NEXUS Shutdown at YYC: Why Cross-Border Travel Just Got Harder—Again

CALGARY, AB — As reported by CBC News, NEXUS services at Calgary International Airport (YYC) and other major Canadian hubs are suspended indefinitely, with passengers traveling through U.S. Customs advised to allow extra time for security processing. Vancouver International Airport confirmed the closure is "due to the partial U.S. Government shutdown."

But the real story isn't just today's delays—it's the pattern. This is the second time in two months that cross-border travelers have been caught in the crossfire of Washington gridlock.

The current shutdown began February 14, 2026, targeting only the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It's the fallout from a Senate standoff over immigration enforcement reforms—specifically, Democratic demands for new restrictions on ICE and CBP operations following fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis in January. Republican leadership refused. The Senate couldn't hit the 60-vote threshold to pass DHS funding, and the lights went out.

Here's the crunch: NEXUS is a joint U.S.-Canada program. Without American CBP officers processing applications and renewals, the entire system stalls. And while roughly 90% of DHS's 272,000 employees are deemed "essential" and still working, many are doing it without a paycheck. That includes the officers who keep trusted traveler programs running.

This isn't new. A brief shutdown hit from January 31 to February 3, 2026—affecting half of federal departments. Before that, the December 2018-January 2019 shutdown also froze NEXUS processing for weeks. And last fall's record-breaking 43-day shutdown (October to November 2025) caused chaos at airports nationwide, with TSA agents and air traffic controllers working unpaid while lines stretched for hours.

The U.S. Travel Association estimated that 2025's shutdown cost the travel economy $1 billion per week. Now, with YYC and other Canadian airports warning of longer waits, frequent flyers and business travelers are eating the cost again—not in dollars, but in hours burned standing in line.

For Calgarians heading south for work or vacation, the message is clear: build in buffer time. NEXUS won't be back until Congress sorts out DHS funding. And if history is any guide, that could take days—or weeks.