But even then, there are some who face the technological barriers of travel during a pandemic. Regina citizens Don Csada and his wife are just a few of those travelers who have been disappointed by the ArriveCAN website. ArriveCAN, which is available either online or through a downloadable mobile app, requires Canadians traveling abroad to provide mandatory travel and public health information before and after entering Canada. The Government of Canada says ArriveCAN “not only keeps travelers safe, but is part of our ongoing efforts to modernize cross-border travel.”
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Story continues below ad For the Csadas, it has created a problem for them since they have no mobile data for their phones and only access the internet through their computer at home. “It’s just very frustrating and you can’t get any answers,” Csada told Global News. Csada said he and his wife, Caron, booked flights to Mexico this December before the ArriveCAN app was implemented. Although they could get support from their family to help them fill out the required information before their flight to Mexico, they won’t have cell phones or a place to access the Internet once they arrive at their destination. Csada explained how this creates a problem for them as they will need to re-fill prompts at least 72 hours before their flight home. “There’s no accessibility, so what we’re trying to find out is there has to be another way for us to be able to get back to Canada,” Csada said. “If we can’t use the app, how are we going to get home? There has to be an alternative to that if people don’t have a way to use the technology.”
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Story continues below ad With their trip a few months away, Csada said he started making calls to see what options were available to him. He mentioned how he called the support number for ArriveCAN twice. The final result was closed on both calls. Chadha said he has also reached out to politicians from multiple levels and other organizations hoping to come up with a solution – but without success. Now, the couple is wondering what to do next –– either stick with their winter travel plans or cancel their trip. Csada said he hopes to raise awareness about this issue that affects seniors and others who need accessibility. “This is not just my story. There are other seniors who are going to go through this once they find out in the fall what they need to do to get back to Canada.”
ArriveCAN Exceptions
The Government of Canada says traveler information collected using ArriveCAN is of a higher quality and generally more accurate than information collected through other means, such as paper forms. In a statement provided by a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) spokesperson to Global News, the government notes that without ArriveCAN, processing times for travelers would increase “significantly” as public health functions would have to be completed manually for each traveler by CBSA officers at the port of entry. Story continues below ad “ArriveCAN is the fastest, easiest and safest way for travelers to demonstrate that they meet public health requirements and is an essential tool for the CBSA to assess traveler compliance and expedite the processing of travelers at the border,” it says the statement. The government says it recognizes that some Canadians may not be prepared or aware of the requirement to use ArriveCAN. As a result, the government introduced a new measure to address this issue. “As of May 24, border services officers at land ports of entry have been able to apply a one-time exemption to fully vaccinated Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act entering Canada who have not completed their ArriveCAN submission” , the announcement continues. “This exemption allows the CBSA to provide more flexibility to travelers without a history of non-compliance who may have been unaware of the requirement to submit their mandatory health information through ArriveCAN and means that the land-entering traveler will not be subject to quarantine , trials and one-time fines. All travelers granted this one-time exemption will be provided with information explaining their obligations regarding ArriveCAN for future border crossings.”
Read more: ArriveCAN 2.0: Ottawa confirms controversial app will survive pandemic
The CBSA adds that following the one-time exemption, fully vaccinated Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act who do not submit their information through ArriveCAN will be subject to quarantine and testing and may also face fines. Story continues below ad “Since this relief mechanism has been introduced into land operation, over 300,000 travelers have used it.” However, the Canadian government website highlights that some travelers could be exempt from the ArriveCAN requirement due to accessibility needs. 2:24 Concerns are growing about the ArriveCAN app violating constitutional rights The website says that people who cannot use ArriveCAN due to accessibility needs will not be denied boarding or entry into Canada. Those who are exempt should be prepared to show the results of preliminary tests, if required, proof of vaccination and travel documents. “All incoming travelers to Canada must use ArriveCAN to submit their information. In some limited exceptions, you can use an alternative to ArriveCAN. You can provide your information verbally at the border or by filling out a paper form,” notes the ArriveCAN website. These exceptions include people with mental or physical disabilities, inadequate infrastructure, service interruptions or natural disasters such as disruptions to ArriveCAN, asylum seekers and resettled refugees. Story continues below ad According to the statement, as of August 10, 2022, more than 25.5 million submissions have been sent through ArriveCAN. © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
