The federal government has released the voluntaryArriveCAN mobile application (app) for individuals entering Canada to make it easier for them to provide their contact information to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in advance of entering Canada rather than taking additional time to provide the same information if requested by border officials.
As a measure to further protect Canadians from COVID-19 and limiting the potential spread of the virus, border officials could request contact information of anyone entering Canada as a result of recent Emergency Orders under the Quarantine Act.
By downloading the app and entering your information in advance, the Government of Canada states “you will spend less time in line and also limit physical contact with others.”
Developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in partnership with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the app provides a digital avenue for all individuals entering Canada by land, air or sea to provide their basic contact information.
Earlier in July, CBSA released details on the collection of personal information from all individuals (symptomatic and asymptomatic), as required by the Quarantine Act, including those exempt from quarantine, such as truck drivers.
Personal contact information collected by officials at the border, including email addresses and phone numbers are being entered into a database managed by the PHAC. Once collected, the information is linked to the travel documents used as identification by individuals entering the country and will not have to be provided upon subsequent entries.
The ArriveCAN app only collects the information needed, should confirmation of compliance with the current requirements under the Quarantine Act be required at a later date by PHAC. It is not a surveillance tool and does not use any GPS technologies. The protection of individuals’ personal information is a priority for the Government of Canada and any tool used to collect personal information undergoes a rigorous privacy assessment.
The ArriveCAN app is available for free on Google Play and Apple App stores, and truck drivers are encouraged to enter their information before arriving at Customs. This is the best way to fast track their arrival. The app is also accessible on the web. For full details on the ArriveCAN app, please click here
