New Democrat MP Brian Masse is calling on parliamentarians to “speak up” against the continued use of ArriveCan at Canadian borders, saying the app will “destroy” the country’s tourism sector.
Launched by the federal government in November 2020, the ArriveCan app was created as a COVID-19 screening measure that ensures arrivals are vaccinated, as well as facilitating contact tracing.
Masse, who represents the riding of Windsor West in Ontario, alleges that the app does not provide Canadians the protection it claims, but rather serves to “track” travellers.
“MPs need to speak up now or it will destroy our tourism industry, frustrate & create longer line ups when the technology fails.”
Mark Weber, the president of the Customs and Immigration Union representing border staff, says the situation has prolonged travel processing times amid an already chaotic travel season.
‘Man-Made Disaster’
The Trudeau government announced in June that the app will be mandatory until at least Sept. 30 but Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino has indicated that ArriveCan will outlast the pandemic as part of a strategy that aims to shrink border bottlenecks.Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said the federal app is discouraging cross-border travel and causing a “man-made disaster” in communities that rely heavily on tourism.
“[If] you upset your customers, they go back and tell all their friends. Many people are bypassing Canada. That’s going to have long-lasting effects on this country. It’s a more than $100 billion industry in this country—we need to do everything we can to open things up,” Diodati said.