Protecting Critical Infrastructure: A Cross-Border Action Plan
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Publication Date:
November 2009 -
Report Number:
R-1456-09-KF
Canada and the United States share more than the longest common national border on the planet: they also share extensive critical infrastructures, such as electrical grids and transportation and communications systems. Both countries have extensive plans in place for protecting these assets, but the border geography is unique in that several metropolitan areas are so intertwined that they create regional areas that straddle the border: Maine-New Brunswick; New York-Ontario; Michigan-Ontario; and Washington-British Columbia. It is important that both countries and their public and private sector representatives work together and share information on issues that affect each region and its common infrastructure. This report proposes a plan for Canada-U.S. collaboration: the goal is not to integrate the two existing national plans, but to create a plan at a regional, cross-border level that is aligned with the national plans.