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Overview: Standing Committee on International Trade: Potential Impacts of the ArriveCAN Application on Certain Canadian Sectors (June 15, 2022)

Scenario note

Date:
Time: From 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Location: Room 425, Wellington Building
Mode: Hybrid

General information

The Committee is meeting on to study and learn more about the impacts the ArriveCAN application is having on sectors of the Canadian economy which have come to rely on the efficient operation and facilitation of cross-border travel and trade to ensure their economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vice-President of Travellers Branch, CBSA will be appearing with representatives of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Key messages, including speaking bullets and key statistics, can be found in sections Key messages and Key statistics.

Opening remarks

The Chair will invite the Vice-President of Travellers Branch, CBSA to give opening remarks to be followed by questions from Committee members.

Appearing

Witnesses:
3:30 pm to 4:15 pm

Canada Border Services Agency

Denis Vinette Vice-President, Travellers Branch

Public Health Agency of Canada

Marie-Hélène Lévesque, Director General, Centre for Compliance, Enforcement and Exemptions

CIIT Committee Members:

  • Liberal Party of Canada
    • The Honourable Judy A. Sgro, Chair
    • Chandra Arya
    • Anju Dhillon
    • Wilson Miao
    • Terry Sheehan
    • Arif Virani
  • Conservative Party of Canada
    • Randy Hoback, Vice-Chair
    • Tony Baldinelli
    • Chris Lewis
    • Richard Martel
  • Bloc Québécois

    Simon-Pierre Savard-Tramblay, Vice-Chair

  • New Democratic Party

    Brian Masse

Opening remarks

Good morning/afternoon, Chair, and members of the committee.

Thank you for inviting me to participate in the discussion today.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Government of Canada has taken significant action to limit the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in Canada, by ensuring the safety and security of our border.

As the pandemic rapidly unfolded, the Government put in place travel and health measures to reduce the risk of the importation and transmission of COVID-19 and new variants in Canada related to international travel.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) administers or assists other federal departments and agencies, as well as the provinces and territories, in the administration of over 100 acts and regulations.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is responsible for the Quarantine Act and the Orders in Council that outlines traveller’s obligations when entering Canada. This means that any changes to Canada's border measures related to COVID-19 are under the authority of PHAC and the CBSA works in close cooperation to implement and operationalize the measures put in place.

The CBSA and PHAC co-created and launched ArriveCAN in to support the Government of Canada’s efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.

ArriveCan was developed to eliminate an onerous and unmanageable volume of paper forms and allow for a real-time collection of information to support compliance and enforcement of critical public health measures.

Like every other element of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 response, our border measures are informed by available data, operational considerations, scientific evidence and monitoring of the epidemiological situation both in Canada and internationally.

Currently, all travellers continue to be required to submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN (using the free mobile app or website) within 72 hours before arriving in Canada or before boarding a cruise ship destined for Canada. For those flying to Canada, submission needs to be completed before boarding.

ArriveCAN is free and secure and is the official Government of Canada platform to provide your information when entering Canada.

ArriveCAN can only beused by travellers when travelling to Canada, and all travellers must use ArriveCAN when entering Canada, regardless of mode of entry.

ArriveCAN is available to download as a mobile app or you can create an account and sign in online.

The use of ArriveCAN, which is mandatory, expedites processing and helps to protect the health and safety of travellers and our employees.

It is the fastest, easiest and most secure way for travellers to show they meet public health requirements.

Travellers can help minimize delays by ensuring that their ArriveCAN submission is completed within 72 hours of arrival at the border with all the required information including vaccination evidence.

The completion of ArriveCAN before arriving at the border helps to improve the flow across the border and minimize delays.

I am also happy to share that we have had a successful traveller usage rate. As of , 99.71% of travellers in air mode used ArriveCAN and 94.10% used it in land mode.

While we are moving in the direction of pre-pandemic travel levels, the reality is, we are still in a pandemic. Travellers are returning to a border that is managed differently with evolving COVID-19 requirements, and ArriveCAN is an integral tool to help us manage travel through our borders and ensure we continue keeping Canadians safe from the threat of COVID-19.

Thank you, and I will be happy to answer questions from committee members.

Placemat: Key messages

ArriveCan

ArriveCAN was developed and implemented by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in as a web-based and mobile tool for capturing travel and public health information from travellers prior to arrival in Canada.

All travellers, regardless of vaccination status and mode of transportation, are required to submit their information in ArriveCAN up to 72 hours before entering Canada. ArriveCAN collects contact, health and travel information to protect the health and safety of travellers and expedite processing at the border.

Travellers must provide in ArriveCAN their complete contact information, travel details and vaccination information, as well as pre-entry test results and quarantine plan if applicable, prior to arrival in Canada. A receipt showing that the traveller has successfully submitted their information is displayed in ArriveCAN and emailed to the traveller.

ArriveCAN is an essential tool to effectively assess traveller compliance with border measures, speeds up traveller processing and protects travellers and government officials by reducing points of contact.

Technology, such as the ArriveCAN app, has and will be instrumental in protecting the health and safety of travellers as well as expediting processing at the border.

Travellers may experience delays at ports of entry due to the public health measures as the CBSA will not compromise the health and safety of Canadians for the sake of border wait times. Travellers should have their ArriveCAN receipt ready to present to a border services officer.

What is the reason for delays at Airports?

The CBSA works with airport authorities, airlines and PHAC in planning for arrivals based on scheduled flights. However, the convergence of flights arriving at the same time, sometimes because of early or late arrivals of flights can increase the overall processing time.

When several flights converge and travellers accumulate, it can create a funnel effect leading into the pre-primary waiting area, which may cause lineups. Due to infrastructure and space limitations, travellers may have to be staged prior to entering the CBSA processing area.

It is important to note that each Airport Authority is responsible for the planning and coordination of the required holds and flow of travellers throughout the terminal building.

How can travellers avoid delays?

Travellers can help minimize delays by ensuring that their ArriveCAN submission is completed within 72 hours of arrival at the border with all the required information including vaccination evidence.

The completion of ArriveCAN before arriving at the border helps to improve the flow across the border and minimize delays. It is the fastest, easiest and most secure way for travellers to show they meet public health requirements.

Are there enough resources at airports and other ports of entry?

The CBSA takes appropriate measures to ensure that there are sufficient resources available to adequately manage the border and allow for the ability to increase operational flexibility and respond to service demands as and when required.

The Agency continuously monitors traveller volumes and wait times to allocate resources and adjust staffing levels during peak travel periods to minimize processing times and delays at our ports of entry.

CBSA and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority have made 25 additional kiosks available in the customs hall areas at the Toronto Pearson International Airport.

CBSA has increased officer availability, and Student Border Services Officers are now at work.

NEXUS enrolment

NEXUS enrolment has been severely impacted by the pandemic. Over the past two years, the enrolment backlog has reached 300,000, resulting in long delays to schedule and complete enrolment interviews.

The CBSA and US Customs and Border Protection and working closely to implement measures necessary to reopen the Canadian locations. We are also exploring other options to increase capacity, such as virtual interviews for renewing members.

It will take time to clear this backlog. Those applying for a NEXUS card for the first time should expect a wait of a year or longer to complete the interview.

In the meantime, membership validity is being extended for renewing members who are unable to complete their interview in person. We remind renewing members to submit their application before the expiry of their current membership to ensure they are able to benefit from this extension.

Can CBSA leverage other programs to improve border wait times?

In terms of Canada not leveraging trusted traveller programs to their full extent, it's important to note the investments currently underway by the CBSA to modernize processing for all travellers. Advance reporting, dynamic risking and biometric verification will facilitate the processing experience of many residents and visitors.

The CBSA cannot speak to the adoption of dedicated airplane boarding lanes for NEXUS members. We can confirm that we do not share membership or risking information with airlines and that risking for aviation security is assessed independently from NEXUS membership. We do welcome ideas on extending benefits for NEXUS members but would need to consider this proposal in greater detail to determine what role, if any, the CBSA would play.

ArriveCan going forward

The CBSA is continuing to work with PHAC and other partners to identify processing efficiencies in all modes, to address anticipated rising volumes as we approach the summer travel period.

The CBSA will integrate the Advance CBSA Declaration into the mobile ArriveCAN app in , allowing travellers at Toronto Pearson and Vancouver International to voluntarily complete their customs declaration in advance of arrival. This initiative is expected to reduce traveller processing time on arrival, and will be expanded to other major airports in Canada over the coming year.

The CBSA is committed to building on the success of the ArriveCAN app and will roll out other initiatives designed to deliver a better and faster border experience for travellers in the coming months and years.

Key messages

Airport wait times and CBSA staffing levels

There are many factors that may contribute to delays upon arrival at a Canadian airport. The CBSA continuously monitors traveller volumes and wait times to allocate resources and adjust staffing levels during peak travel periods in order to minimize processing times and unnecessary delays at our ports of entry.

The unpredictable and sometimes inevitable convergence of flights arriving at the same time, combined with the border health measures, can increase the overall processing time.

This means travellers to Canada could experience longer border wait times during some periods of the day.

The CBSA invests significant effort annually to plan and prepare for various peak periods, including the summer travel season, which will soon be upon us.

Considerable analysis is conducted to inform us of the resources that will be required to address projected trends and patterns to ensure alignment of resources to service demand. This approach has served us well in the past, with service to travellers being effectively balanced with security and safety responsibilities.

The CBSA has established modern processes to improve the traveller experience and manage volumes, like the international-to-domestic and the international-to-international programs that serve to significantly decrease connection times, as well as the Primary Inspection Kiosks, and the advanced CBSA declaration option.

NEXUS enrolment

NEXUS is a joint program managed by both the Canada Border Services Agency and the United States Customs and Border Protection.

Due to the pandemic, the NEXUS and Free and Secure Trade (also known as FAST) enrolment centres in Canada and in the US closed on .

With the recent easing of some border measures, NEXUS and FAST interviews have resumed at enrolment centres in the US as of .

Canada and the US are in discussions about the timing of the reopening of Canadian enrolment centres, however until that time, enrolment centres in Canada will continue to be closed.

The CBSA and the US CBP are working together to ease the impact on NEXUS and FAST members caused by the extended closures of the enrolment centres.

Impacts of COVID-19 health measures and ArriveCan

Since the beginning of the pandemic over two years ago, CBSA has supported a Whole-of-Government approach to limit the introduction and spread of COVID-19 in Canada, by ensuring the safety and security of our borders.

Travellers are returning to a border that is managed differently with evolving COVID-19 requirements – and this can mean delays during peak periods. The CBSA is working hard to mitigate long border wait times, but, there are also things that travellers can do to make the process easier for themselves, and other travellers.

Delays can become further exacerbated when travellers need additional time in the arrival hall to complete their ArriveCAN submissions.

However, travellers can help minimize these delays by ensuring that their ArriveCAN submission (which is free to download and use as a mobile app or on the website) is completed within 72 hours of arrival at the border with all the required information including proof of vaccination.

The completion of ArriveCAN before arriving at the border helps to improve the flow across the border and minimize delays.

ArriveCAN is the fastest, easiest and most secure way for travellers to show they meet public health requirements.

Supporting humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and Ukraine

The CBSA is also supporting other Government priorities including the reception and processing of Ukrainians arriving in Canada for safe refuge and the resettlement of Afghani nationals under our commitment to welcome them to our country. The CBSA is mobilizing resources across many port of entry activities.

ArriveCan

ArriveCAN was developed and implemented by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in as a web-based and mobile tool for capturing travel and public health information from travellers prior to arrival in Canada.

All travellers, regardless of vaccination status and mode of transportation, are required to submit their information in ArriveCAN up to 72 hours before entering Canada. ArriveCAN collects contact, health and travel information to protect the health and safety of travellers and expedite processing at the border.

Travellers must provide in ArriveCAN their complete contact information, travel details and vaccination information, as well as pre-entry test results and quarantine plan if applicable, prior to arrival in Canada. A receipt showing that the traveller has successfully submitted their information is displayed in ArriveCAN and emailed to the traveller.

Travellers can help minimize delays by ensuring that their ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website) submission is completed within 72 hours of arrival at the border with all the required information including vaccination evidence. The completion of ArriveCAN before arriving at the border helps to improve the flow across the border and minimize delays.

ArriveCAN collects contact, health and travel information to protect the health and safety of travellers and expedite processing at the border. It is the fastest, easiest and most secure way for travellers to show they meet public health requirements.

ArriveCAN is available to download as a free mobile app or it can be accessed on the website at Canada.ca/arrivecan. Travellers without a smartphone or without mobile data can submit their information by signing in online through any computing device.

Travellers can also ask another person for assistance, such as a friend or relative, to submit their information if they are unable to use ArriveCAN. They do not need to be travelling together. Once they have submitted the travellers’ information, they should print the receipt page or take a screenshot and provide it to the traveller to show to the border services officer.

The Advance CBSA Declaration feature within ArriveCAN (online only) gives air travellers the option to prepare their customs and immigration declaration 72 hours in advance of their arrival in Canada. Through the new Advance CBSA Declaration, international travellers arriving at Vancouver International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport can now use ArriveCAN online to prepare their customs and immigration declaration before arriving in Canada. This feature will be expanded to the ArriveCAN mobile app at a later date.

CBSA Communications undertakes regular proactive work to promote and support the use of ArriveCAN, including:

  • Ongoing work to improve web content and usability, including infographics, posters and vidoes on our website
  • Proactive media outreach including offering interviews at border crossings, to inform the public about the rules, promote mandatory ArriveCAN, and provide key information and travel tips
  • Stakeholder and partner engagement with airport authorities, air carriers, and travel organizations such as CAA, Snowbirds Associations, and others
  • Deployment of airport and road physical and digital signage, and ongoing work to increase/adapt signage at air and land POEs
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