New data shows more than 1.65 million travellers entered Canada this year without using the ArriveCan, which the government had made mandatory to enter into Canada. The use of the app will be made optional starting on Oct. 1.
The controversial app required travellers entering Canada to upload proof of vaccination, health, and travel information before arriving at a port of entry.
Documents tabled in the House of Commons show 1,651,900 travellers arrived at a port of entry into Canada between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31 without first submitting their personal health information into the app, according to the National Post. That’s about 4.3 percent of the 38.5 million individuals who entered Canada from the beginning of the year untill Sept. 11.
The news comes as Ottawa announced on Sept. 26 that its remaining travel restrictions, which include use of the app and a 14-day quarantine for the unvaccinated, will be lifted on Oct. 1.
“Since its inception, ArriveCan has been linked to mandatory health information, including vaccination status that travellers have submitted when entering Canada,” Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said on Sept. 26. “ArriveCan will now become voluntary for those who want to save time at airports by uploading documents in advance.”
The travel and tourism industries and the Conservative Party had called on the federal government to scrap the app. Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre, who was elected earlier this month with an overwhelming majority on the first ballot, campaigned on scrapping the app.
The federal government first introduced the requirement for travellers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 about a year ago, and has renewed that order about every three months. Ottawa will not renew the order beyond Sept. 30.
Besides the use of the app, measures that will no longer be in effect starting Oct. 1 include the requirement to provide proof of vaccination regardless of citizenship, undergo COVID-19 testing, and being subject to COVID-19 quarantine or isolation. Travellers also will not be required to wear masks on planes and trains, nor undergo health checks for travel on air or rail.
Andrew Chen contributed to this report.
