SIA, ALAS and CANASA Urge Congress to Approve United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

In a Sept. 9 letter to Congress, the trilateral coalition highlighted the growth and change in the security industry and the renegotiated policy’s updates to reflect the current state of the market.

  • Sep 11, 2019

The Security Industry Association (SIA), the Latin American Security Association (ALAS) and the Canadian Security Association (CANASA) have formed a coalition to urge the U.S. Congress to promptly approve the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the renegotiation of NAFTA. SIA, ALAS and CANASA – the leading representation of the security industry in North America – collectively represent more than 2,500 companies with business operations located in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

In a Sept. 9 letter to Congress, the trilateral coalition highlighted the growth and change in the security industry and the renegotiated policy’s updates to reflect the current state of the market. Legislatures from Mexico and Canada have already voted in overwhelming support to ratify USMCA.

“The security industry in North America is undergoing substantial growth, a robust workforce and a strong international business climate and is poised to meet the high demand for security in our countries,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “USMCA reflects the 21st-century economy and updates several outdated trade policies that will benefit the industry and level the playing field globally.”

According to SIA’s July 2019 Security Market Index – a bimonthly review of current market conditions provided to the association’s members – nearly 50 percent of security professionals rated current business conditions as “excellent,” and 69 percent of respondents stated they are increasing their number of employees or hours worked.

 “The Canadian government has supported officially the USMCA as a positive trade agreement between our three countries for some time,” said Patrick Straw, executive director of CANASA. “We are very hopeful that this is ratified in the near future.” 

“Mexico was first to ratify USMCA,” said Alberto Alvarez, CEO of ALAS. “This new agreement will strengthen commercial relations and boost business between the three countries.”

Featured

  • Security Today Announces 2025 CyberSecured Award Winners

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 CyberSecured Awards winners. Sixteen companies are being recognized this year for their network products and other cybersecurity initiatives that secure our world today. Read Now

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.