Questions over continued use of ArriveCan raised as other measures lift

Border-city mayors, tourism industry leaders and an opposition MP say it’s time to bid a less-than-fond farewell to the ArriveCan app.

The mayors of Niagara Falls and Sarnia, Ont., say requiring visitors to Canada to submit their health information ahead of time is discouraging cross-border travel.

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati says while his U.S. counterparts agree, Canada’s policy of requiring travellers to use the app ahead of time is working to America’s advantage.

“Although they think it’s ridiculous and although all the lawmakers along the border have huge Canadians connections, the silver lining for them is they are winning because Canadians are spending all their money in the U.S., but Americans are not spending it here,” Diodati said.

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Diodati and Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley say doing away with the requirement is especially urgent now that Ottawa is lifting the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for domestic and outbound international travel.

Bradley says requiring would-be visitors to use the app to submit their vaccination status ahead of time is doing more harm than good.

“Have they actually looked at the results of what the benefits are? Any person looking at it objectively would say ‘they are not there anymore.’ I’ve learned a long time ago, I’ve been in politics a long time, when you are riding a dead horse, dismount, and that’s what the federal government needs to do.”

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New Democrat MP Richard Cannings, who has six border entry points in his sprawling southern B.C. riding, agrees that it’s time to come up with a better plan.

Canadian and foreign visitors are still required to use the app or an online portal to submit their vaccination information to the Canada Border Services Agency ahead of time.

The government also announced last week it would be suspending random testing at airports for vaccinated travellers.