA announced that the issue had been partially resolved, but warned that commercial drivers might still experience delays. "The outage has been partially resolved, allowing most shipment processing to proceed. Commercial drivers may continue to experience delays as we resume normal processing operations," the agency stated.

Guillaume Bérubé, a media relations manager for the CBSA, explained that the outage stemmed from a data-entry problem that occurred after routine maintenance on Sunday. The agency is currently investigating the issue.

To manage the situation, primary inspection lanes at the affected crossings were staffed with officers to facilitate traffic and shipments. The CBSA also collaborated with the Peace Bridge Authority and the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission to help control traffic flow.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the ramp to the Peace Bridge from Interstate 90 remained closed, contributing to lengthy traffic delays in Buffalo and Lewiston, New York. Canada-bound commercial vehicles were escorted to a staging area overnight to alleviate congestion.

The CBSA reported that southern Ontario border crossings processed 2.7 million commercial trucks and vehicles, along with 7.3 million commercial shipments, in 2023.

In addition to the border delays, travelers faced disruptions at several Canadian airports, including Toronto's Pearson Airport, due to a service interruption involving the CBSA’s primary inspection kiosks.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance expressed concern over the increasing frequency and duration of system outages related to CBSA IT systems, stating that these disruptions are highly detrimental to carriers and their customers. Stephen Laskowski, the agency's CEO, emphasized the need for investment in border infrastructure, stating, "We simply cannot have the movement of thousands of trucks come to a crawl at international border crossings, while giving another signal to the international business community that Canada is not open for business."