New Timmins airport screening measures aim to deter drug smuggling in Far North

Gone are the days when some fly-in communities on the James Bay coast needed volunteers to search passengers and luggage arriving at local airports. 

Since Jan. 20, that screening process happens directly at the Timmins airport, before northbound Thunder Airlines and Air Creebec flights take off. 

The initiative comes at the request of the Mushkegowuk Council, which represents seven First Nations in northern Ontario. 

The organization's deputy grand chief, Amos Wesley, says a special task force has been working on this file for five years. 

"The main goal is to discourage drug smuggling by plane," he said. "Most of our communities are fly-in [...] they can only be accessed by plane, so it was necessary for this to happen." 

The council and several communities it represents have declared various states of emergency over drug trafficking and substance use problems since 2017.

Recent numbers from the provincial coroner's office suggest the drug toxicity rate in Mushkegowuk First Nations is three times the Ontario average. 

The new screening initiative means the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority will check baggage and personal items to ensure no substances are being transported to the Far North. 

"Before Jan. 20, there were no screening measures," said Wesley. "People were just free to take up anything there, smuggling things on their bodies and in their bags." 

Dave Dayment, who manages the Timmins airport, says the new screening process is not part of Transport Canada security regulation requirements, one of the reasons it took several years to set up. 

"We've agreed to implement a schedule to screen those flights going north for items that could be listed as [unlawful]," he said.

Wesley says the screening will make it very difficult for drug smugglers to access northern communities, although in theory, there are still some alternatives by train. Mushkegowuk Council is actively looking at ramping up screening initiatives there too.

First Nations looking at prevention, community-based initiatives

It's too early to assess whether the new airport screening measure is effective, according to Wesley. But he says he's heard positive feedback so far. 

"It encourages people not to try. It's a very good deterrent."

He adds that preventing trafficking is only one piece of the puzzle and stopping the flow of drugs north won't be enough to address substance use problems.

"We have a worry that people will fly south, or even move down south to get access to these drugs," he said. 

"But every community is thinking about those people, and we hope they come to the good life and seek medical assistance to quit these drugs."