Canada Customs and Duty Free
Original Ag Canada -Plot B
Present day Ag Canada- Plot N
Customs-Plot O
Duty Free/Percy H. Davis- Plot W
There are new people moving into Customs
all the time. They now have a new Customs building. Each person
coming into Canada must stop at Canada Customs. This includes
cars, semis and trains. The first Customs was opened in June,
1893. The railway did not offically open until Sept. 24th,1893.
July 1st, 1904, North Portal was erected into a Customs port of
entry and warehouse port. The first customs office was located
in the C.P.R. Depot, but this space was apparently required for
other purpose such as a church, dance hall, concert hall and for
meetings of all kinds. 1908 the depot was destroyed by fire. With
the construction of the present quarters in 1954 working conditions
were very much improved. Undoubtedly with the connecting of the
railroads the main traffic would be train loads of settlers and
their effects destined to many points in western Canada. In 1910
a new Immigration building was completed in North Portal for the
Immigration officers and detention quarters for undesirables.
The first Ag Canada building was built in 1910 and a new barn
was recently rebuilt in 1990.
The one store that has stayed alive
in North Portal is the North Portal Tax and Duty Free Store. It
is presently located on Plot W but as of July 1, 2000 it will
be opening a new store on Plot AA
