The Ontario government says it has launched an operation intended to beef up security along the border with the United States.
In a news release, Premier Doug Ford says Operation Deterrence will "crack down on illegal border crossings and illegal guns and drugs."
It comes as U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatens to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods unless Canada tightens border security, with an emphasis on fentanyl and illegal crossings.
As part of the operation, Ontario says provincial police have an ``emergency response team'' of 200 officers focused on boosting border security.
The province says the operation, which it describes as a "preparedness and planning framework," will target activities outside of the 14 official border crossings staffed by federal border agents.
Windsor-Tecumseh Conservative MPP Andrew Dowie told AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show that Operation Deterrence will provide provincial resources that will support existing federal agencies.
"Including very highly visible activities in border areas like ours. That means support from OPP officers, drones, aircraft, maritime vessels, and different specialized technologies to inspect vehicles at the borders and within Ontario's own roads so we can detect illegal activity," he says.
Dowie says that the decisions of the United States have driven this, not that the need wasn't there.
"Windsor particularly knows that being a border community means that we have to be a lot more vigilant. We know there's a lot happening," he says. "There have been many, many months that Ontario has called on the federal government to really step up and address safety and security concerns at the border, whether that be auto theft, drugs, or guns."
The release says Ontario officials took part in a joint planning and readiness exercise with federal authorities on Friday to promote coordination at the border.