The federal government is facing increased pressure to scrap the ArriveCan app and increase staffing in an effort to deal with the chaos plaguing Canada’s major airports, where travelers face flight delays and cancellations. For weeks, many have been stranded for hours at Canada’s airports, most often at Toronto’s Pearson International. Last weekend, Canadian airlines and airports experienced more flight delays than almost any other country in the world. The blame falls on staff shortages and the ArriveCan app, which was implemented for travelers to prove they are vaccinated and have a quarantine plan if they contract COVID-19. Mark Weber, president of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Association, said he believes a lack of front-line staff, ArriveCan and an over-reliance on technology in general are contributing to the delays. “What we’re seeing specifically from the customs side is really long delays for travelers to clear customs when they come into the country,” he said. A Canadian traveler’s airport survival guide: what to pack, what to leave behind Customs union calls for more hires as travel turmoil continues Mr Weber said the number of frontline staff had been steadily declining over the years. Add to that, travelers face challenges using the ArriveCan application, “which takes a lot of time for many travelers to fill out,” he said. Mr. Weber said he would like to see the federal government hire 2,000 to 3,000 frontline officers across the country to staff different ports of entry, including sea and land. When it comes to ArriveCan, he said, questions could be simplified in the app to speed things up. For example, he said travelers shouldn’t enter their home address if contact tracing isn’t available. The app can also be difficult to navigate for non-tech-savvy people, he said. Melissa Lantsman, a conservative transportation critic, said Canada’s airports have become “an international embarrassment.” He said instead of continuing to blame travelers and airlines, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra and the Liberal government should take responsibility. “The Conservatives continue to call for a return to pre-pandemic travel rules and staffing levels to alleviate the delays and disorder we continue to see at Canada’s airports, including ending the mandatory use of the ArriveCan app.” NDP transportation critic Taylor Bachrach said the Liberals have failed to act despite having months to prepare for the trip to return and are now scrambling to hire screening officers. “The government must step up the recruitment of new staff to address shortages and ensure workers are adequately paid and treated fairly.” Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau established a new task force of cabinet ministers to improve government services, such as passport processing, and monitor the situation at airports. In a statement on Monday, co-chair and the office of Minister of Women and Gender Equality Marci Ien said the task force has met and is working to “find solutions to respond to gaps in service delivery”. Alexander Cohen, a spokesman for Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, whose office is responsible for ArriveCan, said the app helps make travel “easier and more efficient by allowing those entering Canada to submit their information electronically before reach the border”. He said it also provides CBSA agents with tools to ensure travelers are processed quickly and safely. Mr Cohen said its usage is “extremely high” and, according to their statistics, 99.7 per cent of air travelers and 94.1 per cent of land travelers have used it successfully. “Global travel volume has increased more than 700 percent since its low point during the pandemic, and airports around the world are feeling the impact. From too many flights to insufficient staff, there is no reason for these delays – but the ArriveCan app is not a major factor,” he said. Mr. Cohen said the CBSA is making significant efforts to add resources and streamline processes to help people move, including new kiosks at major airports, including Toronto Pearson, and hiring more than 700 border students for the summer. The cuts to air travel in Canada are an admission that this crisis won’t end anytime soon Flight delays and cancellations, lost luggage disrupt air travel over Canada Day weekend Valérie Glazer, Mr Alghabra’s communications director, said in a statement that the delays at airports were “totally unacceptable”. He said Ottawa is meeting with airports, airlines and relevant government agencies to find solutions to address the bottlenecks. Ms. Glazer said the Canadian Aviation Security Authority has hired more than 1,000 new screeners at airports. “We are making progress, but challenges remain, particularly for travelers facing flight cancellations and problems with baggage services.” He said Mr Alghabra met with the managing directors of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority and WestJet last week, and Air Canada’s CEO Monday to discuss the problem. When it comes to the app, travelers are divided. Payman Parseyan, an Edmonton-based oil and gas project manager, said he has traveled internationally more than 50 times since he downloaded ArriveCan last year. He said he is “confused” as to why Canada still uses it, given that border agents have asked to see the app on his phone about a third of the times he returns to Canada. “It is quite rare that I have been screened and returned to Canada through Pearson [Toronto], Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal. It just seems to be hit or miss whether the CBSA officer is going to request the ArriveCan application or not,” he said. “From my perspective, the app is completely useless.” Alex Chauran, a mother of two from Port Moody, BC, said she feels like she is one of the few supporters of the app. She crosses the land border to Surrey, BC, about eight times a month to take her children to see their father in Washington. She said she found ArriveCan helpful because it simplifies the documentation for her children, who were vaccinated in the U.S. and only have U.S. vaccine certificates, to return to Canada. With a report by The Canadian Press Subscribers only: Get exclusive political news and analysis by subscribing to Political information.
