Issue notes—Standing Committee on Public Accounts: Office of the Auditor General Audit on Pandemic Preparedness – Surveillance and Border Control Measure (April 20, 2021)

CBSA's role at the border

Proposed response

Border Services Officers (BSOs) facilitate legitimate trade and travel across Canada's border and keep Canadians safe by stopping illicit weapons and drugs and inadmissible people from coming into Canada.

In the context of the pandemic, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers at the port of entry are designated screening officers under the Quarantine Act.

As such, they assess every traveller's health status through visual inspection for symptoms, as well as a series of health screening questions as requested by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

Travellers who appear ill, or answer "yes" to any of the screening questions, are referred to PHAC officers for further assessment.

In addition, CBSA officers ensure that travellers have submitted necessary contact information and, if required, a quarantine plan prior to entering, or upon entry to, Canada.

Since January 7, 2021, CBSA officers have also been responsible for ensuring that travellers who are required to submit evidence of a valid pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test, do so upon arrival. Travellers who do not have a molecular test are referred to PHAC.

Eligible foreign nationals who arrive by land and who are not in possession of a valid COVID-19 test results are refused entry and directed back to the United States by a CBSA officer.

BSOs must also determine a traveller's quarantine exemption status. Travellers who are exempt from quarantine, either through a provision of the Order in Council or a Chief Public Health Officer designation, are permitted to proceed into Canada unless other concerns are identified.

Travellers who arrive by air and who are not exempt from quarantine must have arrangements for a three-night prepaid government approved accommodation (GAA) stop-over at their first point of arrival. BSOs ensure that travellers have evidence of a booking, and refer all non-exempt travellers with or without arrangements, to PHAC, including for transportation arrangements to a GAA.

At most land ports of entry, travellers are given test kits to self-administer a specimen collection. This test kit is given upon arrival at their place of quarantine and on day 10 of their 14-day quarantine period.

At land ports of entry where PHAC conducts on-site COVID-19 testing, the CBSA officers direct travellers to the test site upon completion of all customs and immigration processes.

In cases of non-compliance, CBSA officers make appropriate referrals to PHAC in accordance with established standard operating procedures.

Once a traveller is admitted into Canada, the responsibility to monitor individuals from a public health perspective falls within the mandate of the PHAC and provincial or territorial health authorities.

It is important to note that the CBSA does not issue fines in the enforcement of the Quarantine Act requirements; the decision on whether to pursue any enforcement action related to the public health orders rests with PHAC.

Border Services Officer training and guidance

Proposed response

The CBSA provides regular briefings on the evolving COVID-19 situation to its Border Services Officers (BSOs) and to the Customs and Immigration Union.

The Agency also works closely with Health Canada (HC) and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) experts to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to protect the public and frontline staff.

BSOs have been trained by occupational health officials from PHAC on the proper donning and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and are provided with written instructions.

To assist officers in the performance of their duties as screening officers under the Quarantine Act, standard operating procedures were developed and clearly outline the processes to follow when:

• a traveller presents signs of a communicable disease subject to quarantine
• BSOs have reasonable grounds to suspect that a traveller may have a communicable disease subject to quarantine

As the situation has evolved, officers have been provided with updated information and training through information bulletins, shift briefings, information sessions and video.

If pressed on OIC application training

BSOs receive regular guidance with respect to Orders in Council (OIC) requirements. Technical briefings are held to inform operations whenever substantive changes are being made to policy or procedures. Additionally, handouts are provided to officers for ease of reference in determining exempt vs non-exempt travellers.

Learning products are continually updated to reflect changes in the OIC. Currently, they are being updated to focus on procedural guidance to ensure clarity in the interpretation of the new rules and operational processes.

The CBSA's Border Task Force is available 24/7 to consult on any operational questions.

Guidance has been specifically provided to regional personnel to understand the processes and requirements of handing out test kits, as well as the safe storage of these test kits.

In addition, calls with all regions take place twice weekly in order to highlight any concerns that may be arising in the operations. If anything needs to be addressed, subsequent field guidance is sent to all regional staff.

ArriveCAN

Proposed response

As of February 22, 2021, all travellers, with limited exceptions, whether entering Canada by air or land, must use ArriveCAN.

Travellers are required to submit the following information electronically before they board their flight, or before/when arriving at a land border crossing:

• travel and contact information
• quarantine plan (unless exempted from the quarantine requirement)
• COVID-19 symptom self-assessment

There are a few exceptions, including for travellers who cannot do so because of a disability, inadequate infrastructure, a service disruption, or a natural disaster.

Travellers seeking entry by marine mode are required to submit their information in any form deemed appropriate by a Screening Officer before or when entering Canada, and are strongly encouraged to do so using ArriveCAN.

All travellers in all modes (unless otherwise exempt) are required to submit information during their quarantine period through ArriveCAN or by calling the toll-free number, within 48 hours of their arrival and on a regular basis.

Travellers who do not submit the mandatory information required after they have crossed the border will be considered a high priority for follow-up by law enforcement.

If pressed on usage statistics

As of April 12, 2021, 1,425,288 travellers have submitted their information using either the ArriveCAN mobile or web application. Of this number, 1,084,641 travellers entered by air, 340,275 travellers entered by land and 372 travellers entered by marine mode.

As of March 31, 2021, ArriveCAN had been downloaded 1,464,337 times.

From April 26, 2020, to April 11, 2021, approximately 51% of all air travellers entering Canada submitted the required information using ArriveCAN.

Between April 4 and April 11, 2021, data shows that 87% of air travellers used ArriveCAN to submit the required information.

Recent ArriveCAN usage rates are encouraging in the land mode, with an increase to 17% of land travellers now submitting via ArriveCAN from 2 to 4% originally.

If pressed on contact information

• Telephone: 1-833-283-7403 (toll-free from Canada or the U.S.)
• From outside Canada or the U.S.: 613-954-8485

Usage

Total users and submissions: All modes

Number of Apple and Google downloads as of March 31: 1,464,337

Air mode

Land mode

Marine mode

Compliance and enforcement information collection

Proposed response

As part of Canada's efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and prevent further introduction of the virus all travellers are required to provide contact and quarantine information upon and after entry into Canada.

To assist with the enforcement of the mandatory quarantine or isolation requirements, the CBSA is collecting additional contact information for all inbound international travellers.

On behalf of Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the CBSA captures basic biographical data, contact information, and quarantine-based information of all travellers, with limited exceptions, while in Canada.

Travellers are required to submit the following information electronically before they board their flight, or before/when arriving at a land border crossing:

• travel and contact information
• quarantine plan (unless exempted from the quarantine requirement)
• COVID-19 symptom self-assessment

This information is used by the CBSA at the border to ensure traveller compliance. Furthermore, all information collected is shared with PHAC which, in turn, determines when and how to share this information with provincial/territorial authorities and/or law enforcement.

It is important to note that the CBSA does not issue fines in the enforcement of the Quarantine Act requirements; the decision on whether to pursue any enforcement action related to the public health orders rests with PHAC.

Key statistics

As of April 12, 2021, traveller data from a total of 9,410,292 had been received by PHAC in all modes.

• 1,026,624 (11%) submissions via the paper forms
• 114,462 (1%) web-based submissions (including through the ArriveCAN web application)
• 7,284,326 (77%) submissions using desktop
• 984,880 (11%) submissions via the ArriveCAN mobile application

87% of records are collected and shared with PHAC through electronic means.

Essential workers exempt from quarantine

Proposed response

All international travellers, with limited exceptions, arriving into Canada must comply with quarantine and isolation requirements.

However, essential service providers are exempt from mandatory quarantine in order to prevent disruption of the vital supply chains and essential services on which Canada depends.

Essential service providers exempt under the emergency order include, but are not limited to:

• trade and transportation sector workers moving people and goods across the border
• workers who cross the border regularly to their normal place of employment including critical infrastructure workers
• technicians who enter Canada to maintain critical infrastructure
• emergency service providers including peace officers, firefighters and paramedics required to provide services within 14 days
• domestic or foreign law enforcement performing specified duties
• crew members and members of Canadian or visiting Forces

Critical infrastructure relates to energy and utilities, information and communication technologies, finance, health, food, water, transportation, safety, government and manufacturing.

There are strict requirements for travellers to follow, even if they are exempt from quarantine, including:

• wearing a mask at all times when in public spaces
• maintaining a list of all close contacts for their first 14 days in Canada