IMTC Purpose, Goals, & Strategies

Updated March, 2016

PDF version of IMTC Purpose, Goals, & Strategies

Purpose

The International Mobility & Trade Corridor Program (IMTC) is a voluntary, binational, regional coalition of government, business interests, and non-governmental entities established to support the improvement of safety, mobility, and security for the Cascade Gateway – the five land border ports-of-entry connecting Western Washington State and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.

The IMTC Program is administered by the Whatcom Council of Governments (WCOG), a U.S. metropolitan planning organization (MPO) in Bellingham, Washington. Being largely comprised of government agency representatives, the IMTC coalition does not advocate for regulatory or legislative changes. Rather, through the IMTC Program, participants coordinate planning, identify shared system needs, and optimize investments and operations through collaboration, innovation, and partnership.

Goals and strategies

IMTC participants have identified  goals along with specific strategies to accomplish them. These goals and strategies (labeled with a “G” or an “S” respectively) are periodically reviewed and revised to best align with changing regional needs and changes in the policy and legal environment around cross-border trade and travel. This version of the IMTC Goals & Strategies was approved by the IMTC Core Group on March 17, 2016.

G1. Coordinate planning

For a collection of border crossings that serves a major North American travel and trade corridor, IMTC fills the critical need for continuous and structured communication between the multiple agencies and entities whose facilities and operations converge at this connection point.

G2. Improve regional, cross-border trade and transportation data

Planning and systems management requires current, data-based information. Furthermore, information best supports interagency cooperation when all parties are involved in how data are collected and synthesized.

G3. Support infrastructure improvements

Border-crossing infrastructure (roads, port facilities, information systems hardware, etc.) is an aggregation of components owned and operated by multiple agencies in two countries. Therefore, in the border environment, dedicated attention to coordinated planning, design, and project delivery is needed in order to identify and benefit from the many opportunities for increased efficiency and productivity. Sustained, proactive coordination also increases opportunities for funding partnerships.

G4. Support coordinated implementation of U.S. and Canadian border policy

IMTC provides an important, regional mechanism for federal and sub-national government agency representatives to collaboratively assess needs for policy change and consider if multi-agency strategies could improve implementation of adopted national and binational policies.

G5. Improve operations

IMTC supports dialog between agencies, industries, and communities that helps identify and evaluate possible improvements to how border facilities are operated and how some aspects of traffic and inspection programs (e.g. NEXUS, FAST) are managed.