Parliamentary Committee Notes: Border Management and the ArriveCAN App
Date: April 28, 2022
Classification: Insert classification
Fully releasable (ATIP)? Yes
Branch / Agency: TB / CBSA
Proposed Response:
- The Government is committed to protecting Canada’s borders and to helping travellers remain safe, which is paramount in the context of the global pandemic.
- ArriveCAN is a fast, easy and secure way for travellers to show they meet all public health requirements. It collects information used to protect the health of travellers and fight the pandemic.
- The ArriveCAN app and website do not collect any geo-location data related to users and only retain the information that is provided by the traveller. This information is used for health screening purposes at the border, including allowing public health officials to determine the need for quarantine or isolation.
- ArriveCAN was built using privacy-first principles, and the CBSA will continue to respect the principles of the Privacy Act as it modernizes its processes.
- This Government is also committed to building on the success of the ArriveCAN app and will roll out other initiatives designed to deliver a better and faster border experience for travellers in the coming months and years.
- The CBSA is committed to working with the Privacy Commissioner and other stakeholders to develop rigorous standards and governance that will protect the privacy of Canadians while continuing to modernize the management of Canada’s borders.
- The web version of ArriveCAN offers travellers access to a platform that meets the Government of Canada's accessibility requirements. It supports the use of screen readers and magnifiers. The CBSA and PHAC are committed to continue improving the accessibility of the ArriveCAN mobile application on a regular basis towards meeting international guidelines.
Background:
In the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada has taken measures to close borders and drastically reduce international travel, in addition to many other heightened public safety measures. With the introduction of requirements for travellers to provide contact details and information on their plans for quarantine, the CBSA observed longer border processing times since modern tools were not used to collect and analyze information submitted by stakeholders.
To support the administration and enforcement of the Quarantine Act and Emergency Orders made under it, CBSA and PHAC developed ArriveCAN, an integrated digital solution that enables real-time collection of information prior to arrival at Canadian Ports of Entry (POE) for all incoming travellers. ArriveCAN enables travellers to provide their information digitally as required by law under the Quarantine Act, to support compliance and enforcement, as well as public health measures.
ArriveCAN first launched in April 2020 and is available as a mobile app on the Apple App and Google Play stores or by signing in online at Canada.ca/ArriveCAN.
In November 2020, it became mandatory for air travellers to submit their information digitally in advance (i.e., before boarding the aircraft to Canada) via ArriveCAN. In February 2021, use of ArriveCAN became mandatory in the other modes (e.g., land, marine).
Currently, all travellers, with limited exceptions, whether entering Canada by air, land, rail or marine vessel, must use ArriveCAN to submit their information within 72 hours before arrival to Canada, unless exempted from this requirement due to an accessibility need.
Travellers who do not submit their information through ArriveCAN may be denied boarding if arriving by air and may be denied entry into Canada if crossing at a land, rail or marine border crossing (if the person is a foreign national travelling for discretionary purposes).
Canadian citizens, permanent residents, persons registered under the Indian Act and foreign nationals eligible to enter Canada under another entry exemption will not be denied boarding or entry, but:
- won't be eligible for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption;
- may face additional delays at the border for public health questioning; or
- may be subject to fines or enforcement action.
Once in Canada, requirements to quarantine and provide symptom information will differ depending on the traveller’s vaccination status as confirmed at the time of entry to Canada.
Information provided through ArriveCAN is shared with provinces and territories and law enforcement agencies for public health follow-up and to verify compliance with the Quarantine Act. ArriveCAN is part of a broader suite of activities and tools supporting Canada’s evolving border policies through COVID-19.
ArriveCAN has had consistently high ratings in the mobile app stores and as of April 24, 2022, has been downloaded more than 10 million times. ArriveCAN has also been built with accessibility needs in mind.
With the increase of vaccination rates and the opening of the border, the flow of international travel is expected to eventually return to pre-pandemic levels. When that happens, it will be important that the CBSA has processes in place to support passenger flow while minimizing any virus transmission that can occur from routine actions, such as exchanging a travel document.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CBSA and airport authorities identified a need to bolster public confidence in air travel by introducing innovative traveller processing solutions which reduce potential disease transmission points and create efficiencies in the travel continuum.
As a result, the CBSA has developed a new initiative (Advance CBSA Declaration) which leverages the success of the ArriveCAN application and the significant investment made in Primary Inspection Kiosks (PIK), which are a key pillar of the Agency’s border processing.
Advance CBSA Declaration was launched at the Vancouver International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport in September 2021 and December 2021, respectively. This feature is available on the ArriveCAN website and allows travellers to prepare their customs and immigration declaration and transmit it to the Agency electronically up to 72 hours in advance of arrival in Canada. Use of the Advance CBSA Declaration is voluntary. Travellers are provided the option of using this service following submission of mandatory public health information through the ArriveCAN website. Should a traveller decline to leverage this new tool, they will be subject to conventional processing.
These pilots have demonstrated time savings benefits for both the CBSA and travellers (up to 50% reduction in processing times at PIKs). The Agency is planning to deploy the functionality to an additional eight (8) airports in the 2022-23 fiscal year, as well as integrate Advance CBSA Declaration within the ArriveCAN app.
Contacts:
Approved by: John Ommanney, A/Vice-President Travellers Branch
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