As the holiday season approaches and to-do lists begin to grow, free time becomes a rarity. During this busy season, recognizing ways in which people can save time and fly smart can prove valuable. One relatively new program aimed at helping travellers in a time crunch speed up their travels is NEXUS, and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has just added another reason to take advantage of the many benefits offered by the program.

On December 1, 2007, the NEXUS application fee will be reduced to C$50 from its current rate of C$80. This price reduction is a result of the strong Canadian economy and a desire to have all Canadians pay a price that reflects the current economic trends.

NEXUS is a joint CBSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program designed to simplify border crossings for pre-approved travellers. It is available at eight major Canadian airports and 11-land border crossings. The five-year membership allows travellers to freely move via land, air and sea modes of transportation. The main benefit is the time savings afforded by the program when crossing the border by using dedicated NEXUS lanes at land borders, and using automated NEXUS self-serve kiosks at participating international airports.

The new fee will apply to applications received on or after December 1, 2007. Applications received before that date will be processed at the C$80 rate.

In order to be eligible, you must be a Canadian or U.S. citizen or permanent resident of either country, and have lived in Canada and/or the U.S. continuously for the last three years.

Now is the best time to start saving time in your travels. With numerous NEXUS kiosks located throughout the departure levels of Terminal 1 and 3, expediting your travels should be trouble-free.

The NEXUS office is located in Terminal 1, Level 2, near the south bridge linking the parking garage and the terminal. Please visit www.nexus.gc.ca or call 1-800-842-7647 (Ontario Region) for more information.