A U.S. congresswoman who represents a border district in New York state is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to end the mandatory use of the ArriveCAN app for those seeking to enter Canada.
“This requirement disincentivizes travel, harms the flow of commerce, and burdens travelers with the submission of private health information.”
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Three days before Stefanik’s letter, a coalition of Canadian chambers of commerce also demanded that the federal government scrap the app, including ending all remaining COVID-related border restrictions.
“More than half of the total trade Canada conducts with the United States is by truck. The additional time and resources spent on border measures and the ArriveCAN app slows the crossing for all and puts additional strain on already stretched supply chains.”
‘Significant’ Backlogs, Long Wait Times
Stefanik says the app creates “significant backlogs” at Canadian customs.“Those crossing the border are often unfamiliar with the ArriveCAN app’s burdensome requirements and do not complete them until arrival at a Canadian port of entry,” she wrote.
“As a result, travelers are choosing to stay home rather than face long wait times and frustrations caused by the ArriveCAN app.”
Several Conservative MPs focused their lines of questioning on the ArriveCAN app, but Alghabra said the app has helped reduce wait times by digitizing the process.
The group of border chambers of commerce, which include Greater Kingston, Sarnia Lambton, and Greater Niagara Chambers of Commerce in Ontario among others, say visitors from the United States are “still down significantly” across Canada.
“Wait times at land border crossings have lengthened by up to two hours since 2019 despite traffic being cut in half, and bridge authorities attribute this entirely to restrictions and the ArriveCAN app,” the coalition said.
‘No Public Health Purpose’
In mid-June, a group of mayors from Canadian border towns said at a virtual press conference that the Liberal government’s pandemic travel rules have been devastating their communities.“Here in Niagara, 40,000 people count on tourism to feed their families. We’ve always said ‘follow the science.’ Well, the scientists are telling us now there’s no reason to have the ArriveCAN app,” Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said at the time.
Stefanik told Hillman that the app “serves no public health purpose” and only plays detrimental roles in commerce and traffic flow at borders.
“I urge you and the Canadian Government to cease this app’s harmful impacts on our border communities and immediately halt its required use,” she said.
The Epoch Times reached out to Hillman’s office but did not receive a reply by publication time.